SWA International Service
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jimntx
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A good friend of mine who is a Captain with WN just finished his International training. He is based at DAL. He says that Central America and northern South America (i.e., places reachable nonstop with 737) is the next "battleground" between WN and the rest of us. It will be interesting to see what develops.
Here's an interesting article on SWA's expectations from international service and AT prchase synergies:
Southwest Airlines, the US' fourth force, does not neatly fit the emerging US ...
WorldTraveler
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The key sentence in that article is that WN is moving carefully and intentionally to understand the international markets it wants to serve.
The article also says that WN might have a hard time breaking into markets that have been served by legacy carriers and used esp. for VFR (Visiting friends and family) traffic. At one time the legacies served all of markets but WN and other carriers have found a niche. It isn't surprising that WN is focusing its int'l service growth in its strongest and oldest markets in Texas and also focusing on developing service from HOU where it dominates the airport and can do its thing free from the concerns of other airlines. WN's strategy has long been to find its niche, even if using an alternative airport in a multi-airport city.
WN will do just fine to Latin America.
The article also says that WN might have a hard time breaking into markets that have been served by legacy carriers and used esp. for VFR (Visiting friends and family) traffic. At one time the legacies served all of markets but WN and other carriers have found a niche. It isn't surprising that WN is focusing its int'l service growth in its strongest and oldest markets in Texas and also focusing on developing service from HOU where it dominates the airport and can do its thing free from the concerns of other airlines. WN's strategy has long been to find its niche, even if using an alternative airport in a multi-airport city.
WN will do just fine to Latin America.
SharoninSAT
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Good article! Thanks swamt
jimntx
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Sharon, doesn't SAT already have a Customs & Immigration station? If so, I 'spect you'll see some non-stops from SAT to Mexico at the very least.
Your welcome Sharon, It made me feel alot better after reading it. I think the international stuff will be larger than they are predicting. With the W/A going away next year, international flts will be going strong, and we will be seeing the synergies of the AT purchase paying off in full. With all this coming to fruitation within the same time period, I think we will start seeing better ROI in 13 but also see it getting better yearly thru 2016. I know we have been profitable, but it sure would be nice to see our 15% ROI back to normal levels again.
Now Sharon I have mentioned this before and got ridiculed that it was faulse, but I did get straight from the horses mouth. There is international and customs area being integrated within the new construction at Love Field. Not saying they are building the areas now, but there are allotted areas already to go if/when international restrictions are lifted from Love Field. Hmmmm, Wonder why they are doing that? I said a while back, but I was also told SWA will be going after the lift of international restrictions later on down the road. Besides the number of flights and gates the internation restrictions are the only restrictions left, I think...
WorldTraveler
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WN is a master of public relations and will easily make the case that they should be allowed to fly near international flights from Love Field.
They will prove what they can do in Latin América from HOU and will show what they can accomplish domestically at DAL once Wright is gone. The rest of the pieces will all come together. Dallas isn't that much different from Houston for the connections to be very easily made.
WN is very capable of adapting to changes in the marketplace; they recognize what FL started to do w/ int'l and B6 has done to an even greater degree. B6 by geography is more focused on leisure traffic; WN will do some of that but there is enormous potential for more ethnically based travel from the central and southwest US that is probably even more profitable - and it is precisely in those regions of the country where WN is so strong.
When you look at a route map of WN ten years from now - maybe even 5 - you will be amazed at how WN has transformed itself over a fairly short time.
WN wasn't thinking int'l for years but they recognize what they have to do now and they are very methodically putting the pieces in place.
It will pay off handsomely for WN and its employees in a few years.
They will prove what they can do in Latin América from HOU and will show what they can accomplish domestically at DAL once Wright is gone. The rest of the pieces will all come together. Dallas isn't that much different from Houston for the connections to be very easily made.
WN is very capable of adapting to changes in the marketplace; they recognize what FL started to do w/ int'l and B6 has done to an even greater degree. B6 by geography is more focused on leisure traffic; WN will do some of that but there is enormous potential for more ethnically based travel from the central and southwest US that is probably even more profitable - and it is precisely in those regions of the country where WN is so strong.
When you look at a route map of WN ten years from now - maybe even 5 - you will be amazed at how WN has transformed itself over a fairly short time.
WN wasn't thinking int'l for years but they recognize what they have to do now and they are very methodically putting the pieces in place.
It will pay off handsomely for WN and its employees in a few years.
555_in_PDX
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FYI- WN/AT flying to MEX and SJD out of SNA (AT metal)
SharoninSAT
Veteran
Swamt, I too am looking forward to all of our new growth and have had the same thoughts about DAL. I also think that once the W/A is
gone, and in the near future, SW will work on lifting the international restrictions, but as you know we are always the last ones to know
and SW LUV's to keep secrets 😀. So for now I guess AUS, SAT and HOU (once the expansion is complete) will have to work . I'm glad
to say as of Feb. 22, we ended our codeshare agreement with Volaris so we can focus on our network connectivity with AirTran into Mexico,
until we are completely integrated. Here we grow again...
Just learned something, thx Sharon. I didn't realize we were breaking up with Volaris. At least it shows how much focus will be on us taking over the flts to Mex. Yes good news indeed.
SharoninSAT
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SharoninSAT
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