SWA to add 50 new INTL cities

[robbedagain]

according to the Baltimore sun newspaper in a link I found on my FB page  SWA is looking at adding 50 new INTL cities  mostly in the Carribbean and Central America    BWI is going to play a major role according to the article.    Not to mention in the next few yrs they'll be adding the 737 Max  

 

[WorldTraveler]

when you look at the number of cities that the big 3 serve south of the US to the northern half of S. America, that number if likely valid.

it just won't happen overnight and other carriers are adding flights as well.

the only losers in all of this is AA and UA who are the dominant carriers in the US regions where most of these flights will originate.

 

[eolesen]

Here's the link.

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2015/02/20/southwest-airlines-wants-to-add-more-international.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_baltimore+(Baltimore+Business+Journal)

Preclearance is a better fit with their business model, so I'd expect Canada to be at the top of that list...

 

[robbedagain]

E thanks for the link what surprises me is that there no mention of Bermuda and theyre a preclearance airport.

 

[WorldTraveler]

BDA is a high end, seasonal destination that is not conducive to mass transportation.

US-Canada transborder has high taxes which makes either hub operations which favor smaller aircraft (which is why there is such a larger number of RJs) or to/from Florida, CA, or other high volume destinations - but WestJet and others are heavily in those markets already. For WN to decide they want to get into those markets, means they are going to have to push hard to gain a decent share of the market.... I doubt WN will do consider it worth it.

there are far more opportunities to Latin America and the Caribbean.

 

[swamt]

Here's the link.

http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2015/02/20/southwest-airlines-wants-to-add-more-international.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+bizj_baltimore+(Baltimore+Business+Journal)

Preclearance is a better fit with their business model, so I'd expect Canada to be at the top of that list...

I can only hope Canada is on the top.  But I don't think this is the case.  I also think bouncing around inside Canada could do pretty well for SWA.  It will get interesting as SWA picks the cities they want to serve.  We still need Boeing to step up the pace for the 737 deliveries.  They have agreed twice now to speed up deliveries and are currently thinking about taking it up one more step to produce the max out put allowed with what they currently have staff wise and lines.  I forget the numbers but I think with all three bumps in production deliveries could raise the deliveries to 20-35% increase (mind you I could be way off here).  I have not read if they ever did go to full max deliveries output yet.  SWA is also all over the world trying to pick up more used A/C.  With Delta just recently announcing (I think it was Delta, maybe UAL) they are going to seek out the used A/C market as well, the pickins might get yet even smaller...

 

[WorldTraveler]

WN is a US carrier. It cannot "bounce around" within Canada. Canadian airlines get to do that.

and to protect your job, Canadian airlines can't "bounce around" within the US and nor can airlines that aren't US carriers other than to pick up their OWN passengers as Qantas does between JFK and LAX.

Canada is simply not a large enough market for WN compared to the potential that exists south of the US. Hawaii has far more value to WN's FF program. and taxes to both Canada and Hawaii are complicated - but that is true anywhere outside of the lower 48.

DL supposedly asked Boeing to accelerate deliveries of the 739 and Boeing said they could not... so the chances are that Boeing's production line is already sold out and WN will wait to wait unless they happen to have un converted options.

I believe you are referring to UA's statement that they are looking for used 737s.

DL did pick up 11 additional used 717s which should take the fleet to 99.

 

[swamt]

Here's more great news for the Houston prep of international flights. Starting Sat. HOU will start to receive first international flights by SWA.  This will only be the beginning, in Oct it will get even better as SWA expands and grows the international flights out of HOU once the international and customs terminals are done. The Southwest effect for international is finally here...
 
Southwest launches flights to Costa Rica and Aruba

 

[WorldTraveler]

and notably, other carriers will be able to use that facility... wait, wait 20% of the capacity of that facility in fact. wonder where they came up with that number and why the City of Houston required that 20% of the capacity be made available to other carriers?

 

[Kev3188]

Here's more great news for the Houston prep of international flights. Starting Sat. HOU will start to receive first international flights by SWA.  This will only be the beginning, in Oct it will get even better as SWA expands and grows the international flights out of HOU once the international and customs terminals are done. The Southwest effect for international is finally here...
 
Southwest launches flights to Costa Rica and Aruba

CR is well worth the trip. So is the Caribbean. Hope there's at least a seat or two for non-revving. 🙂

 

[WorldTraveler]

WN has embargoed non-revving for its own employees in the past.

they will take non-revs on their own schedule and it may/may not include OAL employees any time soon.

glad you have been able to see the world, though. Remember that AA, DL, and UA fly to far more of it than just the Caribbean.

without employee non-rev embargoes.

 

[swamt]

CR is well worth the trip. So is the Caribbean. Hope there's at least a seat or two for non-revving. 🙂

Yes. A couple of trips I will be sure to make.  I am going to watch the flights, if they are full as I expect, I may have to purchase tickets. But even that isn't a big deal for SWA employees.  The HOU market for international will get interesting by the end of this year. I do remember GK stating that we can easily handle the new 50 international destinations with the fleet we currently have. So going forward for international should be pretty easy.  Also let's not forget about FLL, BWI and other cities going international.  Looking forward to another good year for growth and expansion, can't wait...

 

[WorldTraveler]

looks like WN's first annual meeting outside of Dallas will be in... Houston.

 

[robbedagain]

swamt  WN is geared up for the first ever San Jose flight out of BWI   not sure the exact date but Ive seen a lot of the ads for it here bro   IT seems like its gonna be a huge hit for SWA  and theyre looking at possibly adding Canada in the not to distant future out of BWI

 

[swamt]

swamt  WN is geared up for the first ever San Jose flight out of BWI   not sure the exact date but Ive seen a lot of the ads for it here bro   IT seems like its gonna be a huge hit for SWA  and theyre looking at possibly adding Canada in the not to distant future out of BWI

Yes we are gearing up for all kinds of new flights in 2015.  Canada will happen, just don't know when for sure. I will predict by 2020 if not sooner we will be in Canada.  There is alot of new flights going on right now and 2015 will be a pretty big growth year for SWA and will continue into 16, 17 and 18 as well.  
BTW, rumors are flying again about AS and possible mergers, and we are one of them, as well as AA and even Delta was mentioned but the relationship between Delta and AS has gone south so bad as of late that pretty sure we will all see a disconnect between these two soon.
Here's more on international announcements;
 
Going The Distance: Southwest Airlines Launches Service To Central America And Flies New ...