Southwest Airlines Applies For Additional Slots At Ronald Reagan
Washington National Airport To Serve Houston Hobby
DALLAS, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines
(NYSE: LUV) today announced it has filed an application
with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for slot
exemptions that would allow Southwest to offer nonstop service
between Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and William
P. Hobby Airport (HOU). The proposed service is possible due
to Spirit Airlines' discontinued use of the slot exemptions, which
are available for use inside Washington National's traditional
1,250 mile service perimeter.
Southwest's application points out that current average fares
for nonstop service between Houston and Washington National are more than
60 percent higher than Southwest's average nonstop fare between
Houston and Baltimore/Washington
International (BWI), a similar distance. Southwest projects that
its proposed HOU-DCA service would attract tens of thousands of new
Passengers and save consumers millions of dollars annually.
As part of the effort to bring a low-fare alternative to the
HOU-DCA market, Southwest is unveiling www.Southwest.com/HOU-DCA.
Visitors to www.Southwest.com/HOU-DCA can receive additional
information and sign a petition in support of Southwest's proposed
service.
"Houston is one of Southwest
Airlines' three original cities, and this proposed new service is
another example of our strong commitment to continue adding value
to the community," said Gary Kelly,
Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO. "By taking action
now at www.Southwest.com/HOU-DCA, Houstonians and all travelers can
make their voices heard that competition is a good thing, and lower
fares are vitally important in these challenging economic
times."
A decision by the DOT is expected in the first quarter of 2013.
Southwest is prepared to begin service this spring if awarded the
slots.
Southwest has served Houston
since June 18, 1971, and currently
has more than 2,700 HOU Employees serving 143 flights every day.
Earlier this year, the Houston City Council approved the carrier's
proposal to construct a new five-gate international facility at
Hobby Airport. This new service is scheduled to begin in 2015.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 42nd year of
service, Dallas-based Southwest
Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from
other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly
46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually.
Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating
passengers boarded, and including wholly-owned subsidiary, AirTran
Airways, operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world
to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of
Puerto Rico, and six
near-international countries. Southwest is one of the most honored
airlines in the world, known for its commitment to the triple
bottom line of Performance, People and Planet. To read about
how Southwest is doing its part to be a good corporate citizen,
visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest
Airlines One Report™.
southwest.com
SOURCE Southwest Airlines