normaldude
April 7th, 2009, 12:26 PM
Southwest to begin service at LaGuardia in June
BY JAMES BERNSTEIN
8:53 AM EDT, April 7, 2009
Southwest Airlines, one of the nation's largest discount carriers that is the major operator at Long Island MacArthur Airport, said Tuesday it will begin service at LaGuardia Airport in June, a dramatic departure for the airline that has always steered clear of major urban areas.
Dallas-based Southwest said that beginning June 28, it will offer eight daily nonstop flights from LaGuardia. Five will be to Chicago's Midway Airport and three to Baltimore/Washington airport.
Southwest began operations at the Ronkonkoma airport a decade ago. Aviation experts had long speculated when Southwest would begin operations at a major airport.
In December, Southwest paid $7.5 million for the assets of ATA airlines, including 14 takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia, the most clear signal to date that Southwest intended to begin service there.
Southwest will be bumping heads at LaGuardia with such major carriers as Delta. But JetBlue Airways Corp of Forest Hills also offers some flights at LaGuardia. JetBlue is the largest operator at Kennedy Airport.
"The landing slots (from ATA) is what made this possible," Ashley Rogers, a Southwest spokeswoman, said in an interview Tuesday morning. "This has been in the works for awhile and we're excited to be serving LaGuardia." Rogers said Southwest has no current plans to expand service from LaGuardia.
Southwest plans to charge $89 for a one-way flight to Chicago and $49 for a one-way flight to Baltimore/Washington. Tickets must be purchased 14 days in advance.
"For years, customers have asked for Southwest service into New York City, and we are now connecting two of our largest markets with the nation's largest city," Gary Kelly, Southwest's chief executive, said in a statement.
Southwest has added service to Minneapolis and said it plans to offer flights also at Boston's Logan Airport this fall. But it has also been cutting what it considers unprofitable routs and said it will lower capacity 4 percent this year.
Copyright © 2009, Newsday Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-webair0812629043apr07,0,6119117.story
BY JAMES BERNSTEIN
8:53 AM EDT, April 7, 2009
Southwest Airlines, one of the nation's largest discount carriers that is the major operator at Long Island MacArthur Airport, said Tuesday it will begin service at LaGuardia Airport in June, a dramatic departure for the airline that has always steered clear of major urban areas.
Dallas-based Southwest said that beginning June 28, it will offer eight daily nonstop flights from LaGuardia. Five will be to Chicago's Midway Airport and three to Baltimore/Washington airport.
Southwest began operations at the Ronkonkoma airport a decade ago. Aviation experts had long speculated when Southwest would begin operations at a major airport.
In December, Southwest paid $7.5 million for the assets of ATA airlines, including 14 takeoff and landing slots at LaGuardia, the most clear signal to date that Southwest intended to begin service there.
Southwest will be bumping heads at LaGuardia with such major carriers as Delta. But JetBlue Airways Corp of Forest Hills also offers some flights at LaGuardia. JetBlue is the largest operator at Kennedy Airport.
"The landing slots (from ATA) is what made this possible," Ashley Rogers, a Southwest spokeswoman, said in an interview Tuesday morning. "This has been in the works for awhile and we're excited to be serving LaGuardia." Rogers said Southwest has no current plans to expand service from LaGuardia.
Southwest plans to charge $89 for a one-way flight to Chicago and $49 for a one-way flight to Baltimore/Washington. Tickets must be purchased 14 days in advance.
"For years, customers have asked for Southwest service into New York City, and we are now connecting two of our largest markets with the nation's largest city," Gary Kelly, Southwest's chief executive, said in a statement.
Southwest has added service to Minneapolis and said it plans to offer flights also at Boston's Logan Airport this fall. But it has also been cutting what it considers unprofitable routs and said it will lower capacity 4 percent this year.
Copyright © 2009, Newsday Inc.
http://www.newsday.com/news/printedition/longisland/ny-webair0812629043apr07,0,6119117.story