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Southwest Airlines

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Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Gary C. Kelly
Southwest Airlines Chairman, President & Chief Executive Officer, Gary C. Kelly
IATA Code
WN
ICAO Code
SWA
Corporate Address
Southwest Airlines
P.O. Box 36647 - 1CR
Dallas, Texas 75235-1647
Website
http://www.southwest.com
Main hub
Chicago Midway Airport
Country
United States
Business model
Low Cost Carrier

Southwest Airlines is an American low-cost carrier headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The archetype low-cost airline that inspired the low-cost movement around the world, Southwest is among largest airline in the world as measured by passengers carried. Southwest is one of the world's most consistently profitable airlines, adhering closely to its low-cost tradition but differentiating itself through well-regarded customer service and free baggage checks. Southwest remains one of the most influential airlines in the world, with an enormous fleet of Boeing 737NG aircraft which operate over 3500 services each day to over 70 destinations across the United States.

On 27-Sep-2010, Southwest Airlines announced plans to purchase AirTran Airways in a USD1.4 billion share purchase. The AirTran business would be rebranded under the Southwest Airlines brand. The deal, which would significantly strengthen Southwest's presence in eastern and mid-west US markets and the Caribbean, remains subject to shareholder and US regulatory approval.

Location of Southwest Airlines main hub (Chicago Midway Airport)

Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and Google Maps

Southwest Airlines share price

Time period:
Source: CAPA - Centre for Aviation and Yahoo! Financial


 
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919 total articles

6,123 total articles

2012 marks beginning of next chapter in US airline industry

3-Jan-12 5:09 PM

While downturn is rife in the airline industry, the US industry will do relatively well, with IATA expecting the US industry to post USD2 billion in earnings in 2011 and USD2.9 billion in 2012 as US carriers limit capacity growth, keeping load factors high.

Within the US there was a higher than expected consumer retailing at the end of the year, and while unemployment is still high it has shown a steady decrease since the last half of 2011.

Southwest, gaining cost efficiencies from 737 MAX order, now looks to improve labour costs

14-Dec-11 5:41 PM

There was a lot of talk about Christmas coming early for Southwest during yesterday’s announcement about its order for 208 Boeing aircraft, but things have been going Southwest’s way all year.

In addition to the 150 firm orders for the 737 MAX 7 or MAX 8, scheduled to begin delivery in 2017, Southwest increased its order for 737NGs by 58, which will be added to the 142-aircraft order book now in delivery. Consequently, the airline is set to receive 350 aircraft between 2012 and 2022. The additional order for 58 aircraft includes the firming of 25 options the airline already had with Boeing.

Bankruptcy may save American Airlines, but what will save the US airline industry?

14-Dec-11 5:07 PM

American Airlines (AA) will take the well-trodden bankruptcy protection path: lower labour costs, dispose of old aircraft and reduce or eliminate its pension scheme. By most accounts, bankruptcy protection will help AA return to profitability, just as it did for its counterparts last decade. But there is a larger problem in the US industry, and bankruptcy will not fix it.

Ontario may want out of Los Angeles World Airport’s control

15-Nov-11 10:05 PM

All of California’s secondary airports, in both the Los Angeles and San Francisco regions, have been hard hit since the economic collapse as airlines retrenched at the major hub. But LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT), 35 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, has been particularly hard hit to the extent that some are calling for its release from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA).

US airlines’ ancillary revenues continue to grow, but at a slower pace for legacy carriers

15-Nov-11 9:40 PM

The US Department of Transportation (DoT), through the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), has released second quarter data which provides some interesting numbers for consideration. Looking at the ancillary revenue collected by carriers, we find that the amounts collected continue to grow, but for most legacy airlines at a slower pace. The overall year-on-year total increased only 5%.

However, passengers flying Spirit had a quite different experience and despite its general “no fees” image, Southwest has increased its take from fees by 10% over the year.

Frontier cuts capacity at Milwaukee, Kansas City

4-Nov-11 4:25 PM

As part of its restructuring plan, Frontier is cutting Milwaukee and Kansas City capacity effective 01-Nov-2011 resulting in 213 layoffs at the airport and eliminating six destinations out of Milwaukee.

Frontier has been clawing its way out of bankruptcy while combining operations with merger partner Midwest Airlines, and is now in the middle of a USD120 million cost-cutting restructure that includes capacity and employee cuts. The story is told with the impact on its Denver market where it is competing with Southwest/AirTran as well as United.

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