Houston Hobby Airport

Houston airport operator envisions Hobby offering international flights in 12 markets

Studies carried out on behalf of the Houston Airport System (HAS) to examine the viability of international flights from Houston Hobby airport contemplate a two-phased introduction of 12 markets to Mexico and Central America. Southwest Airlines is pushing for facilities at Hobby to support international flights, but research conducted shows that Mexican low cost carriers VivaAerobus and Volaris would also have an interest to operate international service from Hobby. It is not surprising United has mounted vehement opposition to Southwest’s campaign, as it enjoys majority carrier status in most of those markets with its service offerings from Houston Intercontinental Airport.

Earlier this year Southwest asked Houston Airport System (HAS) to conduct a feasibility study for the addition of a five-gate terminal at Houston Hobby Airport to support international flights. Houston is Southwest’s sixth largest city based on daily departures, and the city’s geographical location makes it an ideal destination for short-haul international flights to Mexico and Central and South America. Data in the study conducted on behalf of HAS show that Houston was the point of entry for 64% of Mexican visitors travelling by air to the US in 2010. Through its acquisition of AirTran, previously domestic-only Southwest is gaining knowledge of international operations now that it is managing AirTran’s network, which includes flights to the Caribbean and Central America.

Southwest intensifies its campaign to launch international service from Houston Hobby

Southwest Airlines has bolstered its efforts to introduce international fights from Houston Hobby Airport through the introduction of an elaborate campaign – freehobbyairport.com – to encourage Houston residents and its larger passenger base to lobby city officials to allow it to forge ahead with plans to carry out its often talked-about desire to serve near international destinations from the US through the construction of a USD75 million-USD100 million international terminal at the airport. Not surprisingly, Southwest has won support from the Houston Airport System (HAS), which operates both Hobby and Houston Intercontinental Airport. It is now up to the city council to decide how it will balance Southwest’s request against the opposition of United Airlines, which dominates air passenger traffic in the Houston metropolitan area and at Houston Intercontinental specifically. If Southwest succeeds in its quest to launch new international flights from Hobby, it must ensure the new facility meets the expectations of US passengers, who have a general distaste for bare-bones airport facilities.