Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Friendliest aviation Ccmmunity on the web
  • Modern site for PC's, Phones, Tablets - no 3rd party apps required
  • Ask questions, help others, promote aviation
  • Share the passion for aviation
  • Invite everyone to Flightinfo.com and let's have fun

Phoenix wants SWA HQ to move there

Welcome to Flightinfo.com

  • Register now and join the discussion
  • Modern secure site, no 3rd party apps required
  • Invite your friends
  • Share the passion of aviation
  • Friendliest aviation community on the web

satpak77

Marriott Platinum Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2003
Posts
3,015
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/022506dnbusswphx.21c50ee8.htmlPhoenix tries to lure Southwest


[SIZE=+1]Proposal to move could ratchet up tension in debate over Wright
[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]11:43 PM CST on Friday, February 24, 2006

[/SIZE]
[SIZE=-1]By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News [/SIZE]
Southwest Airlines Co. has agreed to hear a proposal from the city of Phoenix about moving its headquarters, the Dallas-based carrier said Friday.
"They came knocking and we decided, as a courtesy, to grant the opportunity," said Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart. The airline did not request the meeting, and it has not been scheduled, he said.
The meeting could raise the stakes in Southwest's effort to repeal Wright amendment restrictions on long-haul flights from Dallas Love Field. Southwest has said before that if its operation here can't grow, it may have to move.
DallasNews.com/extra Tracking the Wright amendment: History, opinions, links and FAQs


Fast-growing Phoenix is tied with Chicago as Southwest's No. 2 city in daily flights, narrowly trailing No. 1 Las Vegas. At Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, Southwest is the No. 2 carrier, with 28 percent of passengers. US Airways has a 50 percent share.
"Our mayor has had discussions with Southwest executives, and we told them we would be very interested in having Southwest's headquarters or any additional operations," said Scott Phelps, a spokesman for Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. "We've been great partners with Southwest, and they have been with us."
Phoenix isn't the only city making advances toward Southwest.
Other cities on the Southwest network have contacted the low-cost carrier after comments from its executives that it makes little sense to have its headquarters in Dallas if it can't grow from Love Field, Mr. Stewart said. He didn't identify the cities.
Southwest's campaign to repeal the 26-year-old Wright law resulted in approval last fall of flights from Love to Missouri. But the carrier still wants total freedom to tap into the North Texas air market from Love.
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and American Airlines Inc. want Southwest to move some of its flights to D/FW because it would face no restrictions. American executives said Southwest's discussion about potential relocation was a threat to help their cause in the Wright fight.
Southwest is adamantly against flying from D/FW, in part because of its decades of investment at Love Field and because it doesn't want to face American at the Fort Worth-based carrier's largest hub.
On Thursday, American will launch flights from Love Field to compete against Southwest.
Southwest executives have said privately that they're disappointed in the lack of support from its hometown in the carrier's efforts to lift Wright's restrictions. Dallas Mayor Laura Miller and other North Texas elected officials have been trying to broker a compromise, but so far without success. Ms. Miller could not be reached for comment Friday.
Congressional leaders have said that unless the region solves the Wright issue, forces outside Texas will.
Southwest president Colleen Barrett said in October that if the carrier is unable to lift the Wright restrictions at Love Field, "we might have to begin casting about for a place that's more efficient to operate."
Dallas "wouldn't even make the first cut" if Southwest were to pick a new headquarters city today, Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly said last year.
The Wright amendment restrictions mean that Southwest employees take much longer to fly on their own planes to get to Love Field, raising its cost of doing business, Mr. Kelly said.
Southwest's 5,000 Dallas employees – about 3,000 of whom work at its Love Field headquarters building – and its 120 daily flights from Dallas Love Field contribute as much as $3 billion in annual economic activity to the city. Southwest pays $15 million annually in taxes, much of that property tax on its fleet of 445 aircraft, and is Dallas' fifth-largest taxpayer. It has invested more than $200 million into Love Field over its 34-year history.
Messages left with Phoenix's city's two economic development groups and with its aviation department weren't returned Friday. Phoenix is home to US Airways Inc., which recently merged with America West Airlines Inc. and is now the nation's No. 6 carrier in terms of passengers flown.
Staff writer Suzanne Marta contributed to this report
DALLAS VS. PHOENIX
A look at Southwest's operations here and in Arizona:
At Love Field
Has nearly 120 daily flights from 14 gates
Creates as much as $3 billion in economic activity
Pays $15 million in taxes annually, making it Dallas' fifth-largest taxpayer
In Phoenix
Has 196 daily flights, tying Phoenix with Chicago as the second-largest city in Southwest's network
Operates 24 gates at Sky Harbor International, where it is the No. 2 carrier behind US Airways Inc.
Runs a telephone reservations center
E-mail [email protected]
 
Yeah, they could put the H.Q. right in downtown Tempe. Then we could watch store video's of the catfights between AWA...er, excuse me, USAir workers and SWA people at lunch. :D TC
 
AA717driver said:
Yeah, they could put the H.Q. right in downtown Tempe. Then we could watch store video's of the catfights between AWA...er, excuse me, USAir workers and SWA people at lunch. :D TC

Wrong airline for that entertainment. Wrong culture all together. Philly would have been my guess if it was going to happen, but that never did either. PHX would be great, too bad I dont live anywhere near there.
 
1BigRodeo said:
Wrong airline for that entertainment. Wrong culture all together. Philly would have been my guess if it was going to happen, but that never did either. PHX would be great, too bad I dont live anywhere near there.

It'd be great if we'd at least move the Testing Center there! No more biannual, 3 leg on different airplanes, 10 hour commutes to/from DAL for training....... Get on a through flight and you're there........
 
Good Move

If US Air keeps its HQ in Pittsburgh, Phoenix should be a good place for SWA's new HQ.
 
.

hey Einstein,

In case you missed all of the posts from about 6 months ago
about the merger, the Tempe Tombstone is HQ for the combined airline.



.
 
Whale Rider said:
If US Air keeps its HQ in Pittsburgh, Phoenix should be a good place for SWA's new HQ.

In addition, the Usair headquarters was never in PIT, It was in DCA.
 
jp1030 said:
In addition, the Usair headquarters was never in PIT, It was in DCA.

Thanks Mr. Perfect, I don't give a $hit where it is, ITS NOT IN PHOENIX!
 
jp1030 said:
Nope, not perfect, just trying to educate the ignorant.

Thanks again Mr. Perfect. Everyone else is ignorant but you.:rolleyes:
 

Latest resources

Back
Top