Southwest thinking Charlotte may be the next move....
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/living/travel/11206384.htm
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/living/travel/11206384.htm
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Southwest thinking of Charlotte
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shootr
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Southwest flying into town?
Chairman calls Charlotte 'very desirable'; no time frame
SCOTT DODD
Staff Writer
Southwest Airlines is focused on starting service in Charlotte, Chairman Herb Kelleher said Tuesday -- but he wouldn't be nailed down on a time frame.
"We recognize that Charlotte is a very desirable city to serve," Kelleher said during a visit. "I can't make any immediate promises, but certainly I can tell you our focus is on Charlotte."
If US Airways were to fold, however, Southwest would likely move quickly, Kelleher said, to fill the void left by the airline at its busiest hub.
The low-cost carrier, considered one of the nation's most successful airlines, has already made inroads at US Airways-dominated Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Some analysts expect Charlotte to be next.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in January that Charlotte remains under consideration. The airline would likely bring lower fares to select destinations, as well as stiffer competition for struggling US Airways.
Kelleher said the pending arrival in May of low-cost AirTran into Charlotte wouldn't change Southwest's plans. "That's not something that would block us from coming in," he said.
Kelleher was in Charlotte for a meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which includes business and government leaders from across the country.
Kelleher, considered something of a business maverick -- he's been known to dress as Elvis at company parties -- said he was impressed by Charlotte.
He and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, serving as co-chairs of a subcommittee and sitting together at the advisory council meeting, certainly joked and laughed like two men who could do business together.
Kelleher especially liked his trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he zoomed around the track at up to 185 mph in the passenger seat of a race car.
His only regret: He's used to being the one in the driver's seat.
Chairman calls Charlotte 'very desirable'; no time frame
SCOTT DODD
Staff Writer
Southwest Airlines is focused on starting service in Charlotte, Chairman Herb Kelleher said Tuesday -- but he wouldn't be nailed down on a time frame.
"We recognize that Charlotte is a very desirable city to serve," Kelleher said during a visit. "I can't make any immediate promises, but certainly I can tell you our focus is on Charlotte."
If US Airways were to fold, however, Southwest would likely move quickly, Kelleher said, to fill the void left by the airline at its busiest hub.
The low-cost carrier, considered one of the nation's most successful airlines, has already made inroads at US Airways-dominated Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Some analysts expect Charlotte to be next.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in January that Charlotte remains under consideration. The airline would likely bring lower fares to select destinations, as well as stiffer competition for struggling US Airways.
Kelleher said the pending arrival in May of low-cost AirTran into Charlotte wouldn't change Southwest's plans. "That's not something that would block us from coming in," he said.
Kelleher was in Charlotte for a meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which includes business and government leaders from across the country.
Kelleher, considered something of a business maverick -- he's been known to dress as Elvis at company parties -- said he was impressed by Charlotte.
He and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, serving as co-chairs of a subcommittee and sitting together at the advisory council meeting, certainly joked and laughed like two men who could do business together.
Kelleher especially liked his trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he zoomed around the track at up to 185 mph in the passenger seat of a race car.
His only regret: He's used to being the one in the driver's seat.
Southwest flying into town?
Chairman calls Charlotte 'very desirable'; no time frame
SCOTT DODD
Staff Writer
Southwest Airlines is focused on starting service in Charlotte, Chairman Herb Kelleher said Tuesday -- but he wouldn't be nailed down on a time frame.
"We recognize that Charlotte is a very desirable city to serve," Kelleher said during a visit. "I can't make any immediate promises, but certainly I can tell you our focus is on Charlotte."
If US Airways were to fold, however, Southwest would likely move quickly, Kelleher said, to fill the void left by the airline at its busiest hub.
The low-cost carrier, considered one of the nation's most successful airlines, has already made inroads at US Airways-dominated Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Some analysts expect Charlotte to be next.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in January that Charlotte remains under consideration. The airline would likely bring lower fares to select destinations, as well as stiffer competition for struggling US Airways.
Kelleher said the pending arrival in May of low-cost AirTran into Charlotte wouldn't change Southwest's plans. "That's not something that would block us from coming in," he said.
Kelleher was in Charlotte for a meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which includes business and government leaders from across the country.
Kelleher, considered something of a business maverick -- he's been known to dress as Elvis at company parties -- said he was impressed by Charlotte.
He and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, serving as co-chairs of a subcommittee and sitting together at the advisory council meeting, certainly joked and laughed like two men who could do business together.
Kelleher especially liked his trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he zoomed around the track at up to 185 mph in the passenger seat of a race car.
His only regret: He's used to being the one in the driver's seat.
Chairman calls Charlotte 'very desirable'; no time frame
SCOTT DODD
Staff Writer
Southwest Airlines is focused on starting service in Charlotte, Chairman Herb Kelleher said Tuesday -- but he wouldn't be nailed down on a time frame.
"We recognize that Charlotte is a very desirable city to serve," Kelleher said during a visit. "I can't make any immediate promises, but certainly I can tell you our focus is on Charlotte."
If US Airways were to fold, however, Southwest would likely move quickly, Kelleher said, to fill the void left by the airline at its busiest hub.
The low-cost carrier, considered one of the nation's most successful airlines, has already made inroads at US Airways-dominated Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Some analysts expect Charlotte to be next.
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in January that Charlotte remains under consideration. The airline would likely bring lower fares to select destinations, as well as stiffer competition for struggling US Airways.
Kelleher said the pending arrival in May of low-cost AirTran into Charlotte wouldn't change Southwest's plans. "That's not something that would block us from coming in," he said.
Kelleher was in Charlotte for a meeting of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, which includes business and government leaders from across the country.
Kelleher, considered something of a business maverick -- he's been known to dress as Elvis at company parties -- said he was impressed by Charlotte.
He and Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory, serving as co-chairs of a subcommittee and sitting together at the advisory council meeting, certainly joked and laughed like two men who could do business together.
Kelleher especially liked his trip to Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he zoomed around the track at up to 185 mph in the passenger seat of a race car.
His only regret: He's used to being the one in the driver's seat.
CLT is still a fortress hub. While that remains true, it's unlikely WN will venture in. By contrast, US Airways abandoned PIT as a hub. Shortly thereafter WN announced service---US Airways flights were no longer being supported by connecting traffic, allowing WN to compete in PIT on a much more level playing field.
Southwest almost never goes into another airline's hub, and where it has, it has often regretted it. For instance, Southwest's service into St Louis actually declined during the 1990s in the face of TWA's big hub there---yes, it couldn't even make much headway against poor old slowly-dying TWA. The recent exception is PHL, but PHL has a huge local market compared to PIT or CLT. Even US Airways is changing its emphasis at PHL to serving the local market as opposed to serving connect traffic.
Southwest almost never goes into another airline's hub, and where it has, it has often regretted it. For instance, Southwest's service into St Louis actually declined during the 1990s in the face of TWA's big hub there---yes, it couldn't even make much headway against poor old slowly-dying TWA. The recent exception is PHL, but PHL has a huge local market compared to PIT or CLT. Even US Airways is changing its emphasis at PHL to serving the local market as opposed to serving connect traffic.
jp1030 said:
Don't write off CLT
GK said in an interview yesterday specifically about CLT that while he won't commit definitely to CLT, the determination of whether to open it or not won't rest solely with whether USAir stumbles or not....he points to PHL (as some have said) & PIT as examples....still large presences at both places yet we chose to go there. Yes CLT is large as is PHL & while the population base isn't the size of PHL, the surrounding area is pretty large & the lack of other LCC (outside of Indy Air & AirTran) + large fares between CLT & cities that SWA makes it an inviting opportunity.
I have no way of knowing but I would be surprised (not the first time) if SWA doesn't roll into CLT sometime later this year with an announcement this spring...right in time for the holiday travel & 6-9 months down the road after a full summer of having to pay $50+ for fuel for other competitors....the amount of additional money being drained from the coffers of carriers due to the higher fuel prices + inflation pressure building (tougher credit borrowing limits due to inflation creep) over this timeframe makes for some turbulent times ahead for some of the carriers that currently fly into & out of CLT.....one wants the move to be occurring at the right point of when "opportunity knocks" due to the lead time of opening up a city....of course SWA has done it rather quickly in the past also so it could be done again.
GK said in an interview yesterday specifically about CLT that while he won't commit definitely to CLT, the determination of whether to open it or not won't rest solely with whether USAir stumbles or not....he points to PHL (as some have said) & PIT as examples....still large presences at both places yet we chose to go there. Yes CLT is large as is PHL & while the population base isn't the size of PHL, the surrounding area is pretty large & the lack of other LCC (outside of Indy Air & AirTran) + large fares between CLT & cities that SWA makes it an inviting opportunity.
I have no way of knowing but I would be surprised (not the first time) if SWA doesn't roll into CLT sometime later this year with an announcement this spring...right in time for the holiday travel & 6-9 months down the road after a full summer of having to pay $50+ for fuel for other competitors....the amount of additional money being drained from the coffers of carriers due to the higher fuel prices + inflation pressure building (tougher credit borrowing limits due to inflation creep) over this timeframe makes for some turbulent times ahead for some of the carriers that currently fly into & out of CLT.....one wants the move to be occurring at the right point of when "opportunity knocks" due to the lead time of opening up a city....of course SWA has done it rather quickly in the past also so it could be done again.
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FlyBoeingJets
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Chest Rockwell
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SWA's reduction in service at STL has been due much more to the local economy, increased long-haul operations, and increased airport fees than TWA/American's operation as a hub. The TWA/AA presence there is about half of what it use to be. The airport has increased the user fees to make up the difference. Fewer people fly out of STL today than 10 years ago. Additionally, flights to the west from MDW, CLE, CMH that formerly stopped in STL are now nonstops. STL has evolved into more of O/D traffic than a "transfer hub" for SWA.
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