SWA announces new Denver service

[328dude]

Money is money. Do you refuse change from a Muslim 7-11 clerk? Didn't think so. Move on....

 

[Cardinal]

brother,
They did try, unlike you, the public liked the free booze,hot pants and go go boots....

Bring back the free booze, hot pants, and go go boots and you'd have a winner! It's just difficult to fathom how flying dirty airplanes to nowheresville can develop such a cult following.

 

[swaforme]

Hey Climb2,

You would be incorrect on the TWA ref. I was at TWA 19 years ago. At the time they were in the clutches of good old Carl Ichan. Everyone there knew we were in deep doo doo. TWA has not been in the untouchable crowd for better than 30 years.

 

[CitationUltra]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080422/latu527.html?.v=7

Press ReleaseSource: Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines Announces New Service in Denver
Tuesday April 22, 11:00 am ET
Southwest Airlines Adding Six New Nonstop Flights and Two New Destinations
DALLAS, April 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines announced today an expansion of its service in Denver with six new nonstop flights and two new destinations. The additional service includes new nonstop flights between Denver and Portland and Indianapolis. The Company also announced it will add one additional nonstop flight between Denver and Las Vegas. Flights are available for booking today for travel beginning on June 4, 2008. To take advantage of these new Southwest Airlines flights, visit: http://www.southwest.com/?src=PR_NS DEN_042208.Southwest Airlines also will add one additional daily nonstop flight between Denver and San Antonio for travel beginning on August 23, 2008.
"Denver has been and will remain a focus city for us," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said. "The market is responding very well to our growth, and as a result, we are excited to add more flights and destinations at low fares for our Denver Customers."
BEGINNING JUNE 4, 2008:

-- Two new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Portland.
-- Two new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Indianapolis.
-- One additional daily nonstop roundtrip between Denver and Las Vegas
(for a total of eight).

BEGINNING AUGUST 23, 2008:

-- One additional daily nonstop roundtrip between Denver and San Antonio
(for a total of two).

To highlight the new nonstop service between Denver and Portland and Indianapolis, Southwest Airlines is offering a $69 one-way advance purchase fare. This 14-day advance purchase fare is available for purchase today at southwest.com for travel beginning on June 4, 2008, through the end of the schedule, currently Oct. 30, 2008.
Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on Jan. 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations. The airline currently operates 61 daily nonstop flights (and counting!) from the Mile High city, making Denver one of the fastest growing cities in the Company's history. Over 150 Southwest Airlines Employees call Denver home.
NEW SERVICE FARE RULES

This is in keeping with the strategic moves SWA has made over the last two years, putting Frontier on the ropes and moving toward a dominance of the market share in DEN.

All they have to do now is wait and keep doing what they're doing and they'll own this market too.

 

[QRC]

All they have to do now is wait and keep doing what they're doing and they'll own this market too.[/quote]


for the sake of every resident in Colorado--I hope not!

 

[WabiSabi]

Hey Frontier Folks, I hope your management can keep y'all afloat!

 

[huronip]

Funny thing is, most of the folks at southworst are their by default. If they had their way they would have been at the likes of Pan Am, TWA, Eastern and the other legacies. Before 9-11 southworst was the booby prize among airline pilots. If you couldn't get on with 1 of the 6 remaining legacies or the 2 cargo carriers worth working for prior to 9-11, their was always a job waiting for you flying all the white trash and ghetto gang bangers in those dirty puke brown and orange planes!

Oh well. Times have changed so get over it. I'm guessing SWA rejected you back in the day when no one else wanted to work for us.

 

[Hamburger]

the public liked the free booze,hot pants and go go boots....

Anyone know what happened to that? Long way from the pleated Khaki "mom pants" they wear these days. It's like they just got off of their shift working at Target.

 

[skiandsurf]

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080422/latu527.html?.v=7

To highlight the new nonstop service between Denver and Portland and Indianapolis, Southwest Airlines is offering a $69 one-way advance purchase fare.

And you SWA guys are proud of these fares? When airline pilots (your friends) are losing jobs, and fuel at an all time high, your airline pulls this stuff. I am all for an open market, but I would also expect to pay a fair price.

 

[Whataburger]

Now if only American, Delta and the rest said the same thing back in the early 70s and crushed those clowns back when it could have easily been done!

They tried. Ask Herb how that went.

 

[climb2slow]

Hey Climb2,

You would be incorrect on the TWA ref. I was at TWA 19 years ago. At the time they were in the clutches of good old Carl Ichan. Everyone there knew we were in deep doo doo. TWA has not been in the untouchable crowd for better than 30 years.

dammit! i knew i should done my mental math better! my how time flies.

 

[shagadelic]

And you SWA guys are proud of these fares? When airline pilots (your friends) are losing jobs, and fuel at an all time high, your airline pulls this stuff. I am all for an open market, but I would also expect to pay a fair price.

I am not proud of these fares, and I certainly do not want anyone losing their job. I am not managing the airline though.

I don't believe SWA cares whether their fare gives it's competitor a healthy profit. Our competitors certainly did not give a rat's a** about us in the past...think Braniff, United Shuttle, etc. It's a cut-throat industry, and unfortunately some will not make it in these tough times. Obviously SWA is making a play for Denver, and in light of recent anouncements from Frontier and United, I would suggest that is exactly what a prudent competitor would do.

I have the greatest empathy for my fellow pilots. I know if United had called first 8 years ago, I might very well have gone through what many of my friends have gone through. I hope the best for everyone, but remember, we just drive the bus. We have zero to do with the management decisions each of our respective airlines make.

 

[CitationUltra]

All they have to do now is wait and keep doing what they're doing and they'll own this market too.

for the sake of every resident in Colorado--I hope not![/QUOTE]
Well, Colorado is not exactly the center of the universe--just a small niche market.

 

[Benhuntn]

No one needs to apologize for SWA. It is capitalism at work. The 69 dollar fare will go away as soon as the loads go up and the niche is set.

I reject the premise that SWA guys are all rejects from other airlines. I know I researched airlines long and hard and studied them as if I was investing my life's savings in one and only one. It turned out that the business model at SWA made it look the most attractive to me. It was the only airline I applied to and I have talked with many pilots that took the same approach. But I do remember my friends in the squadron laughing when I came to SWA and they were headed to legacies. They are all back in the AF now. So was it luck? Maybe either way I found a home here and I love it. I wish no one any ill will.

 

[FlyinGuy]

We are making a profit off of our fares! Why would SWA raise fares so that other companies can make money??? That goes against any business sense. If we were losing money that would be a different story. We all hate to see someone lose their job because we all know that it can be us one day. Everyone needs to stop blaming SWA for the job loss at their company and look to their own management and business plan.

 

[climb2slow]

I would argue that you are making a profit off of your well timed hedges...not your fares.

 

[Cobra17]

We're very happy for you, you should continue gloating!

Agreed.

Given the latest news and recent events at F9 and UAL, the timing of this post is in exceptionally poor taste.

Rubbing salt in others wounds is simply bad karma.

 

[shagadelic]

No argument there. We don't HAVE to charge higher fares. Everyone else NEEDS higher fares. You are management. What would you do?

 

[Green]

I would argue that you are making a profit off of your well timed hedges...not your fares.

bingo! The simple fact is that Southwest happens to have the smartest management in the bizz. They manage for the long term while the rest of the industry is focused on doing 'deals.'

 

[climb2slow]

I agree, you don't have to charge higher fares. However to brag (as some of you coworkers have done) about the low fares and how you are making money with them just doesn't seem to make sense given all the facts. I am happy to see that Kelly is the forward thinker that we all thought he was, and he can see past this current profit down the road to when you will all need to generate a ton more revenue just to cover costs. Hopefully things work out for you guys, and hopefully they work out for us too.