Or should I say, we're in the news.....
I just wonder how many "dozen" they're talking about here.
Dow Jones Business News
Southwest Air CEO Says Demand Is Gradually Improving>LUV
Monday February 3, 3:29 pm ET
By Sonoko Setaishi, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Low-fare king Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV - News) has witnessed "some gradual, modest improvement" in demand for air travel and the environment for generating revenue, James Parker, the company's vice chairman and chief executive, said Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bookings and traffic for January and February have been "not bad," Parker told reporters at a breakfast meeting.
Southwest has seen signs that the market for short flights "is coming back," Parker later told Wall Street Journal reporters and editors at a lunch meeting. The sixth-largest U.S. airline generates the majority of its revenue from short flights.
The executive expects continued improvement in the industry, with more travelers beginning to fly and pay more for their tickets. "We will see a rising tide," Parker said.
Southwest shares recently were down 50 cents, or 3.8%, at $12.55 on volume of 2.8 million. The average daily turnover is 2.2 million shares.
Southwest will hire a "modest" number of new pilots this year as the company takes net deliveries of 11 new airplanes and increases seat capacity by 4%, said Parker, the chief executive.
The Dallas company will likely hire dozens of pilots from the pool of candidates who have already been interviewed and are waiting to be trained.
Unlike other major U.S. airlines, Southwest didn't lay off any employees after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pummeled demand for air travel.
-By Sonoko Setaishi, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-4148; [email protected]
I just wonder how many "dozen" they're talking about here.
Dow Jones Business News
Southwest Air CEO Says Demand Is Gradually Improving>LUV
Monday February 3, 3:29 pm ET
By Sonoko Setaishi, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES
NEW YORK (Dow Jones)--Low-fare king Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV - News) has witnessed "some gradual, modest improvement" in demand for air travel and the environment for generating revenue, James Parker, the company's vice chairman and chief executive, said Monday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Bookings and traffic for January and February have been "not bad," Parker told reporters at a breakfast meeting.
Southwest has seen signs that the market for short flights "is coming back," Parker later told Wall Street Journal reporters and editors at a lunch meeting. The sixth-largest U.S. airline generates the majority of its revenue from short flights.
The executive expects continued improvement in the industry, with more travelers beginning to fly and pay more for their tickets. "We will see a rising tide," Parker said.
Southwest shares recently were down 50 cents, or 3.8%, at $12.55 on volume of 2.8 million. The average daily turnover is 2.2 million shares.
Southwest will hire a "modest" number of new pilots this year as the company takes net deliveries of 11 new airplanes and increases seat capacity by 4%, said Parker, the chief executive.
The Dallas company will likely hire dozens of pilots from the pool of candidates who have already been interviewed and are waiting to be trained.
Unlike other major U.S. airlines, Southwest didn't lay off any employees after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pummeled demand for air travel.
-By Sonoko Setaishi, Dow Jones Newswires; 201-938-4148; [email protected]
