Thanks United! Southwest increases Love Departures

[Ticker]

Any ATL commuters thinking of starting up a Crashpad in DAL? There's some really nice apartments next to the hospital and Kroger and within walking distance of the Medical Center DART station. (No car required)

I'm too poor to rent one, buy furniture etc, but would sure be interested in getting in on a crashpad if anyone starts one up. Just throwing it out there. The hotels in DAL are $$$ and not terrific places to stay 4-5 times a month.

We'd need a Keg-o-rater!!

 

[Ex737Driver]

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/...s-love-fields-gates-will-expand-service.html/

I'm sure Flop will still blame the US Government for helping Southwest somehow.

Nah. Not the US government but Dallas local. I'm quite sure there is some major palm greasing and bribing going on to make this happen. Not that it doesn't happen in most US airports with most airlines. SWA just appears to get it and it stands out when they do.

Now lets see if SWA will be able to bribe Houston officials enough to prevent Volarais and Inter from using the new international gates at HOU.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

Now lets see if SWA will be able to bribe Houston officials enough to prevent Volarais and Inter from using the new international gates at HOU.

Volaris and Interjet are already flying out of IAH, so they don't appear to be interested in serving HOU.

 

[humveedriver]

Any ATL commuters thinking of starting up a Crashpad in DAL? There's some really nice apartments next to the hospital and Kroger and within walking distance of the Medical Center DART station. (No car required)

I'm too poor to rent one, buy furniture etc, but would sure be interested in getting in on a crashpad if anyone starts one up. Just throwing it out there. The hotels in DAL are $$$ and not terrific places to stay 4-5 times a month.

Just curious. Is your seniority in DAL that much better than HOU? Hotel in HOU is reasonable and there are more flights to ATL.

 

[SWA Bubba]

Nah. Not the US government but Dallas local. I'm quite sure there is some major palm greasing and bribing going on to make this happen. Not that it doesn't happen in most US airports with most airlines. SWA just appears to get it and it stands out when they do.

Now lets see if SWA will be able to bribe Houston officials enough to prevent Volarais and Inter from using the new international gates at HOU.

Now you're starting to sound as paranoid as Flop.

They are United's gates at DAL. They can sublease them to anyone they want, just as American chose to sublease theirs to Delta before they were forced to divest them as a condition of their merger. If United subleased them to Southwest, it's either because we offered more money than Delta did, or more likely because they had some sort of competitive reason that they preferred us using them rather than Delta.

As far as the international gates at HOU, there's no "bribing" required. We're building them out of our own pocket, and the agreement was that we'll use 4 and leave the fifth for whomever the airport cares to let use it. If more airlines decide that they want to fly international to/from Hobby, then then the airport will build more gates to meet the demand.

No conspiracy here. Sorry.

Bubba

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Just curious. Is your seniority in DAL that much better than HOU? Hotel in HOU is reasonable and there are more flights to ATL.

Oh, I don't live in ATL. I'm a newhire and since I've been here I've been told "DAL isn't a commuter base, so there's no crashpads"

I believe that as more AirTran folks have come over, DAL has become more of a commuter base though.

I live in the middle of nowhere and commute to DFW on AA. It's easy to hop the train and get to Love. I could get to IAH from home, but there's no convenient (cheap) way to get to Hobby from there.

Same problem with MDW. I can get to O'Hare but the train is pretty time consuming up there. Dallas is my easiest commute option as a newhire.

 

[humveedriver]

Oh, I don't live in ATL. I'm a newhire and since I've been here I've been told "DAL isn't a commuter base, so there's no crashpads"

I believe that as more AirTran folks have come over, DAL has become more of a commuter base though.

I live in the middle of nowhere and commute to DFW on AA. It's easy to hop the train and get to Love. I could get to IAH from home, but there's no convenient (cheap) way to get to Hobby from there.

Same problem with MDW. I can get to O'Hare but the train is pretty time consuming up there. Dallas is my easiest commute option as a newhire.

Good Intel. I never used the train, because I commuted to ATL from the metroplex. Certainly some good options there for some not associated with the ATL commute. You could always pioneer the crash pad scene. DAL has grown and it looks like the landscape is changing.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

As far as the international gates at HOU, there's no "bribing" required. We're building them out of our own pocket, and the agreement was that we'll use 4 and leave the fifth for whomever the airport cares to let use it. If more airlines decide that they want to fly international to/from Hobby, then then the airport will build more gates to meet the demand.

No conspiracy here. Sorry.

Bubba

Actually, since WN paid for the Terminal in HOU, they have access to all 5 gates. They just have to accommodate any other International carrier that wants access to HOU with the fifth gate on an as needed basis. So far, no other Airlines have expressed any interest in operating International flights out of HOU. Therefore, as of now, all 5 of the gates are WN's to use as needed.

 

[Flopgut]

Actually, since WN paid for the Terminal in HOU, they have access to all 5 gates. They just have to accommodate any other International carrier that wants access to HOU with the fifth gate on an as needed basis. So far, no other Airlines have expressed any interest in operating International flights out of HOU. Therefore, as of now, all 5 of the gates are WN's to use as needed.

Ultimately SWA didn't finance it too much different than any other airline does. Except that you did make the City pay for the parking garage.

Asked the Mayors office for an update on the 10,000 jobs and 2.5 billion boost to the Houston economy. Haven't heard anything... (And there's no $130 ticket to Bogota to be had of course

I wouldn't mind seeing it get done and SWA fully on the hook before bilateral agreement and fair trade arguments come to a head. It represents the antithesis of what established treaties provide for.

 

[Flopgut]

http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/...s-love-fields-gates-will-expand-service.html/

I'm sure Flop will still blame the US Government for helping Southwest somehow.

Not going to lie Red, this disappoints me greatly. But the truth is we (and other airlines) have options, and you don't. If GK wants to push for more gates or any more relaxing of the WA repeal terms, he should proceed with caution. Read the articles' comments (notice too how many get deleted) it's obvious the hearts and minds are not what they were. People are getting tired of SWA escalating this airport "fight". Uncle Sam isn't really doing you any favors by not at least creating the illusion they don't show you favoritism. At some point SWA has to abide by the agreements that are signed. Delta's feigned persistence (come on...) at Love, and this move by United?? Hmmmm. Be careful what you wish for.