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Southwest adds flights, cities

By Chris Walsh, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published May 7, 2008 at 10:14 a.m.
Updated May 7, 2008 at 12:28 p.m.

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Southwest Airlines is expanding yet again in Denver, announcing plans to add five nonstop departures and three new cities.

Starting Aug. 4, the discount giant will begin flying between Denver and Sacramento, Calif.; Fort Lauderdale, Fla.; and New Orleans. It also will add another daily nonstop flight to Phoenix.

The expansion plans come just weeks after Denver-based Frontier Airlines filed for bankruptcy protection and follow a similar announcement by Southwest late last month to add new flights to Portland, Ore., and Indianapolis.

Southwest acknowledged that Frontier's situation has played a role in its expansion plans but said it was just one of several factors in the decision.

"Part of this is to respond to what's going on in that particular market, but we have been growing there" since starting service in Denver more than two years ago, said Southwest spokesman Chris Mainz. "We're also slowing the retirement of our aircraft, which gives us opportunities to grow systemwide without taking on new plane deliveries."

After the most recent expansion, Southwest will have 89 daily departures from Denver to 28 cities.

The carrier is offering one-way introductory fares, not including some taxes and fees, to Sacramento for $69, to New Orleans for $89 and to Fort Lauderdale for $99.

Comments

  • May 7, 2008

    10:37 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jetstu writes:

    Well SWA is the shark of DIA. Eventually it will be the only carrier and charge as much as they want. Funny thing is they wanted to have nothing to do with DENVER years ago. Now that they see some weakness they want to make the waters bleed. We need to support other airlines !

  • May 7, 2008

    11:04 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TheDenverB writes:

    how misinformed are you?

    "they wanted nothing to do with DIA"

    actually, that was due to United Airlines holding firm at DIA. southwest has LONG wanted a piece of DIA.

    southwest has proven, consistently, that they are one of the ONLY airlines that can make a profit, still get people where they are going and NOT drag themselves through bankruptcy.

    now, if they DO become the only airline at DIA it's through good business practices and the FAILED business practices of airlines such as united, american and frontier.

    NOT because they are "sharks". Rather, it's simply because they are a decent airline that knows how to operate in the black.

    (and they have proven that, even in areas where they ARE (for the most part) the only airline they don't jack up prices. the idea of 'we can fly more people for cheaper' has worked for them for decades.

  • May 7, 2008

    11:29 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    virgo922 writes:

    Southwest is a TERRIBLE airline and I can't believe that they are the not the ones filing bankruptcy. Doesn't anyone remember the millions of dollars they were just fined for flying UNSAFE aircrafts?!?! I wouldn't fly this airline if you paid me, my safety is much more important to me than saving a few bucks. No wonder why they are so profitable, they are skimping on safety!!! Also, the have cattle call seating and don't allow families with small children or the elderly to board early. I wouldn't put my family's lives in their hands if they were giving free away flights.

  • May 7, 2008

    11:45 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    TheDenverB writes:

    "(they) don't allow families with small children or the elderly to board early."

    not true at all.

    and if you don't like the cattle-call seating then fly some other airline. i don't mind one bit, just gotta sign in early to get a good line spot -- and if not, who cares?

    all that assigned seating does is raise your ticket price.

    and don't believe it all you want... they aren't filing bankruptcy because they are a good airline and know how to run a business for their customers as opposed to filling ceo's pockets.

    and EVERY airline is fined millions each year for their planes. hell, look at AA and how they have had to ground their flights.

  • May 7, 2008

    3:41 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    ColetteDD2 writes:

    Southwest terrible? Would that UA, AA, America West or Frontier be so terrible. They website is easy to us and get information, customer service is tops, thier ground people actually smile and treat people like something other than necessary evils. In the 10+ years I've been flying with them Southwest leaves on time, gets thier on time and have never lost my bags.

    How come the other "major" airlines have such difficulty doing this and being profitable.

    As for safety issue, I called Southwest about the fine. First off, I got a return call within 48 hours. They answered my questions and had already done what I was going to suggest (figure out how this had occurred.) That's right folks, Southwest self-reported/turned themselves in to the FAA. And this is what's missing from media coveratge. The FAA SIGNED OFF!.

    That's right the same folks fining Southwest, knew about this and signed off/approved of thier actions. So it's NOT Southwest that's talking out of both sides of its mouth.

    Ok, rant over.

    Colette, Denver, CO

  • May 12, 2008

    12:02 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jamesdenver writes:

    quote: Eventually it will be the only carrier and charge as much as they want.

    That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever read.

  • June 9, 2008

    8:30 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    virgo922 writes:

    Denver B, my mother travelled on Southwest with my 3 year old daughter and was NOT allowed to board early on any of the four flights they flew. You are misinformed! United does the same thing, although they let their premier members board early.

    Still wouldn't fly an unsafe airline and my child will never be on another Southwest flight. I realize other airlines are fined here and there and the FAA signed off and it took a whistleblower to uncover the unsafe tactics of Southwest. They still receieved the biggest fine in HISTORY. You are entitled to your opinion as I am, another great thing about living in the great USA. Still wouldn't risk the life of me or my child. I won't ever fly on a cattle call airline. Talk about trashy!