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JANUARY SCHEDULE OPENS... FEBRUARY COMING IN A WEEK!

Bill
Employee
Employee

Good morning, everyone!  Today we opened our schedule through Feb. 13, 2013.  We have the usual seasonal shifts planned for the January/February timeframe (which is historically the slowest traffic period of the year) and adjustments for the annual seasonal wind shifts as well as winter operations.  But we have a couple of surprises as well—let’s get into the details!

Let’s talk LaGuardia first.  We fought hard to get operating slots at “Fiorello’s Folly” and to make maximum use of them—we’re shuffling the deck.  We’re eliminating our LaGuardia-Baltimore/Washington nonstop service, currently at three departures daily, and shifting that to two new LaGuardia-Nashville nonstops and a sixth LaGuardia-Chicago Midway flight.  Our LaGuardia Customers can still access our network via Nashville and Chicago, and the new service really enhances LaGuardia’s access to our Midwestern, Southern, and Western network.  Watching the internet like I do, I know that many people have wondered, “When is Southwest going to start flying to Nashville from LaGuardia?”  Well, now you know—it starts on Jan. 6, 2013!

In other new service news, Southwest will add seasonal nonstop service in four markets:  Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood-Phoenix, Nashville-Ft. Myers, Ontario-Reno, and Milwaukee-New Orleans.  We’ll convert the AirTran nonstop service between Milwaukee and New Orleans to Southwest metal just in time for Mardi Gras (which falls on Tuesday, February 12).  We will discontinue service between Orlando and Ft. Lauderdale; Orlando and Panama City; Tampa Bay and West Palm Beach; Reno and Salt Lake City; and Albuquerque and El Paso.  All of these discontinued markets are shorthaul and carry a very high percentage of connecting, longer-haul Customers, and we have more convenient ways of getting them to their destinations.  For the winter, we’re seasonally suspending service between Albuquerque and both Portland and St. Louis; between Las Vegas and Albany, Jacksonville, and Providence; between Kansas City and both Oakland and Seattle; and between Phoenix and Raleigh-Durham.  All of these markets are expected to get nonstop service again in future schedules, and in the meantime will maintain connecting service.

On the AirTran network, we’re converting Atlanta-Phoenix service to Southwest metal (from Mighty Teal to Canyon Blue!), and are seasonally eliminating nonstops between Buffalo and Tampa Bay and between Chicago Midway and Ft. Myers (connecting service will still be available on both AirTran and Southwest).

Our next schedule extension will be Monday, July 16.  Stay tuned, and have a great summer week, everyone!

12 Comments
lgaflier
Explorer C
Some really good changes, not happy about LGA-BWI. There is no way to even get to BWI and the drive to EWR is not pleasant, nor will I be taking it. BWI down affect me but it affects my sister who flies BWI-LGA instead of having to do the shuttle. Looks like she'll be going back to Amtrak on that route. And please add something in PBI. Midway or Hobby or something to allow us to get there a lot easier.
jco13
Explorer C
Bill, I do have to say this schedule surprises me. FLL-MCO has been a staple route on Southwest since day 1 at both airports. I know many people who have used the route for a Disney vacation or business (yes, there is business in Orlando!). I have been one of those long-haul connecting passengers, but I know many people who don't use it to connect. Additionally, I've rarely known your airline to concede a route to another airline, like Spirit and to a lesser extent American in this case. PBI-TPA is another puzzler. If I fly from PBI, I cannot connect to the southwest now without traveling over 800 miles out of my way to BWI. This does not make things easier. It's also a shame to see a heritage route like ABQ-ELP getting the ax. That being said, as long as FLL-TPA remains. It's a 4 hour drive as it is, through the everglades. I will fly that route as long as it is offered, which will hopefully be a long while. Can't wait for next week's add!
normpress
Explorer C
Bil: Its been reported that SWA bought Spirit's slots at DA for service to STL: Is this true and when wills service start?
chrisnh
Explorer B
Isn't there usually a really nice PDF that lists stations alphabetically with the + & - relative to their roster of flights? It's always a nice reference tool.
southwest-737-7
Explorer C
Please add flights from CLT. I can't wait to fly SWA from CLT. I usually drive to GSP to fly with you
southwest-737-7
Explorer C
Please add flights from CLT. I can't wait to fly SWA from CLT. I usually drive to GSP to fly with you
stevexc500
Explorer B
Great job on clarifying your schedule extension as always! Curious, any new destinations for Minneapolis? Need to give Delta a bit of a run!
siouxhockey
Explorer C
Hi Bill, Your blog says the next schedule extension is July 23rd. I noticed on the travel tools section on southwest.com (http://www.southwest.com/html/travel-tools/index.html?int=GFOOTER-CUSTOMER-TRAVEL-TOOLS) it says the extension comes out July 16th. Just wondering which day we can expect it.
mikebarnbaum
Explorer A
Bill, Brooks, or Brian: In the new schedule, that you have just opened this week, I tried to look in January for flights between SMF & DCA. For now, it doesn't matter if it is non-stop, same plane or connections. I'm flexible as to how to get there on Southwest. For now, as of the evening of 11 July 2012, the error message I am receiving is, "Invalid Route with departure Airport" when I want to depart from SMF and go to DCA. What am I doing wrong? How can we huddle together so that this does not occur in future schedule extensions? Thank you for looking into this situation. I look forward to what the July 16th and the next schedule opening will bring for the paths of Southwest Airlines travel between SMF & DCA. Oh, by the way, call me so that you can hear a "Southwest Airlines" rendition of the great Steve Miller Band Hit Song "Rock 'N Me" which I have already sung to Brian Lusk over the phone already. Personally, I think it is exactly what Southwest Airlines looks for, not only in Staff Members, but Passengers too. If I can convince you all further, it is "Made for SWA Stew" Material. You would not want to pass this up. Sincerely, Mike Barnbaum, Blogger & Rapid Rewards Member in Sacramento, California
eric-montz
Explorer B
I've never seen 2 schedule extensions so close together? Any specific reason for this? Maybe keep possible big changes on Monday separate from the regular changes on the last one? I guess we shall see
swaflyer-0
Explorer C
Hey, Why is SWA discontinuing nonstop service from St. Louis to Little Rock. I see the schedule changes in June 2013. Are there any plans to reinstate this service? I frequently fly these nonstops between the cities for business. I can arrive in the morning and depart the same evening and only spend less than 90 minutes in the air total. What a shame.
jchaden
Explorer C
You have ruined my life, nearly literally, by canceling, even for a short while, your direct, non-stop flights between Albuquerque and Portland. No warning. And no mention of when "winter' ends, either. What the heck. I have been flying with you for YEARS, and count on this flight as well as the direct, non-stop to Seattle. What on earth has happened? I am now going to switch to Delta. It used to only take me 2.5 - 2/34 hours to get to PDX, and now it will take a whole day. Pooh on you. UGH.