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SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ENTER INTO SLOT LEASE AT NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (EWR)

blusk
Aviator C

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND CONTINENTAL AIRLINES ENTER INTO SLOT LEASE AT NEWARK LIBERTY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (EWR)

 

DALLAS—Aug. 27, 2010—Southwest Airlines and Continental Airlines confirmed today that they entered into a lease providing Southwest Airlines access to 36 Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) slots which are currently held by Continental.

 The lease deal, contingent upon the closing of the Continental and United airlines’ merger by Nov. 30, 2010, and certain governmental approvals, would give Southwest Airlines the right to operate up to 18 daily roundtrip flights at Newark, New Jersey, with some flights beginning in March 2011 and a full schedule in place by June 2011. The slots are spread throughout the day and would allow Southwest the ability to integrate Newark service conveniently into its extensive national route network.

 “We are excited by the opportunity to initiate service from Newark, New Jersey, and we plan to enable that service starting next March through continued flight schedule optimization using our existing fleet,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President of Strategy and Planning. “We’ve seen tremendous demand for Southwest Airlines in the New York City/Newark area in the past year.  Customers are clamoring for our unique brand of hospitality, great value, low fares, extensive flight network, and our terrific Employees who deliver outstanding Customer Service. Adding Newark provides an excellent complement to our LaGuardia and Long Island service, giving Customers one more option for travel to and from the greater New York City/New Jersey area. This service also will provide a needed injection of low fares and competition into the New York/Newark market.”

 Southwest is working with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Continental and United Airlines to finalize arrangements for commencing its Newark service in March 2011, including the approval of the acquisition of the necessary airport gates and facilities.  Details on what cities Southwest will serve from Newark and on what dates that service will begin have not yet been determined.

 “The divestiture of slots at Newark by the combined Continental/United will ensure competition is enhanced, and we appreciate the Department of Justice’s role in finding a fair solution,” Jordan said.

 After 39 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and currently serves 69 cities in 35 states. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.  When shopping for Southwest online, it's important to know that Southwest Airlines’ low fares are only available at http://www.southwest.com/?src=PREMNASEWRANNOUNC100827.

This news release contains forward-looking statements related to Southwest’s lease of slots at Newark Liberty International Airport and its related plans and expectations. These statements are based on Southwest’s current intent, beliefs, and expectations and are not guarantees of future results. These statements also involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) the timely closing of the Continental and United airlines’ merger, (ii) receipt of necessary governmental approvals and the timing thereof, (iii) approval of the acquisition of the necessary airport gates and facilities and the timing thereof, and (iv) changes in consumer demand and preferences related to the Company’s service and changes in the Company’s overall business plan and strategies.

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586 Comments
Donna10
Explorer C
YAY!!! I LOVE Southwest Airlines, and I go to Newark at least once a year! I am so excited about this! Thank you, Southwest Airlines! (And hopefully, the United-Continental merger goes through!)
Vivian1
Explorer C
Congratulations Southwest....You are the Best in the West....now East! Imagine that!
Anthony2
Explorer C
that will be great so now when i fly i can fly into new york or jersey thanks sw
SMD
Explorer C
Yeah! Can't tell you how happy I am! I FLYSWA most of the time but not to NJ where family is!
Mike_Barnbaum
Explorer B
Brian, you and I have known each other for some years now both over the phone and on this blog. You will remember quite well how much I needed Newark Service from SouthWest Airlines for all of these years. Oh and another thing: Bill Owen, you will remember me through this blog in my blog conversations with you regarding at the time when SouthWest Airlines initiated Airline Service in Milwaukee (MKE), and our Amtrak conversations in how they have an airport rail station in Milwaukee. Now to both Brian and Bill, I am so thrilled that Newark will be a part of the SouthWest Airlines Route Network. At this time, the addition of Newark pretty much completes for me a list of cities over the years that now allows me to see family from my origin of the Sacramento (SMF) Airport. Whether it is by nonstops or by connections, I am able to fly Southwest from Sacramento to Burbank, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Newark, Seattle, San Diego, and Portland. All of this comes thankfully without baggage fees, so long as an individual bag weighs fifty pounds or less. Now the critical question comes, and this is where both of you might have people like me play a role with your company on a volunteer basis. That critical question is: "Where should SouthWest Airlines provide nonstop service to in and out of Newark (EWR) Liberty International Airport. Good question to say the least, I might add. Well, first, I would consider popular airports where Southwest has a good establishment of service and has shown where its growth works well. Perhaps the schedule planners could look into nonstops out of Denver, Chicago (MDW), Orlando (MCO), Las Vegas, and Nashville (BNA). Secondary airports in which Newark nonstops could work that would be unique in the country could include my airport of Sacramento (SMF), and perhaps Oakland, San Jose, Reno, Oklahoma City, Kansas City (MCI), and Tampa/St. Petersberg. Please advise SouthWest Airlines fans like me where we could be of assistance here, early in the schedule planning process so that no one at the last minutes of a November 30th deadline is scrambling to get the process perfected and a schedule released. Thank You. All The Best!! Mike Barnbaum, Rapid Rewards Member in Sacramento, California.
Mike_Barnbaum
Explorer B
Greetings Brian Lusk and Bill Owen: This again is Mike Barnbaum in Sacramento. There is one critical question I have to ask at least when it comes to critical upcoming milestone dates and deadlines. In the Official SouthWest Airlines August 27th Press Release, its states, "The lease deal, contingent upon the closing of the Continental and United airlines’ merger by Nov. 30, 2010, and certain governmental approvals, would give Southwest Airlines the right to operate up to 18 daily roundtrip flights at Newark, New Jersey, with some flights beginning in March 2011 and a full schedule in place by June 2011." My question then falls into SouthWest's next schedule opening. Could SouthWest consider postponing its planned October 5th schedule opening for flights through June 3rd to a date like Monday 06 December 2010 and allow on that date bookings through let's say Sunday 31 July 2011? Why do I ask that this be considered? The simple answer is that this would allow SouthWest Airlines the time to get through the critical date of November 30th, the key date behind the closing of the Continental and United airlines' merger. It would likely also give SouthWest Airlines "black and white" answers in what happends on November 30th, so by opening the schedule through July 31st on December 6th, instead of through June 3rd on October 5th, would, I believe, allow SouthWest to be in a better position to offer a more perfect and clear schedule for both the Schedule/Planning Folks as well as all of SouthWest's Customers. Does this make sense? Please send me a separate Email, after your review of this to the Email address I have provided in filling out the Blog Form so then I can reply to you via your Email address among other things, with my contact information. Thank you gentlemen, so much!! See you soon!!
Praveen_Mohan
Explorer C
Yay! Go Southwest! Please add a non-stop from Nashville to Newark, currently flying non-stop from Nashville to New York area is a costly affair, thanks to monopoly of American and Continental.
Arleen_King
Explorer C
Glad that you are coming to Newark,Nj. I hope you will fly nonstop to panama city beach,fl now you have to go to BWI for nonstop, lets try Newark for awhile and see how it works.
Bryant_Foaster
Explorer C
It would really be a blessing if it could operate non-stop between Panama City Beach and Newark.
Avatar__1
Explorer C
SOUTHWEST, go for it the Newark-San Juan route. That will be your opening route to the caribbean.
Nashville2
Explorer C
Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville Nashville
Lauretta1
Explorer C
I am so excited becuase we can now fly Southwest from Newark into one of their 4 hubs that fly into Panama City Beach Florida.
el_presidente
Explorer C
My daughter just relocated to New Jersey to attend Rutgers University and Newark would be an ideal connection from Phoenix to all that part of the world. Nonstop would be icing on the cake! Keep up the great job as I'm a stockholder too! ML
Tim_Melton
Explorer C
I'm from NJ and I'm excited to see they have come to NJ finally. I had to drive to Philly frequently to get a flight to BNA. Since I'm in ATL now, I hope Southwest gets here. GO SOUTHWEST.
D__Pinciotti
Explorer C
Congratulations Southwest! Make sure you have a direct flight from Newark to Columbus, Ohio! You stopped the route from Philly direct to Cokumbus. Would you please consider it for all the kids on the east coast who go to school in the midwest! Thanks
Anonymous1022
Explorer C
Great! But when are you going to start a route to Charleston, SC
Terry12
Explorer C
Great! But I still have to fly there this weekend on United and instead of using nearby Midway (Chicago), I have to drive all the way to O'Hare.
Sandy__barker
Explorer C
As I am from N.J. --this new service is for me--I am a faithful Southwest customer for over 20 years and I am excited with the new service to Newark, which is only 30 miles from my home town.
skyflite
Explorer C
This is fantastic! Glad that Southwest is going to serve Liberty International Airport. I absolutely won't fly anyone else but Southwest. If they don't go there then I don't need to go there!
AMOR_COLLEA
Explorer C
Whew! Finally! Thank you!
Nancy_Willard
Explorer C
With American Eagle and Continental regional jets being the only option for STL/EWR travel recently, I am thrilled to hear the good news. Recently I paid over $1000 for these tickets. I hope STL is one of the routes being considered. This would make my life so much easier, as my home office is there, and heretofore travel to EWR has been a pain. Thank you for considering this route!
Jessica111
Explorer C
I go to Newark several times a year and always wondered why Southwest wasn't there? I am so excited to learn that I have another option. Southwest is the best!
Hillie
Explorer C
Wonderful news for all travelers. Your company will bring on time serivice, and quality attention to those passengers, who fly East. If all continues on track, a new era of service will commence in mid March, to Newark, N. J. ! Hillie
Rachel_A_
Explorer C
I'm SO excited to hear of this great news, Southwest!! Wow, I drive over 1 hour to get to Philadelphia Airport to see my family in Raleigh, NC. Hopefully, now, if Southwest flys to Raleigh from Newark, my drive to Newark would only be 40 minutes!!! Keeping my fingers crossed in NJ!! Rachel A
Craig_Gatrel
Explorer C
Congrats on the new EWR routes! I hope to see TPA-EWR as one of the routes!
judee_platt
Explorer C
Pls Pls start svc into sarasota srq There are sooo many people that visit this area SRQ I know it would pay off for you Pls Pls
Bob_Levy
Explorer C
The news is good since I would prefer to arrive at Newark (from Chicago) and leave from LaGuardia. The train INTO the city is great, taking a service TO LaGuardia is easier.... hopefully SWA will allow this combination...
CMS
Explorer C
How I love SW - although this new addition does not directly effect my travel, I am hoping that it will be a new avenue for SW to fly to Puerto Rico. Since SW has a hub at BWI, my wish is for a connection from Newark to BWI to PR. American is the only carrier with one non-stop to this destination from BWI.
heather_byrne
Explorer C
I am excited to not have to fight phili traffic when I live in NJ! Where to go? South 🙂 Alabama! Texas! Thats where my family is, and where our flights won't go! I already go to NC Raleigh and FL Orlando!! NICE and may God bless you in your expansion!
DK
Explorer C
I am so excited, we travel to Philadelphia just to use Southwest. Newark is only 20 minutes from our house and Philadelphia is over an hour so we would definately be using Southwest all the time. Also alot of friends will too because they always wanted to use Southwest but never wanted to travel to Philadelphia.
Donna1
Explorer C
AMEN!!! My pocketbook and my 86 year old mother will love me! I travel to NJ quarterly and have waited years for this to happen. Continued success.
Anonymous4475
Explorer C
Thank you.
Nancy_Leo
Explorer C
Yea! I hope you will have flights from Albany to Newark so that when we go to Aruba, we don't have to drive down the night before and stay over at the airport. I love you Southwest, you are the best! The people that work for you have the best jobs, they are so lucky!!! Nancy L
Anonymous4472
Explorer C
Great news but still waiting along with approx. 5, 750,000 other residents in the Metro area for you to come to Atlanta!!!
Anonymous3949
Explorer C
We take it from Philadelphia to Tucson now. It will be great to take it from Newark because that's a little closer. Any chances of a non-stop from either place to Tucson?
AnonymousFran
Explorer C
I am very pleased about your latest venture.! We fly s.w. to d.c. lots of times and now we can visit our friends and Relatives in N.J. via Southwest. Fran and Ted
Jane_Schiavoni
Explorer C
Halleluiah - now I will be able to see my family more often. A common sense airline that is a pleasure to travel with - I am thrilled and can hardly wait for the opportunity to book my first flight - maybe for my son's birthday in March 2011 which I usually have to miss. I am so excited! ~Jane~
Joanne__Rainbow
Explorer C
I am so excited about Southwest going to Newark. I go there yearly! Make sure it goes from Tucson to Newark! Now my grandkids are in Wichita KS-so lets see if you can work on going from Tucson to Wichita KS!!! I will be using SW for my east coast travels!
Gail
Explorer C
I am so excited. We have family in New Jersey and when we visit them we fly into Philadelphia and then make that long drive. Now we will be able to fly into Newark and get there quicker!!!!! Great move Southwest!!!!
Anonymous704
Explorer C
Yes finally a quality airline flying into Newark! Is it March 2011 yet?
NICOL
Explorer C
FT MYERS...FT MYERS...FT MYERS.....LOVE SOUTHWEST AIRLINES...
Carol2
Explorer C
This is great---gives me lots more options---still waiting for Southwest and Charleston, SC
Jim_Mac
Explorer C
Great news...let me echo the requests I've seen for Panama City Beach...open that beautiful area to the metro NYC population with a direct flight.
George_Hans
Explorer C
Thank you for another opportunity to Fly Soutwest! Newark is a great location for travel to NYC. Thank you also for you Panama City Beach location, I have had the opportunity to use your airline for myself, my family and my friends. After being trapped here in Panama City Beach for 12 years by another airline, we finally have service we all can afford and are taking that opportunity as often as possible. My brother asked if you had 1st class seating, I told him yes, we are all 1st class on Southwest!! It's you 'customer service' that has you a step above the rest! Good luck Southwest.
Ray_Rogers
Explorer C
Please consider the non stop to and from Nashville. That would be great!!!!!
Anonymous2026
Explorer C
That's great but now WHAT ABOUT MELBOURNE, FL????
Mel7
Explorer C
This is great news!! I'm a small business owner, I.T. based, & I have a few clients in the NYC area. I can already see the money I'll be saving & Rapid Rewards tickets!!! Can't wait! Safe Travels! Mel C.
Go_Rays_
Explorer C
Tampa<->Newark please for the following reason: Use Tampa's existing mini-hub status to connect thru service from other SE cities (New Orleans, Birmingham, Jacksonville, Panama City, Ft. Laud., W. Palm, Biloxi) for one-stop service to Newark. This provides a friendly winter-weather hub for SE cities vs. connecting in Chicago and doesn't force everybody back through a Texas hub which makes the entire trip time too long. Also, could work into your eventual plans for flights to/from Bahamas, from Tampa. ;-) Thanks and congrats (pending merger)...
Anonymous3730
Explorer C
...a K thanks ! with family in DE, I am very grateful !! Ya'll are truly the best !!
Sudhir
Explorer C
Go SOUTHWEST! Best piece of airline news in a long time! Do to EWR air fares what you did to PHL!!!