Skip to main content

Southwest Airlines Community

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES ANNOUNCES INTENT TO SERVE SOUTH CAROLINA

cday
Frequent Flyer C
Carrier Selects Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg--No Subsidies Required

 

May 11, 2010--Southwest Airlines today announced its intent to serve the state of South Carolina—without subsidies—through the cities of Charleston (CHS) and Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) in 2011. Southwest will release details regarding start dates, destinations and fares, and number of departures at a later date.  The airline’s service will not be dependent on pending legislation to provide air service subsidies. For more information about Southwest Airlines, click here.

 

“We look forward to serving the Palmetto State with Southwest Airlines’ unique brand of genuine hospitality, great value, a robust and reliable flight network, and our terrific Employees who deliver excellent Customer Service,” said Dave Ridley, Southwest’s senior vice president of marketing and revenue management.

 

Southwest reported a profitable start to the year with its First Quarter 2010 financial results last month. At that time, Southwest said overall demand for its Low Fares and high quality Customer Service remained strong, resulting in a record first quarter performance for load factor, passenger yield, operating unit revenue, and passenger revenues.  Southwest attributed the notable performance to its network optimization and revenue management efforts, which also have allowed it to grow in destinations without growing its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. The carrier intends to continue that growth strategy in 2011, keeping its capacity relatively flat with 2010.

 

 

 

After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier where bags fly free, continues to stand above other airlines—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) currently serves 68 cities in 35 states and is the largest U.S. carrier, based on domestic passengers carried. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.

 

www.southwest.com

1,329 Comments
Peggy2
Explorer C
Praise the Lord!!!!! Been waiting for this since we moved to the Charleston area 13 months ago.
Shirley_Bryant
Explorer C
The fact you are going to start flying in and out of GSP in SC is great news for our family. You have long been our favorite airline, and this is the reason. My god-daughter is the founder of the Children's Skin Disease Foundation in California. Your airline and employees are awesome when it comes to the care and professionalism you show every year at the Oakland Airport when kids, many with life-threatening skin-diseases, are flown by your airline to and from their homes after attending Camp Wonder for a week. Many of the children are in wheel-chairs, your people are always going the extra mile and helping as we try to get 40 to 50 kids back safely to their homes. Thank you for all of that and thank you for comig to Greenville, SC. Now I will have an easier time getting to Camp Wonder each year.
Anonymous1714
Explorer C
We have family in the Greenville area and we are so happy that you will be providing this service. it will make traveling to see them so much easier!!1
Dwight
Explorer C
As long as you're in NC, how about Fayetteville for all those military families serving at Fort Bragg. It would be easier than making the 2 hr drive to RDU.
Anonymous824
Explorer C
HOORAH! We fly only Southwest and DROVE to SC from MA two years ago and wanted to go back this year but are getting where we don't like the long drives any more. So cannot WAIT to fly into Charleston on Southwest and bring grandkids with us!
JanMBSC
Explorer C
I am THRILLED to hear Southwest is coming to Charleston! Any chance of adding Myrtle Beach?
Anonymous664
Explorer C
This is the best news, as an avid fan of the Charleston and Myrtle Beach area it is so nice to know I can get there from Midway without a two hour drive from Raleigh. Can't wait to use this new city next year. Thank you! Barb
Anonymous664
Explorer C
This is the best news, as an avid fan of the Charleston and Myrtle Beach area it is so nice to know I can get there from Midway without a two hour drive from Raleigh. Can't wait to use this new city next year. Thank you! Barb
Nancy_Kupersmit
Explorer C
Yippeeeeeeee! I can finally start traveling now!! Thank you Southwest!
Anonymous4543
Explorer C
This is great news! We travel down there often and to have SW as an option is great!
Margaret
Explorer C
Love your airline. So glad to hear this. We go to Myrtle Beach at least twice a year and always have to fly US Air. (charge for bags!!). Would you consider direct to Myrtle Beach too? Love It. Thanks.
Anonymous4461
Explorer C
i just love, love, love SWA... so happy that charleston will be added wish i could do my international flights with them
Chris_in_ABQ
Explorer C
I flew to Charleston using SWA last summer... I had to switch to AirTrans in Houston with a change of planes in HOTlanta. Needless to say the return flight was delayed leaving HOTlanta due to thunderstorms. I BARELY made my connection at Hobby. The SW gate agent saw that I had checked in, was a faithful customer, and was on the lookout for me. I ran off the AirTran flight to the gate, and she walked me down, shutting the door behind me. I grabbed the first available seat (another perk of SWA) and the flight attendant saw how stressed I was and handed me a glass of water without a flinch. I know what Customer Service is, because of the great way I was treated and cared for. Now I can travel within the network with even more ease. My cousins in SC thought I'd never return, but they were wrong. Cheers! CR
MJC
Explorer C
That's great news about Charleston. Now how about going into Myrtle Beach - that would be something and it would please many of us folks up North.
Anonymous2780
Explorer C
It's about time!!!!! You made my day!!!! Think about Asheville as your next expansion city!!! :) Us Florida people LUV the mountains!!! 🙂
Chuck_Rieders
Explorer C
Keep expanding in the SE. Macon would be a terrific place to go to next!
Norene
Explorer C
I have been flying with SW for many years & I am always happy to see a route expansion! That means that we can fly to more cities. Also happy with your safely record. Thank you for not charging for baggage!!!
Joe_from_Arling
Explorer C
Can't wait. Have family in Ridgeland, S.C. and it's hard to find good rates into Charleston or Savannah. I typically fly into Jacksonville, FL and drive 3 hours to S.C. I'm so excited. I'll definitely go home more often for visits. Love Southwest! 🙂
Gerri
Explorer C
I have always wanted to go to Charleston SC and will definitely do with Southwest going there. I truly love southwest use the airline whenever possible. Keep up the good work.
Tom_Parker
Explorer C
Awesome!! First Boston, now SC!!
Patty1
Explorer C
Awesome wish we didn't have to wait till next year!
Jerry7
Explorer C
Living in Denver with an only sister in Seneca, SC & other family in Amarillo, I am used to travelling w/Southwest to Amarillo & have been hearing through my bro-in-law about your scheduling service to GSB in Greenville ... only a short drive to Seneca. At our ages, you have just made it incredibly more convenient to visit each other with your forthcoming service. We've been anxiously awaiting this announcement and couldn't be happier!
John_Wasz
Explorer C
Congratts on south carolina! The Florida of our generation! Would love to have southwest fly in and out of Savanah airport too. How about it??
Anonymous1578
Explorer C
This is such wonderful news!! I can not begin to tell you of the problems I have with ALL the other carriers I have used to travel to Greenville, SC. What a blessing to have SWA flying there! I look forward to traveling on SWA to SC.
Patrick_Hsu
Explorer C
How about serving Atlanta, George area?
Anonymous914
Explorer C
Wonderful! a flight to the magnificent Charleston! Southwest is the best.
Karen41
Explorer C
Great 1 1/2 drive vs 4 hours-please keep Asheville/Hendersonville NC in mind next!
Anonymous1308
Explorer C
So happy to hear this! We love sc and the airlines are so few going to the are of sc we want to vacation at!
Clarissa1
Explorer C
Thank you so much! Always enjoyed flying Southwest and now that I can use you again soon, it will definitely be my first choice!
Patricia_G_Fala
Explorer C
Time to do the research of all the places I want to go in SC!!
Michael_Hyslop
Explorer C
That's wonderful news. Now I can go to my favorite city Charleston on my favorite airline. AWSOME!!
Bonnie_N_
Explorer C
PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE.....ADD KNOXVILLE, TN TO YOUR SERVICE. I, AND MY FAMILY, LOVE FLYING SOUTHWEST!!! I MUST INCLUDE A "HATS OFF" TO ALL OF SOUTHWEST STAFF....THEY ARE THE BEST.
Anonymous4482
Explorer C
Southwest is always my first choice of airlines......this is great news!!!! Can't wait to go...... What about North Carolina.....Myrtle Beach...it is a great airport......only missing one thing.... Soutwest!!!!
Anonymous_in_Ne
Explorer C
Is Myrtle Beach next?? Tell me you're thinking about it at least. I gotta believe with that many golf courses, theme parks, and long beautiful beaches you could pack planes as opposed to the wildy expensive flights on the tiny planes offered by your Atlanta based competitor.
Anonymous2222
Explorer C
i would love to have southwest fly to the hawaiian islands. we go twice a year with a group of 4-10 people. it gets to be very expensive.
Anonymous1243
Explorer C
would not fly any other airlines, love the reward program and the customer service is dynamite, from canceling to rebooking, internet bookings, counter service and relaxing in the comfy seats and being served a snack and drink, etc. I LOVE SOUTHWEST!!!!
Anonymous3590
Explorer C
Yay, hope we can get a direct flight from Providence!
Mike_in_SD
Explorer C
As always with SWA, another good move! Now, how about opening up ATL to some decent service? And don't give up on liberating LUV - it's "what the world needs now!"
Anonymous4019
Explorer C
Thank you! We're seniors with grandchildren in Greenville. We've had to fly Southwest to Raleigh, spend the night there, then rent a car for the drive to Greenville. The only other options have been a four day drive from Southern California, or very expensive flights from Palm Springs to Greenville/Spartanburg.
Cyndy_Mc
Explorer C
Moved to South Carolina 22 years ago from Texas WITHOUT Blue Bell Ice Cream and Southwest Airlines and now, after 22 years, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE IT ALL. IT'S ON!
Anonymous3469
Explorer C
WHAT AN EXCELLENT PLACE TO SERVICE. IT WOULDVE BEEN BETTER IF IT SERVICED MYRTLE BEACH. LA TO CHARLESTON HERE I COME IN 2011
reilly
Explorer C
South Carolina is good, but please!!!! Melbourne , Fla, Kepp up the great work and wonderful employees. Thanks for being there.
Anonymous148
Explorer C
AWESOME
June_Scuitp
Explorer C
Currently I have to go to Jacksonville, FL to fly Southwest which I have done. I'lll have to check the mileage from Chaleston to see if that is closer than Jacksonville, but since I live in Bluffton, SC I am much closer to the Savannah airport so when are you going to establish a terminal there? Also I travel to Sacramento, CA frequently and you have not any good deals going to that destination.
Anonymous4495
Explorer C
We travel to Charleston twice every year and can not wait for SouthWest service to Charleston. Thanks Much
Leon1
Explorer C
WONDERFUL - WE PLAN A TRIP IN THE SPING OF 2011 - JUST IN TIME!! THANKS A HEAP.
Lois_S
Explorer C
Southwest is always my first choice when I fly. I have a daughter in Charleston so this is wonderful news. Will be using it alot as we are planing a move there also.
Anonymous369
Explorer C
Thanks Southwest for flying to South Carolina - it's a great state. How about flying FROM our Plattsburgh NY to South Carolina and your other destinations??? We've got a great new airport, only 1 hour from Montreal and your Canadian travelers, as well as easy access for all of us here in northern New England and New York State. We'd love to have you here .... you'd be my only airline, to family and friends at GSP, CHS, BWI, and the West Coast.
Donna8
Explorer C
That is great news - now how about western Kansas!!!!!!
e_christian
Explorer C
Huuuuuuuuurah !!!!!!!!!!! Now I can even get to the mountains of NC this way using the only airline I trust. Hope it is very economical. Thanks.