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Ready, Set, Grow! Southwest’s 11th Country Served Will Be …

MillieT
Employee
Employee

The following blog post is by Southwest Sr. Business Consultant Jeff Sigmon

 

August 2016 saw Southwest celebrate the opening of our newest international gateway at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) with daily flights to Nassau, Bahamas. In the time since, we also celebrated the expansion of service to Varadero, Havana, and Santa Clara, Cuba; followed by the announcement of nonstop service to Belize City; Cancun, Mexico; Montego Bay, Jamaica; and Grand Cayman—all beginning on June 4 when a new facility comes on-line at FLL. The facility will bring additional gates and U.S. Customs & Border Protection services to our Terminal 1.

 

We’re keeping the momentum going and continuing our growth for FLL by having filed application this week with the U.S. Department of Transportation to serve Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (PLS) via nonstop service from FLL.  The service would begin Nov. 5, 2017, subject to governmental approvals.

 

turks.jpg

 

The Turks & Caicos Islands encompass a large international market popular with both local Floridians and our Customers. The short, 1 hr., 45 min. flight (580 miles) comes with a relatively low aircraft investment to one of the world’s greatest beach destinations, home to Grace Bay Beach, which consistently appears among TripAdvisor’s Top World Beaches.

 

Fans of marine activities will find world-class snorkeling and scuba diving along 70 miles of barrier reefs, paddle boarding, boating, kayaking, and fishing. Chalk Sound, an area encompassing hundreds of rocky islands surrounded by serene lagoons, complement the amazing beaches of Turks & Caicos.

 

Hats off to the entire cross-functional Team that assessed and is now readying for PLS and future international service!

12 Comments
gototravelgal
Explorer A

Great news! Can't wait to visit Turks and Caicos with Southwest!

MillieT
Employee
Employee

Thanks Gototravelgal ... we can't either!

mdy1318
Explorer C

I would be interested in hearing what folks have done or experienced in T&C.  We've been there once, but was on a cruise and didn't venture far from where we docked.  Based on our limited exposure, it's never been a place we cared to plan a future trip, but I'm guessing we may be selling ourselves short.  Others' experiences may change our minds. 

saintpetegirl
Explorer C

Super excited that SWA is servicing more international locations! Would be great to also have service from TPA!!! 

judymc19
Explorer C

When are you going to fly to Canada?

teree
Explorer C

When are you going to make direct flight from Islip-MacArthur (ISP) to Charlotte, NC?

kelman
Explorer C

We wish you would make the flights to/from FLL an hour later or so, so that those of us from the midwest (MCI specifically) can make the trip in one day, rather than have to fly to FLL, spend the night, and then fly on.  PLEASE!!!  Some of your new Caribbean destinations are some of our very favorite dive spots!! That would enable us to do a weekend dive trip rather than have to take a whole week off work. THANKS!

kaizen
Explorer C

This is FANTASTIC news!!! I am stoked!  My head is spinning Smiley Happy

MillieT
Employee
Employee

Hi @judymc19 ... Canada is on our radar screen but isn’t at the top, at least not yet.  But we want to have a little poutin with our tacos, as soon as we can!

MillieT
Employee
Employee

Hi @teree ... wanted to let you know that we don’t have any current plans to link Charlotte with Islip/Long Island.

MillieT
Employee
Employee

Hi @kelman ... assuming you mean our international flights, those are completely dependent on the slots that we are able to obtain on order to operate them.  We always ask to get slots that maximize connectivity, but we’re sorry the ones we have don’t work for you.  But we agree—we’re offering GREAT destinations with fantastic beaches and diving from our gateways, including FLL.  THANK YOU for bearing with us!

bobcowen
Explorer C

I see that special fares are being offered to PLS from FLL.  We'd LOVE to go from DTW via SWA but without morning non-stop service from DTW to FLL, we'll have to fly someone else.

 

Look at your route map, there are numerous cities without early morning non-stop service to FLL.  If you have lots of empty seats on the FLL-PLS route, you must serve more cities to/from FLL in the AM.  We already have lodging reservations for late March 2018 and even for March 2019.  How 'bout it?  Haven't bought tickets yet but will do so shortly; would LOVE to take SWA.