Southwest Airlines moved a step closer to becoming an international carrier at Houston’s Hobby Airport this week, when Mayor Annise Parker publicly endorsed the airline’s plan to build a five-gate international terminal at the airport by 2015, at no cost to the city.
The airline hopes to serve destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America from Houston, but from its existing home at Hobby rather than from Bush Intercontinental, which has traditionally served as the city’s international gateway.
Southwest has said the city would benefit from international service at the smaller and close-in Hobby, but United has been fighting the plan, arguing that splitting the international traffic pool between two airports would be detrimental.
Still pending is approval by the city council.