Most major U.S. airlines are drastically cutting domestic capacity in the fourth quarter, but not Southwest.
The low-cost carrier will reduce service from some cities by Nov. 2, but Southwest’s net result will be nine more flights by that date; Southwest is eliminating 31 flights but adding 40. Most notably, capacity will grow in Denver and Fort Lauderdale.
On Nov. 2, Southwest will launch thrice-daily service between Denver and Orange County, Calif., and twice-daily service between Denver and Tulsa, Okla. It also will launch daily nonstops from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas, Kansas City and Albany, N.Y.
Meanwhile, Southwest will trim what CEO Gary Kelly called “unproductive flights” from its schedule by Nov. 2. The airline will cut a net total of nine flights from Chicago Midway, six from Oakland, Calif., and four from Phoenix.
"We are trimming our flight schedule, frequently and continually, of unproductive flights while we continue to grow in cities like Denver," said Kelly. "We have a much different story to tell today than our competitors.”
Southwest will be accommodating new service with two aircraft that it previously planned to retire, bringing the carrier’s net aircraft growth to 15 in 2008.