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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
K_1
Explorer C
Great news !!!! Hope that with this acquistion at a major NYC area airport you will now be able to offer some non-stop flights between the coasts.
Anonymous3652
Explorer C
Congratulations on your continued expansion, however, you need to remember the world's largest consumer products company (P&G) and U.S. (traditional) grocery chain [The Kroger Co.] are headquartered in Cincinnati. I believe some of those Boeing 737 engines you use to "fly-over" are also made locally at our General Electric plant! I am an ex-SNA guy who desires a better option for air travel.
Anonymous3351
Explorer C
I currently make an unpleasant trip to PHL in order to fly SouthWest. I would go almost (!) any distance to fly SW but am very excited that I may have to go no further than EWR to get my very favorite, and almost exclusive, airline!
Krish_Fennessy
Explorer C
You don't have to convince me that Southwest is the greatest airline...
Ashley8
Explorer C
Awesome!! I'm very excited for southwest to go into Newark!!
BJK
Explorer C
My husband will be delighted! Just started a new job about a month ago, and his home office is in NJ. He's flying from San Diego right now but will be relocating to Austin TX shortly, so I would love to see a direct flight from there! Love your service!!!
DanielT
Explorer C
I hope this will include MHT Manchester, NH to Newark 😉
JP6
Explorer C
YEAH!!!!!! My daughter and husband live in Edison, NJ and have had to fly out of Philadelphia or NY, to get to the West Coast, which adds extra driving time and expense. We can hardly wait until SW flys out of Newark! i love SWAir.
Bette_Fickert
Explorer C
PLEASE Southwest we need the best airline to have a nonstop flight from Baltimore to Burlington Vermont. It's so hard to get home.Please please think about this. Love Southwest i go to Tx. all the time. Bette
Anonymous3993
Explorer C
I am soooooooooooooooo excited that you will be coming to Newark. I would love it if you had a direct flight from Newark to Columbus, OH. With the low fares, I can fly my parents out whenever the babysitter calls out sick suddenly and I am scrabbling for a sitter. Can't wait for service to begin. When can I start booking a trip from Newark?
June_I
Explorer C
This would be fantastic and long awaited. My family lives on Staten Island and this would make visiting them so much more convenient. No more having to fly into Islip or La Guardia which are so far away. Now I will really build up miles and free flights!!!!
Donna1992
Explorer C
Congratulations in advance on your new connection. I love to fly Southwest and recently flew on my 80th Birthday and the crew helped me celebrate with a cake and Royal Crowns for myself and my friend. It was a Birthday that I will never forget. July 31,2010 - Buffalo, NY to Vegas Thank You ! Southwest
Anonymous368
Explorer C
I travel Southwest regularly and so does my family. Everytime I get off the plane I tell the stewardesses and pilot how much I love Southwest. My family visits me in Florida all the time. PBI would be a great stop from Newark. The flights would always be booked. So many people live both in New Jersey and Florida and travel to JFK to book with Jet Blue. Your Newark flights would would completely eliminate that. Keep up the good service and congeniality.
Virginia_Small
Explorer C
Delightful news that SWA will provide service into EWR! I fly an average of 2-4 trips from JAX-PHL airports annually. If service from JAX-EWR becomes available, it will be a dream come true. I make an effort to always avoid connections through ATL airport (a nightmare) whenever possible. So, I am hoping that you'll be able to provide non-stop JAX-EWR or only one stop at RDU or PHL, never ATL! Thank you.
jedivader
Explorer C
NJ? Still holding out hope to one day see Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, or South Dakota on the schedule.
Anonymous2948
Explorer C
A-List member would LOVE Tampa to EWR! Looking forward to it!
Anonymous1154
Explorer C
How many SW personnel wrote these??? Seems hokie to see all these comments about the service thats 9 months away!
Anonymous3247
Explorer C
Our whole family flies yearly from California and Denver to our summer home on the Shore. In the past we flew Southwest to Laguardia or Philadelphia, and then a long drive. Flights to Newark will be happily accepted. Can't wait till next summer!
FMS
Explorer C
I WAS TOLD THAT SWA WAS GOING TO START SERVICE TO CHARLESTON SOUTH CAROLINIA.IN MARCH 2011..I BOUGHT TICKETS TIO MICHIGIAN THAT HAD TO BE CANCELED AND I HAVE 700 WORTH TICKETS JUST SITTING THERE AND I NEED TO GO TO CHARLESTON .S.C TO SEE OUT ONLY GRANDCHILD GRADUATE FROM COLLEGE IN MAY 2011. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT I CANNOT USE THESE TICKETS FOR THERE. I DONT PLAN ON GOING ANYWHERE TO USE THEM EXCEPT TO CHARLESTON IN 2011. PLEASED START SERVICE THERE SOON.THEY NOW HAVE CRUSES LEAVING FROM CHARLESTON AND THIS WOULD REALLY HELP.
bg
Explorer C
Please consider New Orleans to Newark. PLEASE. I fly N. O. to Ft. Lauderdale, and Southwest has me spoiled. Thanks for the great service and good luck in Newark!
Traveler2
Explorer C
This will people who want to go to NYC out of the Long Island MacArthur Airport. Those people have no desire to spend any money on Long Island and just use it because SWA offers it. "Still holding out hope to one day see Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, or South Dakota on the schedule. jedivader — Tue, 09/14/2010 - 07:16" ^^^I agree go someplace where service is limited and you will be a blessing.
Jersey_Girl
Explorer C
I love Southwest!! How about adding Knoxville Airport (we have to drive 2-1/2 hours to Nashville when we fly SW to Chicago or Florida). I know a lot of people here would love to fly SW to NJ. I'm impressed with prompt check-in and on-time departures and arrivals!!
Bill_Joyce
Explorer C
I think Southwest is makeing a big mistake here. The air traffic at Newark is such that it will prevent Southwest from maintaining the schedule efficiency we have grown to love and rely on. If I were doing the tradeing I would have bargained for more slots at La Guardia.
Alan
Explorer C
I see that the overwhelming opinion appears to be that this is a great thing for Southwest. I must respectfully disagree. Perhaps the airline feels they have outgrown it, but this sort of expansion forgets completey what it was that brought Southwest to such prominence. AVOIDING, the major hubs and all their attendant drawbacks. Granted the expansion into PHL has been successful in terms of load factors and the like, but the restrictions inherent in the PHL facility make late departures and arrivals a way of life. EWR has one of the poorest on-time records in the US. This is exactly the kind of place that can cause a cascade of delays across the Southwest system...and that is bad for business. I have no doubt that Southwest will make EWR work, much like PHL, but it will force further compromises of the Southwest model. A perfectly good "Southwest-style" option exists to serve the northern NJ and eastern PA market...ABE in Allentown, PA. Easy in and out, cheap parking, and an area which has been lobbying for Southwest to starrt service for years. A quick hop onto I-78 and you are in NJ from ABE. ABE and EWR are close enough that Continental used to (and may still) use buses for their connecting service. Good luck Southwest...but don't forget your roots, in favor of routes. Alan Rapid Rewards Member since 1991
Anonymous4372
Explorer C
great news... easier to to get to NYC....
Anonymous2076
Explorer C
I'm so happy....I love Southwest, but my family lives in NJ....Can't wait, will make visits back home so much more enjoyable.
Anonymous3057
Explorer C
Southwest Do you have any plans to go from Long Islands MacArthur airport to Savannah airport in Georgia? It would make my life a lot easier.
Steven_T
Explorer C
This is fantastic news. Thank you, SWA. Please also consider adding service to Westchester and/or Newburgh. Westchester in particular is extremely convenient to the population centers in South Connecticut, Rockland, Putnam, The Bronx, and of course Westchester County. Newburgh is farther from NYC but still a much more convenient airport than the majors for anyone north of Bergen County, NJ. JBLU has flights in and out of both of these airports and when I use them, the entire experience is so much easier and pleasant than dealing with JFK, LGA, or EWR. I'll still use the big airports when I have to, but it's definitely worth a few extra bucks to fly out of the smaller airport. Thanks for reading. Steve Suffern, NY
CLAUDIA_CAYCEDO
Explorer C
very goods news, I can not wait to fly to NJ in your airplanes, You are my best airline in USA. Pls Keep the good rates to fly, and I never be on my home. Thanks again. Go SW.......
wasguy
Explorer C
Looking forward to it! 2-3 roundtrips per year, coast to coast. Adios to the fee-chargers!
Anonymous1524
Explorer C
Please, please...EWR to SRQ!!! Continental used to do a non-stop but now no one does! We live both in Sarasota and in NJ and fly frequently. And we love flying Southwest!! Your no penalty for changing flights is so important to us with our busy, sometimes chaotic, schedule. We use Southwest out of PHL when we can but the train/tram to EWR makes it our preferred airport. Best of luck.
Deb15
Explorer C
Very happy about Jersey, sure would be wonderful if you could come up with a plan from Norfolk to Philly. You serve both, but can't get there from here. All the poor halfbacks that retired in my area, and originate from the Phila. area, are held hostage by U.S. Air. Hate giving them the business. A loyal frequent flyer, Deb
Betty
Explorer C
Great News....I hope you will be going to Las Vegas...I love your airline...I have left from Philly just to fly Southwest....Good Luck!!!!!
james_c__older
Explorer C
Been hoping for this since my first trip, will travel with you even more when you're in EWR. Way to go, Southwest
Mary_Ann3
Explorer C
How close is Liberty Airport to Atlantic City N.J.? We always fly Southwest whenever possible, in fact, I am a A-List passenger. Our most frequent flights are to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Pittsburgh, and we have been forced to use Spirit Airlines when traveling to Atlantic City!! Please tell me that there will be a non-stop flight from Tampa, FL to Atlantic City N.J. or that Liberty Airport is close.
Anonymous2348
Explorer C
great news!!! I am hoping for Denver ==> Newark Nonstop flights!!!!
Nancy_P
Explorer C
What great news about the expansion to the Newark area!!! Now let's work on a direct flight from Pittsburgh, PA to Ft. Myers, FL. It seems everytime we go south the same passengers are getting off one airplane and onto the other. Why not a non-stop? This is only offered by one other airline to my knnowledge and that is only one flight. I know there are many in our area that would prefer to take Southwest but don't because it is non-stop. Work on that please!!!!
snelson
Adventurer C
Mary Ann, I checked online, and it appears that Liberty International Airport is 110 miles from Atlantic City.
Anonymous1478
Explorer C
That would be great. Hope it happens.
Anonymous1905
Explorer C
When are you going to serve Co. Springs? It is painfully slow to go from ElP to COS, whether I go to Denver and then shuttle or rent a car for the two-hour distance, or take another airlines to COS. The whole southern colorado area could greatly benefit--two-way benefit, for you too. I takes as much time to fly as it does to drive. And I think with all the stops, waits, shuttle or drive, transfers, etc., it's cheaper and shorter and even more relaxing to drive. But I'm worn out and would love to fly SWA instead. Usually you are cheaper and more efficient than what is offerred now. thanks, no reply necessary.
Anonymous3028
Explorer C
Forget Newark! As Yogi said: Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded. How about flying in and out of Melbourne, Florida?
Mary_H_
Explorer C
I am so happy you are going to be flying into Newark, my family is there and I fly out of Kansas City and I always fly into Philladelphia just so I can use my awards to see family. I fly Southwest all the time and I am disappointed when I have to fly another airline, I fly every week for buisness. Your airlines as far as I am concerned is the best in the skys. Keep it up.
Sandra_Seldin
Explorer C
I would like to suggest that Southwest offer a nonstop flight to Newark, NJ from Albuquerque, NM. There are currently zero nonstop flights on any airline to or from the New York Metropolitan Area to or from Albuquerque. I for one would welcome a nonstop on this route by Southwest, and would use it several times a year.
Oakland_fan__an
Explorer C
This is a wonderful expansion of service---thank you! Southwest has 2 features that make it my preferred airline where ever there is a route: the ability to change reservations without a penalty: sooo wonderful, because life is complicated and the offer of some flexibility is just plain humane! Second, the free bags : this is the best thing for kids going to school away from home--contributes to peaceful family relations. Love you, LUV.
Gail11
Explorer C
Hurray SWA...... We just returned from a vacation using Continental in Newark to San Diego. In the last 2 years we made 9 round trip flights to Newark to see our ailing parents and attend their funerals. This year we have completed 3 trips to other cities on SWA and look forward to another in Oct. Hopefully you won't forget us in San Diego, CA when planning your schedule. San Diegans love SWA airlines. We especially loved the "Las Vagas crew". Jack was so entertaining as Elvis on our flight from Raleigh, NC Aug 30th. Thank you for your great ontime services anywhere you fly.
Steven6
Explorer C
Southwset Airlines thank you for picking the right spots to intermodalize my transportation connections WITHOUT having to rely on a car for transportation! I will be able to promptly connect between planes and trains via Southwest Airlines at Newark, like I have already done at Chicago, Baltimore, Burbank, Oakland, Portland, St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Cleveland. I'll be testing out the connection in Seattle next month while on vacation. Thanks for saving me lots of time and $$$ on my travel expenses. Since I became one of your frequent fliers, I haven't flown on any other airline but Southwest!
brmiller
Explorer C
What a great day, as a frequent business traveler. Southwest keeps on making it easier for me to reach my clients. I sing the Southwest anthem to all my colleques whenever I can. Now with the Newark hub almost in place, I can almost reach every destination that I will need to travel to and from. It's offical Southwest is the most traveler friendly airline in the U.S. Our company will continue to choose Southwest Airlines over any other as long as they service that location. Thanks to all the Southwest Family, Brian Miller- Vice President North Port Coins Inc.
Bob_C
Explorer C
So when do you start flying out of EWR?
Anonymous2872
Explorer C
I take many business trips to the Newark area and this will help me out a lot. I would like to know if there is any news when South West will start flying out of GSP Airport because My Family recently moved there and that would help us yo stay close to each othher.
steve_smith1
Explorer C
This is great for North New Jersey, Can you make a deal to fly out of Atlantic City International Airport in South new Jersey? This would be even better.