DALLAS – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) plans to begin flying out of Logan International Airport (BOS) this fall, the company said today, adding that the Boston service “will complement the carrier’s existing service at other New England airports.”
Southwest – the No. 1 airline nationwide in terms of passengers boarded – entered the New England market in 1996, when it began service to T.F. Green Airport (PVD) in Warwick. The discount carrier now is the market leader at T.F. Green, with 31 flights per day that carry more than half the passengers who fly in or out of the airport. (READ MORE)
Southwest also serves southern New Hampshire – via the Manchester Boston Regional Airport (MHT), where it began service in 1998 – as well as the Hartford area’s Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks, Conn.
“We are thrilled to welcome Southwest Airlines to Boston Logan,” said MassPort Director of Aviation Edward C. Freni.
Gary Kelly, Southwest’s chairman, president and chief executive, said the airline intends “to begin Logan service with a conservative number of flights and a two-gate operation.” Although the company said it was not ready to provide further details, that will probably mean eight to 12 flights per day.
Meanwhile, Southwest still plans to reduce available seat miles this year by about 4 percent compared with 2008. The airline currently serves 64 cities in 32 states, with more than 3,200 flights per day. Boston will be the 66th, after Minneapolis/St. Paul, where it is set to begin service March 8.
Those expansions “will be made possible by the airline optimizing its current flight schedule and repositioning aircraft,” the company said.
“Today, more than ever, it’s imperative that we make wise decisions on how and where we utilize our aircraft,” Kelly added. “I am confident that Logan will be a great addition to our already strong presence in the New England area.”
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV), based in Dallas, is the largest airline by passenger volume both nationwide and at T.F. Green Airport (PVD) in Warwick. For more information, visit www.southwest.com.
The Mass. Port Authority is an independent public authority established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop, promote and manage transportation infrastructure, including the Logan International Airport (BOS). For more information, visit www.massport.com.
