It's all in the Delivery

[wnbubbleboy]

Today, Boeing will deliver its 5,000th 737 to Southwest Airlines, the world's biggest low-cost airline,which tied its fortunes to a jet that almost didn't make it.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/259251_boeing13.html

 

[ramper_in_las]

Today, Boeing will deliver its 5,000th 737 to Southwest Airlines, the world's biggest low-cost airline,which tied its fortunes to a jet that almost didn't make it.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/259251_boeing13.html

anyone know if Boeing and WN are coming out with a special livery for this plane to commemorate the milestone?

 

[OPNLguy]

anyone know if Boeing and WN are coming out with a special livery for this plane to commemorate the milestone?

It doesn't appear so; at best it might get some kind of decal up around the nose area...

 

[scuba]

Beautiful 747 in the background. Anybody know what the 747 is there for? I notice wingtips, but a small upper deck. So is it a 100/200 getting upgraded?

Nice WN logo on the wingtips as well.

 

[mga707]

Beautiful 747 in the background. Anybody know what the 747 is there for? I notice wingtips, but a small upper deck. So is it a 100/200 getting upgraded?

No, its a -400F. The -400 freighters do not have the extended upper deck.

 

[coolflyingfool]

The agent I talked to today said there are 6 -700s due in June. Is there a new city on the horizon for July or August? just wondering.........

 

[corl737]

The agent I talked to today said there are 6 -700s due in June. Is there a new city on the horizon for July or August? just wondering.........

The latest delivery brings the SWA fleet total to 447. With 31 remaining deliveries for 2006, the fleet total will be 478 by the end of the year.

Many of these will be utilized to increase DEN service (rumors are up to 60 flts/day as soon as gates are available!) Speculating that others could generate a new service location is definitely logical!

 

[wnbubbleboy]

The agent I talked to today said there are 6 -700s due in June. Is there a new city on the horizon for July or August? just wondering.........

Rumors here it's CLT.

 

[scuba]

What gates are going to open in DEN? Unless F9 closes down and WN moves to Term A. Or do you think US is going to move to a UA gate thus opening two gates on the C term. Other choices would be CO, DL, NW, AA or HP allowing WN to use a gate on C.

I would go with another city being added before 60 flts per day from DEN by AUG.

 

[corl737]

What gates are going to open in DEN? Unless F9 closes down and WN moves to Term A. Or do you think US is going to move to a UA gate thus opening two gates on the C term. Other choices would be CO, DL, NW, AA or HP allowing WN to use a gate on C.

"Allowing" isn't the decision of the airline. If a gate is available, any airline can use it even if it is assigned as a preferential gate of another carrier.

Directly from the Denver International Airport's Regulations, Part 160 OPERATION AND CONTROL OF CONCOURSE GATES:
[...]
Each airline having one or more assigned Preferential Use Gate(s) and scheduling more flights than it can accommodate on such gates may: first schedule on its assigned second preferential gate, if such airline has a second Preferential Gate, provided the airline holding the right of first preferential use has not scheduled a conflicting flight; second, may schedule on one of the unassigned gates, provided no other flight activity is scheduled; and third, may schedule on another airline's preferential gate, provided the airline holding the right of first preferential use has not scheduled a conflicting flight. Each of the above assignments is subject to approval and assignment by the RTM [Ramp Tower Manager].
[...]

Viewing the DIA website today, gates C43 and C45 are listed with SWA as the preferential carrier. Neither C47 nor C49 have assignments. C41 is AirTran's but their schedule is so light - 3 flts/day to ATL, 4 on the weekends -- that SWA could easily fit a few flights on that one without interferring with AirTran in the slightest (other than being annoying to their psyche!).

Voila! 4 1/2 to 5 gates instantly available!

I would go with another city being added before 60 flts per day from DEN by AUG.

Perhaps SWA will decide that, too. That's why they call them "rumors"!

 

[Tanker]

The agent I talked to today said there are 6 -700s due in June. Is there a new city on the horizon for July or August? just wondering.........

The word out of the training center is there will be 1 more city this year and there are 4 possibilities. These are MSP, LGA, BOS. and MEM.

 

[sfb]

What gates are going to open in DEN?

There are currently two available on the C Concourse, though Southwest will be leasing one of those as of March 1, if memory serves. The City has also announced that they will be adding two more gates to C, although I believe these are to be tube-type gates akin to E10 and E12 in PHL.

 

[NewHampshire Black Bears]

The word out of the training center is there will be 1 more city this year and there are 4 possibilities. These are MSP, LGA, BOS. and MEM.

========================================================
Tanker,

"LGA,"..........SURELY YOU JEST !!!!! :blink:

NH/BB's

 

[corl737]

The word out of the training center is there will be 1 more city this year and there are 4 possibilities. These are MSP, LGA, BOS. and MEM.

---------------------
From a February 19th interview with Gary Kelly in the Arizona Republic:

Q: Any additional new cities on tap for this year?

A: "For a change, we actually have more need for aircraft than we have aircraft. I don't know yet whether we'll have another new city this year for that reason. (Denver was added in January.)

We will be adding 33 planes to the fleet. There's just a lot of competition for these 33 airplanes, particularly with some of our newest, faster-developing places like Denver, Philadelphia, even Chicago where it increased by 60 percent last year.

I think if we have another one, it will be in the fall.

Our top priority is rebuilding New Orleans. It's clear we don't have enough flights in there yet.

---------------------
They call it the "Training Center" because they are still learning!

 

[WNrforlife]

---------------------
From a February 19th interview with Gary Kelly in the Arizona Republic:

Q: Any additional new cities on tap for this year?

A: "For a change, we actually have more need for aircraft than we have aircraft. I don't know yet whether we'll have another new city this year for that reason. (Denver was added in January.)

We will be adding 33 planes to the fleet. There's just a lot of competition for these 33 airplanes, particularly with some of our newest, faster-developing places like Denver, Philadelphia, even Chicago where it increased by 60 percent last year.

I think if we have another one, it will be in the fall.

Our top priority is rebuilding New Orleans. It's clear we don't have enough flights in there yet.

---------------------
They call it the "Training Center" because they are still learning!

Gary Kelly - A true giant among men...........