WN buys DCA slots from NK - NEW service STL DCA effective Sept 6th

[gizmo_sc]

Wn was the high bidder for NK slots in DCA and will start service STL DCA Sept 6th subject to new slot times..

http://airlineinfo.com/Sites/DailyAirline/web-content/ost14/ost070312.html#southwest7312

 

[lostplanetairman]

Yes, the government would never grant NK slots in any of the recent awards, so flying out of DCA became costly for NK. So they pull out, sell the slots for a big price to SWA and fares in DCA increase. Nice example of the government performng counter to instructions to award slots to those that would decrease fares and increase competition.

 

[swamt]

Wn was the high bidder for NK slots in DCA and will start service STL DCA Sept 6th subject to new slot times..

http://airlineinfo.c...l#southwest7312

Thanx again gizmo. Just wonder how much we ended up paying for such slots? I would be willing to bet that after they lost the slots previously bidded on to JB and someone else, SWA more than likely way over paid for these slots. However, I do believe it was a must win for SWA in order to become profitable at DC. I will also predict another trade or purchase before 2015 from SWA to get more slots, it could even be another airline.

 

[2001hdswa@gmail.com]

I just pray for no lay offs!!!!!

 

[swamt]

I just pray for no lay offs!!!!!

Me too brother, me too...

 

[does this plane go to paris]

"...SWA more than likely way over paid for these slots. ..."

SWA has a proven track record of not paying too much for most things. I will withhold judgement though until the purchase price is disclosed. JetBlue paid too much in last years slot deal in LGA, as did WestJet out of DCA. But it's their money and they can spend it as they see fit.


"....and fares in DC increase. ..."

WN has said that they want to use the slots from DCA to STL. I just checked Travelocity and the only nonstop between the two cities is on AA. The fare is $683.80. When fares are posted from WN, we can discuss that. WN has shown throughout 41 years that they will offer a low reasonable fare, good customer service and no nickel and diming of the customer.

 

[QA4Jet-A]

"...SWA more than likely way over paid for these slots. ..."

SWA has a proven track record of not paying too much for most things. I will withhold judgement though until the purchase price is disclosed. JetBlue paid too much in last years slot deal in LGA, as did WestJet out of DCA. But it's their money and they can spend it as they see fit.


"....and fares in DC increase. ..."

WN has said that they want to use the slots from DCA to STL. I just checked Travelocity and the only nonstop between the two cities is on AA. The fare is $683.80. When fares are posted from WN, we can discuss that. WN has shown throughout 41 years that they will offer a low reasonable fare, good customer service and no nickel and diming of the customer.

I seriously doubt WN would over pay for 2 flights a day to anywhere! They are not stupid and IMO have a reasonable game plan for making this work. The only problem I see is flight times which they have already asked for an adjustment to make it more reasonable.

 

[swamt]

I seriously doubt WN would over pay for 2 flights a day to anywhere! They are not stupid and IMO have a reasonable game plan for making this work. The only problem I see is flight times which they have already asked for an adjustment to make it more reasonable.

Well, I hope not. Also as paris mensioned above, SWA does have a trck record for getting stuff rediciously low cost.
I believe this will now bring SWA to a total of, is it 14 or 16 slots thus far?

 

[gizmo_sc]

SWA won't say what they paid for the 4 slots but GK indicated when JETBLUE bought theirs they paid way to much. I just checked aa.com and a nonstop flgiht on July 10 is 694.00, SWA DCA AUS Jul 10 $523.00 , 14 day advance 284 and 21 day 181.00. Just wondering what SWA will price DCA STL ? AA has 64 seat RJ's on that route, SWA will have 137/143/175 seat 737 on the route.

 

[jimntx]

But, don't you understand? We will eat your lunch on that route when you start flying it? Passengers would MUCH rather fly on a 64 seat rj--particularly when they are paying almost $700 for the flight. It must be so. Our management at AA decided to eliminate all 3 mainline flights/day we had from STL to DCA--despite all the military installations and defense contractors in the STL area. I'm sure they would only do that if the customers told them they didn't like the mainline flights.

 

[does this plane go to paris]

"....and fares in DC increase. ..."

WN just announced fares and schedules.

There is a special intro fare of 139.00. Wanna Get Away fare is 150.00, Regular Y fare is 311.00 and the Biz Select is 327.00 This is compared to AA's $689.00 fare.

 

[swamt]

Gee. I guess fares will be going down...

 

[jimntx]

"....and fares in DC increase. ..."

WN just announced fares and schedules.

There is a special intro fare of 139.00. Wanna Get Away fare is 150.00, Regular Y fare is 311.00 and the Biz Select is 327.00 This is compared to AA's $689.00 fare.

I am a big fan of WN, but you should compare apples to apples. The fares you are quoting are one-way for WN and round-trip for AA. Frankly, I am surprised that the WN "regular" fares--Y and Biz Select--are not that much lower than AA. Big difference though...you are offering a real airplane as opposed to a barbie jet.

By the way, I went to the WN website last night. The only routing I could find for STL-DCA on WN was through MDW. When will the non-stops be loaded into the system?

 

[does this plane go to paris]

Jim, I posted the AA $689.00 oneway fare back when the original post began and there was concern by a poster that WN would raise fares.

WN announced their new schedule for DCA/STL nonstops beginning on Sunday September 30th. They are offering 2 nonstops a day and the previously listed fares.

Over at AA.com, the fares currently listed for purchase are $220.00, 692.00 and 1192.00. Each are in Economy and each are one way.

 

[jimntx]

Ok, I guess that just shows how out of touch my airline is with reality. They are flying rjs to DCA, charging higher fares than JFK-LHR, and ignoring the fact that you (WN) are about to come in and eat their lunch on that route (as you have done on numerous other STL routes).

By the way, I was looking for flights on WN in early September which I think was the original proposed start date.