WN looking at flying beyond US border

[Dont call me Shirley]

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=17615

Southwest Airlines Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly said the LCC is "seriously considering" operating international flights as soon as 2011 and also remains interested in acquiring troubled assets from rival carriers following its failed bid to purchase Frontier Airlines.

This would be a big change indeed!

 

[NAPAUS]

Oh JUST what America needs, SW to represent us to the rest of the world. GOD HELP US. SW, just say no and keep to what you know!!!

 

[WNjetdoc]

Oh JUST what America needs, SW to represent us to the rest of the world. GOD HELP US. SW, just say no and keep to what you know!!!

As long as we know enough not to hire worms and scumbags,

 

[AirbusAVE]

Oh JUST what America needs, SW to represent us to the rest of the world. GOD HELP US. SW, just say no and keep to what you know!!!

Most LCC's of the "world" (Which ya'll are talking about Canada and Mexico in this case, no?) fly international and I highly doubt Europeans will think Southwest Airlines represent the USA...



Anyway. It's about time WN started flying international. Operate a special subfleet to fly international or somthing.



I'm really hoping Jetblue gets an A330 or somthing and "jets" on over to Europa.

 

[SharoninSAT]

WN sounds to me like the perfect International carrier and here is why

Managed expectations
Fair fares
Friendly and cheerful employees
Good customer relations
Reliable

God help anyone who can't live with that

Thanks Piney...
I think so too!!!

 

[hp_fa]

Does Southwest have any form of ETOPS capability?

 

[JS]

Does Southwest have any form of ETOPS capability?

probably not, and there's no need for it unless they want to fly to Australia which isn't happening anytime soon

 

[ORDmech]

WN sounds to me like the perfect International carrier and here is why

Managed expectations
Fair fares
Friendly and cheerful employees
Good customer relations
Reliable

God help anyone who can't live with that

friendly and cheerful employees What a gas!! Go to MDW at 0600 and see how cheerful and friendly cust. serv agents are. :down:

 

[jimntx]

WN sounds to me like the perfect International carrier and here is why

Managed expectations
Fair fares
Friendly and cheerful employees
Good customer relations
Reliable

God help anyone who can't live with that

Can I have an AMEN from the choir? As an AA employee who commutes frequently on WN, this news "bothers" me because I expect that WN will clean everyone's International clock in any market they enter. Despite what the rest of us like to believe about our International service and customer expectations for an "experience" in travel, we have managed quite nicely to disabuse them of that expectation over the past few years. Now, they are looking for just what WN offers--reliable transportation from Point A to Point B (and I don't think in matters if that is DAL-HOU or HOU-PVR) at a reasonable price. Lord knows their airplanes are more comfortable than any of the rest of us. (No, I am not including First Class because most of our customers and yours don't sit there on any flight.)

I had dinner last night with a friend who just came back from a business trip to Europe on AA. When the f/as came through BUSINESS class with the meal cart, he was asked, "Chicken or Beef?" No, explanation of cooking method or sauces as they are supposed to do. He asked, "how are the entrees cooked?" This way-past-her-prime old biddy said rather nastily, "It's chicken or beef. I'm not going to stand here all night." He let me know that he would be flying LH to FRA from now on. Can't say that I blame him.

In the years I have been commuting on WN, I have never had an experience like that or anywhere close to that from ANY WN employee. If they just start flying to Mexico and Central American resorts, the rest of us can just close up shop in that region.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

WN will have to radically alter their biz model to fly true international (i.e. over the ponds) and I don't see that happening in the next few years.

Besides, foreign governments and aviation authorities are unpredictable. And ryanair is not a good comparison to WN for several reasons (not the least of which is their mercurial CEO).

WN will have plenty of revenue growth here in the states. Stick to their knitting like they've done the past 30 years.

 

[mrman]

WN will have to radically alter their biz model to fly true international (i.e. over the ponds) and I don't see that happening in the next few years.

Besides, foreign governments and aviation authorities are unpredictable. And ryanair is not a good comparison to WN for several reasons (not the least of which is their mercurial CEO).

WN will have plenty of revenue growth here in the states. Stick to their knitting like they've done the past 30 years.

There is quite a lot of internation that does not involve "over the pond", Canada, Mexico, Central America, Carribean, Parts of South America, even maybe Iceland with current planes and business model.

Remember DAL and HOU is closer to central America than BWI or LAX

 

[700UW]

They dont need to be ETOPS, there arent many 737s that are, you must mean EOW, which is extended over water.

This simply permits operations offshore greater than 162 nautical miles. The advantage of EOW is more direct routes and the consequential fuel savings by flying over the water versus longer coastal/overland routes.

The equipment requirements include HF (High Frequency) communications radios, ELT's (Emergency Locator Transmitters), Survival Kits, plus additional infant life vests.

So they have to have life rafts, life vests under each seat and an EPR.

 

[jimntx]

The equipment requirements include HF (High Frequency) communications radios, ELT's (Emergency Locator Transmitters), Survival Kits, plus additional infant life vests.

So they have to have life rafts, life vests under each seat and an EPR.

All they would need is the stuff in the first paragraph. All of WN's a/c are already equipped with life vests for each seat, and (I think) life rafts. The f/as always seem to get a kick out of doing the life vest demo on a STL-DAL flight. They always emphasize "in the unlikely event of a water landing..."

 

[WNjetdoc]

friendly and cheerful employees What a gas!! Go to MDW at 0600 and see how cheerful and friendly cust. serv agents are. :down:

The difference is we may have 10% that are like 90% of the employee's at your airline...big difference, lol.

Next~!

 

[SharoninSAT]

The difference is we may have 10% that are like 90% of the employee's at your airline...big difference, lol.

Next~!