Southwest announces plans for international service

Keep on chugging :}

Nothing but a codeshare like they had with ATA for service into DCA and Hawaii. This is okay but I'd rather see SWA go European and/or Latin American routes.

Great news for Pax now they can fly anywhere on SW. Why can't we regulate now.. fuel is killing all domestic carriers, soon SW will be the only carrier. Great for Corporate America can't wait to see the prices when there is only one airline left.

Give me a break! Flying to Canada is not international service... What a joke! Who makes this stuff up?

Southwest cannot fly REAL international trips with 737s. Just not possible.

Bill wrote:

Give me a break! Flying to Canada is not international service... What a joke! Who makes this stuff up?
Southwest cannot fly REAL international trips with 737s. Just not possible.

I agree. Nothing against Canada but any city their code share will provide service to you could glide to from the border with both engines off. I have to give them credit though, they will tap into the huge number of folks who escape the cold with their tiny black speedos each year. Note to Canadian men; enough with the tiny black speedos.

Technically it is international service. How can there be REAL and FAKE international service? It's just not to where you seem to want to go, however watch your so-called REAL international carriers cutting services while SWA expands. This code sharing agreement will benefit both airlines and probably offer much more choice than we can imagine now.

What Kind of Airplanes will South West Fly to Canada?

Most likely Southwest will not fly to Canada as they currently do not have Transport Canada approval for such flights. WestJet does however have approval to fly into the US and already flies into some of Southwests focus cities to allow for connections. You should see WestJet flying into many more of their major focus cities by late next year. Both airlines operate 737's only with no current or foreseeable future plans, to acquire and fly anything else. Flying one type of aircraft saves an airline an immense amount of money, thereby saving the paying customer more.

MarcYVR wrote:

Flying one type of aircraft saves an airline an immense amount of money, thereby saving the paying customer more.

Good luck flying 737's on international flights to Europe or Asia!!!

What a joke and exaggeration by the trailer park airlines

If you don't like these two airlines that actually seem to make money even in the hardest of times for the airlines, fly with the others and don't worry about how they won't be able to get their 737's to Asia and Europe. If you can find a single article that has come out that states that either WestJet or Southwest wants to fly to Asia or Europe using their own aircraft, then by all means let us know. Flying to those areas of the world will only be profitable for these two airlines by creating codesharing agreements with the airlines that currently fly those routes.

It's always interesting when people berate the companies that seem to charge a reasonable price for service, pay their employees well and keep them quite happy, and also make a profit. Wouldn't you think that those companies are actually biting off exactly the right amount of the market, rather than more than they can handle? What would be the reason to over extend themselves into other markets that are already saturated with service? Why would they bring on a multitude of different aircraft types thereby creating much higher maintenance costs? Look at all those airlines that have done that....American Airlines, United, Delta, Northwest, Air Canada, to name a few. Which of those are turning a profit. Point made...

That trailer park is is sitting on a GOLDMINE!!!

2 cents wrote:

<quoted text>
I agree. Nothing against Canada but any city their code share will provide service to you could glide to from the border with both engines off. I have to give them credit though, they will tap into the huge number of folks who escape the cold with their tiny black speedos each year. Note to Canadian men; enough with the tiny black speedos.

Sounds like you're just a little jealous!

Westjet has huge capacity issues and they need to cap on new markets very quickly. They are not hedged and they have many planes coming in. They need a feeder. I just don't see them working well with SW on this front

This is a codeshare agreement with Wesjet using Wesjet aircraft, crews and facilities. All WN is doing is market agreement for WN pax to transfer to Canada onto Wesjet aircraft, flight number to show up on WN flight schedule. That is the only positive on this agreement.
The negatives are Wesjet is weak at Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver where majority of Canada's traffic is at; no VIP lounges and weak frequent flyers program; 737 aircraft; extensive world and domestic network.
STAR ALLIANCE with its major Canada player such as Air Canada, Jazz, United Airlines and US Air have an overwhelming network overshadows WN/Wesjet.
Its a loss cause.,......

MarcYVR wrote:

It's always interesting when people berate the companies that seem to charge a reasonable price for service, pay their employees well and keep them quite happy, and also make a profit. Wouldn't you think that those companies are actually biting off exactly the right amount of the market, rather than more than they can handle? What would be the reason to over extend themselves into other markets that are already saturated with service? Why would they bring on a multitude of different aircraft types thereby creating much higher maintenance costs? Look at all those airlines that have done that....American Airlines, United, Delta, Northwest, Air Canada, to name a few. Which of those are turning a profit. Point made...

Please, a 12 year old airline. Lets us know when you make it to major airline status and are at least 50 years in the business, then you can pretend that your airline will actually make it in the long term.

And by the way don't bother thinking you are an international airline just because you fly across the canada- US border, People are smarter than you give them credit.

Again let us know when you have operations around the world, then and only then will you be able to truly compete with major US airlines!

pittiful small time competitor.

wow so much hate ... can't we all just get along???

finally airline-news that doesn't talk about cut-backs, furloughs and joblosses

:)

Yes, Bill, people are "SMARTER" esp. the ones at WN, sounds like do didn't pass their interview process, by the way, international means"CROSSING BORDERS",and 50 yrs. is coming right around the corner,WN doesn't want operations around the world, you can keep that dfw to japan crap, dal to lit works just fine,WN doesn't want to compete w/the other guys,just leave us alone,we don't hold a gun to anyone to fly us,people chose to, sorry for all the hate you have for WN Bill, I'll remember to "TOAST" a drink to you from the "PROFIT SHARING CHECK". Peace.

Bill wrote:

<quoted text>
Please, a 12 year old airline. Lets us know when you make it to major airline status and are at least 50 years in the business, then you can pretend that your airline will actually make it in the long term.
And by the way don't bother thinking you are an international airline just because you fly across the canada- US border, People are smarter than you give them credit.
Again let us know when you have operations around the world, then and only then will you be able to truly compete with major US airlines!
pittiful small time competitor.

Hey bill SWA is 37 years old. Carries more passengers than any airline in the world and as far as competing, why do you think their are all these flight reductions and layoffs. Hint It's because the majors can't compete with swa. They werent smart enough to hedge fuel or save money for catastrophies. CEO too busy stuffing his pockets with it and creating extravacant golden parachutes for himself and all his cronies.