WABE: Southwest Airlines Coming to Atlanta? (2009-07-31)

Business

Southwest Airlines Coming to Atlanta?

Jim Burress (2009-07-31)

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ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - This year, Southwest is expanding to big airports its long avoided, including Boston and New York City. But the closest it flies to here is Birmingham.

Friday's Atlanta Journal-Constitution quotes Southwest's executive vice president of strategy and planning Bob Jordan as saying Atlanta is "interesting," and that the airline has a "strong desire" to serve here.

But, in a recent interview with WABE, Jordan said other markets are more attractive to the carrier.

"I wouldn't say that we've never looked at Atlanta; we're constantly looking at opportunities. But I would also tell you it's not high on the list. There's a lot of competition, a lot of capacity between Delta and AirTran."

Those two airlines make up about four out of every five flights in and out of Hartsfield-Jackson. Frontier currently has three daily flights from Denver to Atlanta.

Jim Burress, WABE News.
© Copyright 2009, WABE