Southwest Airline seeks authorization to broaden its international flight services.
Fresh Take:
Southwest Airlines is aiming big, requesting permission from the U.S. Department of Transportation to venture further abroad. This move could potentially transform Southwest into a global player, enabling flights to nearly every continent under the Open Skies agreement.
Right now, Southwest has its wings spread across Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. However, Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa remain uncharted territories. If approved, expect to see Southwest soaring high above the skies of previously uncharted regions!
Chris Perry, a spokesperson for Southwest, explained, "We've been an international carrier for a decade plus, and we're seizing this opportunity to amplify our existing international operations with the DOT's streamlined regulatory procedures for international authority."
The application, known as a certificate of public convenience and necessity, asks the USDoT for the green light to transport people, property, and mail between the U.S. and Open Skies partner nations.
Southwest also shared plans to embark on this global journey with a fleet of Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737 MAX 8 aircraft. To speed things up, they've even applied for a waiver to kick off operations while the DOT finalizes the certification process.
However, it's not all smooth skies ahead—Southwest's growth into international markets will be dependent on meeting specific financial performance metrics.
Amidst these ambitious plans, Southwest has also recently announced other major changes geared towards boosting profitability. They'll say goodbye to their 50-year tradition of free seating next year, switching to assigned seating. Additionally, a handful of new red-eye flights are in the pipeline.
In a cost-cutting measure earlier this year, Southwest saw off nearly 1,800 corporate employees.
Curious about Southwest's growth strategy? Got a tip to share? Drop Pablo Arauz Peña a line at [email protected].
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On top of venturing into previously uncharted regions such as Europe, South America, Asia, and Africa, Southwest Airlines is seeking a certificate of public convenience and necessity from the U.S. Department of Transportation, enabling them to transport people, property, and mail between the U.S. and Open Skies partner nations. This expansion, initially planned with a fleet of Boeing 737-700, 737-800, and 737 MAX 8 aircraft, is also accompanied by measures to boost financial efficiency, including the transition from free seating to assigned seating, the introduction of new red-eye flights, and a cost-cutting measure reducing corporate employees by nearly 1,800.
