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Southwest Airlines News Release

Southwest Airlines to Serve Pittsburgh in 2005! Airline Will Announce Flights, Fares Soon

DALLAS, Jan. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- To celebrate the New Year, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announces its newest city -- Pittsburgh! The low fare carrier will arrive in the Steel City in May 2005 to bring Allegheny County area residents its fabled low fare high quality Customer air service. Fares and flight schedules will be announced in early 2005.

"Pittsburgh is a great addition to our system -- this is a great community, a great airport, and a wonderful opportunity for Southwest," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's chief executive officer. "Southwest always strives to be the hometown carrier in each market we serve, and we are thrilled to call Pittsburgh our newest hometown."

Southwest's breadth of service stretches from coast to coast and border to border with more than 2,900 daily departures serving 60 airports in 31 states. Pittsburgh will become Southwest's 61st airport.

"I am excited to welcome Southwest Airlines to the Pittsburgh region. Throughout the year, I have worked with the airport authority and community leaders to ensure the long term success of the Pittsburgh International Airport," said Dan Onorato, Allegheny County Chief Executive. "Today, we have made a significant step forward with the addition of Southwest Airlines."

"The airline's commitment will provide our region's business and leisure travelers with truly competitive service, more travel selections and new opportunities. I am also pleased that Southwest Airlines will benefit from our world-class airport and highly-trained workforce. We look forward to a long, mutually beneficial partnership," Onorato added.

"It has been our goal to attract the startup of Southwest in May, our passengers will be provided with more competitive choices at Pittsburgh International Airport," stated Glenn R. Mahone, Chairman, Allegheny County Airport Authority.

"This announcement today is the result of a great deal of hard work, careful planning, creative enterprise, and an unwavering focus on this important vision. The Airport Authority is elated that Southwest Airlines will be bringing its unique brand of air service to Pittsburgh International Airport," added Mahone.

Historically, when Southwest enters a new city, fares drop dramatically and demand for travel increases. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in a 1993 study described the phenomenon as the "Southwest Effect." Examples include:

  • From Philadelphia International Airport, Southwest initiated nonstop service to Providence, Chicago, Orlando, Tampa Bay, Phoenix, and Las Vegas in May 2004. Southwest's impact was felt immediately as traffic on these routes increased more than 51 percent and average fares decreased more than 37 percent.
  • Southwest service between Chicago Midway and Philadelphia started on May 9, 2004, with three nonstop flights daily. Traffic more than doubled from Chicago Midway while average fares declined 35 percent. -- Rhode Island's T.F. Green Airport: After Southwest started service in 1996, T.F. Green became the fastest growing airport in the nation, as overall airport traffic jumped 88 percent during Southwest's first year of service.
  • Albany, N.Y., International Airport: Between the introduction of Southwest's service on May 20, 2000, and the end of that year, passenger boardings increased 22.5 percent to a record 1.44 million. -- Long Island MacArthur Airport (Islip): In the first full year of Southwest's service (March 1995-1996), airport passenger traffic rose 133 percent.
  • Between Hartford, Conn., and Baltimore/Washington: The average one-way fare was reduced from $146 to $55, and after the first eight months of Southwest's service (Southwest began service in Hartford, Conn. in October 1999) on this route, passenger traffic increased from 19,000 to 92,000 passengers per quarter (this route went from being the 1,063th busiest city pair in the nation to 248th).
  • Between Baltimore/Washington and Chicago Midway Airport: When Southwest began service on this route in September 1993, only 3,530 passengers per quarter paid an average one-way fare of $121. By fourth quarter 1997, more than 100,000 passengers per quarter were paying an average one-way fare of only $79 (this route went from being the 240th busiest city pair in the nation to the 43rd).

"Southwest can't wait to provide all of Allegheny County and the surrounding region with its Legendary Customer Service and low fares," said Kelly. "The Pittsburgh International Airport will be a great addition to our system."

For more than 33 years, Southwest has been in the business of connecting people-whether they are business executives looking to "close the deal" or loved ones gathering for a special occasion. More than 65 million people each year board Southwest's young fleet of Boeing 737s to fly across the state or across the country at fares so low that it sometimes can actually cost more to drive!

In January 2001, Southwest introduced new aircraft with a fresh canyon blue paint scheme and cool, comfortable, saddle tan leather interiors and seats. The entire fleet is expected to be converted to the new design and interiors by the end of 2005.

Southwest is now in its 33rd year of operation and has reported 31 consecutive years of profitability. Based in Dallas, Southwest operates a fleet of 419 Boeing 737s with an average age of 9.2 years -- one of the youngest pure jet fleets in the domestic airline industry.