Southwest Airlines Intends To Serve Long Beach Airport

California's largest carrier of air travelers files slot application to add service at fifth airport in L.A. Basin

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Feb 10, 2016, 07:58 ET

DALLAS, Feb. 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today confirmed its interest and application to bring more low-fare service to Greater Los Angeles by adding new Southwest® service in 2016 at Long Beach Airport. Working with the City of Long Beach, the carrier this week formally applied for slot authority to offer new service, subject to requisite approvals. Southwest's operation at Long Beach would be an addition to the carrier's greater Los Angeles presence at Los Angeles (LAX), Burbank, Orange County/Santa Ana, and Ontario.

"Long Beach would make it five for five in greater L.A. for Southwest and would give us another service point to fulfill our promise to connect our California Customers not only to what's important, but also to where is important in planning business, vacation, or personal travel plans," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman, President, & CEO, standing before an Employee rally in Las Vegas. "Nobody can match the value you all bring to air travel with our world-famous hospitality, and no one can offer California what we do on a daily basis, especially with the attractive addition of our low-fare service at Long Beach."

Employees gathered at a satellite viewing location in downtown Los Angeles cheered the rally announcement that would add a tenth California airport to the Southwest route map. The Company continues to plan for 2016 year-over-year available seat mile growth in the 5-6 percent range. Southwest offers more daily departures from California airports than any other airline, 160 of which are intrastate flights landing within the state, connecting 19 unique California city-pair combinations as of summer 2016. Southwest's California airports will offer a combined peak weekday schedule of 678 departures to destinations across the United States, Mexico, and Liberia, Costa Rica (subject to foreign government approval). Southwest not only carries more Californians within the state each day, the airline brings more air travelers to and from California daily than any other carrier, according to the most recent statistics reported by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 45th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 49,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest proudly operates a network of 97 destinations across the United States and seven additional countries with more than 3,900 departures a day during peak travel season.

Based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent data, Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. The Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world, the majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi providing gate-to-gate connectivity. That connectivity enables Customers to use their personal devices to view video on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV compliments of our valued Partners. Southwest created Transfarency^SM, a philosophy which treats Customers honestly and fairly, and in which low fares actually stay low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free® to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some airlines may allow free checked bags on select routes or for qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply. In 2014, the airline proudly unveiled a bold new look: Heart. The new aircraft livery, airport experience, and logo, showcase the dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic whenever the carrier enters new markets. With 43 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2014 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.