![]() Southwest Airlines’ AirTran Subsidiary Adds 3 New Memphis Service MarketsFebruary 4, 2013
A Total of Four Flights between Memphis and Chicago Midway, Orlando and Baltimore/Washington MEMPHIS, Tennessee, February 4, 2013 – Memphis International Airport today announced that Southwest Airlines will be adding additional service in Memphis through its AirTran Airways Subsidiary. In a national release by Southwest, the company detailed four new Memphis flights to three new AirTran routes; twice a day between Memphis and Chicago Midway, and once daily service between Memphis and Orlando, and Memphis and Baltimore/Washington. The new flights will begin service on August 11, 2013, and are in addition to the current five daily non-stops on AirTran between Memphis and Atlanta. The new service is available for booking immediately for flights on or after August 11. "We are very excited that Southwest has decided to add three new city pairs for Memphis to fly under its AirTran subsidiary. Many years of relationship building with Southwest are paying off," said Larry Cox, President and CEO of the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority. "This service addition reinforces the message given to Memphians last September by Southwest Executive Vice President Ron Ricks when he stated ‘We're here. We're here to stay ... You've got to be patient with us, and things will not happen overnight." "We are excited and grateful that Southwest Airlines has decided to include MEM in their network. This news is a home run for travelers in our region hungry for affordable flight options," added recently elected Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority Chairman Jack Sammons. "Southwest management has informed me that they will add additional flights this year based on how well these initial flights perform. As one SWA exec remarked in our meeting last week, ‘The more flights we take, the more we get.' It's a new era in aviation in America and certainly a new era for our airport. Your Airport Authority will continue to be relentless in our efforts to make MEM the airport of choice for the traveling public." A copy of the Southwest Airlines news release in its entirety follows: DOUBLE UP! SOUTHWEST AIRLINES AND AIRTRAN AIRWAYS EXTEND SCHEDULES THROUGH LATE SEPTEMBER, BRINGING SOUTHWEST SERVICE TO GRAND RAPIDS
DALLAS—Feb. 4, 2013—Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) announced today Grand Rapids, Mich. is the next AirTran Airways city to be converted to Southwest service. Those flights from Grand Rapids to Baltimore/Washington, Denver, Orlando and Saint Louis will begin Aug. 11, 2013. AirTran service in Grand Rapids will end the previous day, Aug. 10, 2013. From Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR), fly Southwest Airlines Nonstop to:
To celebrate the new service, the carrier announced a fare sale offering one-way fares on the new service between $109 and $149. These fares must be booked by Feb. 17 for travel between Aug. 11 and Sept. 27, 2013. See fare rules below. To take advantage of these special fares, visit southwest.com. Nonstop flights in Grand Rapids will double in the conversion from AirTran to Southwest. In August, Southwest will offer six daily nonstop flights compared to a previous three daily nonstop flights. "As we bring Southwest into Grand Rapids we're not simply swapping airlines, we're adding new cities, we're bringing in larger airplanes and flying more flights," said Ron Ricks, an Executive Vice President for the Dallas-based carrier. "Similarly, on the AirTran side, we're nearly doubling the number of flights in and out of Memphis which provides low fare competition to more destinations with more seats." Additionally, AirTran expands operations in Memphis with new nonstop flights between Memphis and Chicago (Midway), Baltimore/Washington, and Orlando, beginning Aug. 11, 2013. In Memphis, AirTran currently offers five daily nonstop flights to Atlanta. Southwest also will begin nonstop service between Flint, Mich. and Las Vegas starting Aug. 11, 2013. Bishop International Airport (FNT) in Flint is currently served by AirTran Airways and will convert to Southwest Airlines service on April 14, 2013. Inaugural service from Flint will also include nonstop service to Baltimore/Washington, Orlando, and Tampa Bay. Southwest also announced today a promotion to reward Members of the airline's frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, with double points on all travel nationwide. In other words, Members will receive 12 points (instead of six) for each dollar spent on Wanna Get Away® Fares, 20 points (instead of ten) for each dollar spent on Anytime Fares, and 24 points (instead of 12) for each dollar spent on Business Select® Fares. Rapid Rewards Members simply need to register for the promotion at the website below prior to travel between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, book a flight between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, and fly between Feb. 4 and May 15, 2013, to receive the additional points. Customers who want to enroll in Rapid Rewards and take advantage of this promotion may also click on this link: southwest.com/rrpromotions. Media Please Contact: TERMS & CONDITIONS Additional Fare Rules: Southwest Airlines Nationwide Double Points Promotion Terms and Conditions: ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO. In its 42nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating passengers boarded, and including wholly-owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways, operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line thinking that takes into account the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of the People who work there and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the Planet. The 2011 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship. Southwest Airlines AirTran Airways |
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