Southwest from EWR

[DISFANSHAN]

A few months back, Southwest announced they would start flying from Newark, NJ. I believe they said the flights would start in March 2011. Does anyone have any idea when Southwest will load these flights?

 

[DisneyNutMary]

I've been wondering the same thing, I keep checking their site every few days to see if anything pops up, but nothing so far.
My cousin works part time at the airport and he said SW has a lot of slots, and that they are pretty excited to have them fly out of there.

 

[sue1013]

I sent them an email asking when they would have the schedule for Newark. The response did not answer my question just said they were excited to start flying out of Newark in March 2011.

 

[DISFANSHAN]

Thanks for the replies! I guess we just have to wait and see!!!

 

[NJRRK]

Don't expect a EWR to MCO flight from SW to begin with. SW has a history of avoiding routes that already have competition when they first fly into/out of an airport. Since CO and JB both have non-stops EWR to MCO I don't think SW will start out with that route. They might eventually but probably not to begin with.

Another somewhat related matter, CO has moved into the United area in MCO, does anyone know when and if UA is going to move into Terminal C at EWR?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Trying to remember back to when they started flying out of Boston last summer... I think they started selling tickets a couple of months before flights debuted. Also, as posted above, they originally flew nonstop only to BWI and MDW. We could connect at those airports to anywhere else, but had to connect (vs. often being able to fly nonstop from either PVD or MHT). They've since added Philadelphia nonstop, and I think another city - but still, mostly connecting or direct - not nonstop - flights.

Of course, if the AirTran buyout is approved, that should change

 

[JB2K]

I think several things will have to happen before SWA commences service from EWR:

• United will have to move their ticket counters from their present location at Terminal A to Continental's facility at Terminal C (to form the "new" United Airlines) -- now that the UA/CO deal is officially "closed", this could happen, anytime.
  
• Since SWA is getting a number of landing slots from the UA/CO deal, and the SWA facility at EWR is not the result of SWA's merger with another airline, they are going to have to start their operations from the ground-up, which includes the hiring of new employees, building a ticket counter, back offices, etc.
  
• Since AirTran does not currently offer service to/from EWR, the pending SWA/AirTran merger should not be a factor.

 

[JB2K]

Don't expect a EWR to MCO flight from SW to begin with. SW has a history of avoiding routes that already have competition when they first fly into/out of an airport. Since CO and JB both have non-stops EWR to MCO I don't think SW will start out with that route. They might eventually but probably not to begin with.

Have you never heard of "The Southwest Effect"? The same thing was posted on internet boards when SWA established service in Philadelphia back in 2005 (people used U.S. Airways as the example, back then).

Another somewhat related matter, CO has moved into the United area in MCO, does anyone know when and if UA is going to move into Terminal C at EWR?

As I said in my last post, now that the two carriers are legally tied-together, I would expect this to happen, soon. However, I am guessing they are combining operations at their non-hub desintations, first.

The move of UA ops to CO at EWR (and the combining of other major hubs, such as ORD, DEN, and Houston-Bush) will probably happen, last as there is more work to be done at these locations.

 

[NJRRK]

Have you never heard of "The Southwest Effect"? The same thing was posted on internet boards when SWA established service in Philadelphia back in 2005 (people used U.S. Airways as the example, back then).

Aha, but there are two points you might have missed. 1-EWR has 2 airlines providing non-stop service to MCO, 2-I said at the beginning they would probably not non-stop to MCO. I give them between 12-24 months after they start service to start up, but they may sooner or not. Let's wait and see.

Airtran used to have a few flights in and out of EWR to ATL, SW might be able to use their unused areas, assuming they're still available.

 

[DebbieB]

Have you never heard of "The Southwest Effect"? The same thing was posted on internet boards when SWA established service in Philadelphia back in 2005 (people used U.S. Airways as the example, back then).

SW has also backed away in some cities. Detroit and Washington Dulles come to mind. They ended their MCO non-stops from those cities instead of continuing to compete.

 

[JB2K]

SW has also backed away in some cities. Detroit and Washington Dulles come to mind. They ended their MCO non-stops from those cities instead of continuing to compete.

Also, it's noteworthy to mention that neither DTW or IAD are considered to be "major" Southwest locations, meaning the flights they do offer tend to be to larger SWA cities, such as PHX or LSV.

 

[DebbieB]

Also, it's noteworthy to mention that neither DTW or IAD are considered to be "major" Southwest locations, meaning the flights they do offer tend to be to larger SWA cities, such as PHX or LSV.

They are only going to offer 18 daily flights so I would not call Newark a "major location".

http://www.businessweek.com/news/20...add-second-nyc-airport-with-newark-slots.html

The article mentions picking up business traffic, I don't think there is alot of business travel to Orlando.

 

[NJRRK]

The article mentions picking up business traffic, I don't think there is alot of business travel to Orlando.

Ah, but grasshopper, how much business travel comes out of Orlando to NY area? Every time I've flown on a weekday, outside of summer, I've seen business travelers on MCO to EWR flights, or at least they seemed to be. CO flights more than Jetblue.

But, between Jetblue and CO there are up to 14 flights a day to MCO from EWR, can EWR support more than that? With that many flights there are over 700,000 seats a year on EWR to MCO, each way!

 

[DebbieB]

Ah, but grasshopper, how much business travel comes out of Orlando to NY area? Every time I've flown on a weekday, outside of summer, I've seen business travelers on MCO to EWR flights, or at least they seemed to be. CO flights more than Jetblue.

But, between Jetblue and CO there are up to 14 flights a day to MCO from EWR, can EWR support more than that? With that many flights there are over 700,000 seats a year on EWR to MCO, each way!

But not as much business travel as other cities. With only 18 flights, would Orlando be the best place to send their planes to make money? Going up against CO and JB? CO has alot of elite business travelers that like their first class perks. I guess we'll wait and see when they announce their schedule but I would be surprised if non-stops to Orlando are on the list.

 

[DebbieB]

Just saw this on Twitter:

Gary Kelly announces @southwestair start date for Newark (EWR): 3/27/2011 - 6 to MDW & 2 STL http://cot.ag/aDDSmA via @WhitneyE

 

[NJRRK]

Just priced out an intinerary to MCO using the info above for the end of March. We never need more than one bag each so this is what I came up with, your mileage may vary and so might your experience.

4 adults to MCO on 3/27, flying back to ewr on 4/2

SW - $1,659
CO - $1,641 (including baggage fee)
JB - $1,401

The Co and JB are both non-stops so SW doesn't appear to get my business yet for MCO, but if I'm going to Chicago or St. Louis, maybe.