Southwest to serve Denver!

[gw_lit]

"Southwest Airlines the nation's low-fare leader, announced today it will initiate service from Denver International Airport beginning in early 2006. The airline will announce specifics of its flight schedule and fares via a news conference in Denver next week."

Here's the press release:

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051020/dath020.html?.v=31

My guess is that the schedule will open up after February 3 next week after they announce the schedule for Denver. This probably explains why the schedule opening up after 2/3/06 has been so long coming.

 

[Mommy Poppins]

Any thoughts on how far they will open up their schedule? Do they do it a month, 2 months, 3 months at a time?????

 

[gw_lit]

They generally open up at least 2 months. Pure speculation on my part, but they tend to open schedules on Thursdays, I would imagine they'll opoen the schedule on 10/27. I would guess they'd open up through early April, that would have just over 5 months of the schedule open for booking. Again, this is all pure speculation, your guess is as good as mine! Keep checking their website every day if there are certain dates you're looking to book!

 

[Mommy Poppins]

Thanks! I'm looking for leaving April 22 and returning May 6 and am starting to get antsy as other flight prices increase. Wondering if I should just book Air Tran and be done with it!!

 

[dizplanner]

Yes! I've been wishing Southwest was in Denver. Maybe we will get more competitive prices here now. I look forward to seeing their flight schedule and rates. I also look forward to seeing how United and Frontier respond.

 

[seashoreCM]

Did pigs start flying* or did another airline, bankrupt or otherwise, abandon some gates and renege on its gate fees? Leading to the gates' being "priced to sell" i.e. priced low.

In other words, did Denver offer Southwest a sweetheart deal?

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

*Several years ago a Southwest official was quoted saying something like "Pigs will fly before we serve Denver Int'l Airport"

 

[gw_lit]

I think pigs did start to fly!

My understanding is that the cost per passenger at DIA has dropped quite a bit since the airport opened 10 years ago, and are now comparable to many of the larger airports. I think that even though Frontier has become a worthy competitor to United, United is still "wounded" and Southwest sees some opportunities in Denver. I don't think Denver will become a big "hub" for Southwest (like BWI, PHX, MDW, LAS), but is really just filling in a big empty spot on their route map. I trust that the management of Southwest knows what they're doing... their track record of continued profit certainly supports it!

 

[hightown]

Thrilled to see this! Was a Denverite up until January and always wished SW came into Denver. Now hopefully there will be some good St. Louis to Denver fares and we can visit HOME more often!

 

[dizplanner]

The article in our paper said that the airport fees charged to the airlines are based on "services used" or something like that and that United pays ~$20 per passenger and Frontier pays $8 to $9 and Southwest will pay $8 to $9. So it sounds like Southwest will have a deal similar to Frontier's. Speculation is that Southwest will be in terminal C.

 

[jenjersnap]

This news made my day when I read it in the paper! Since we moved to Colorado seven years ago (from Chicago), we've been astonished how expensive it is, generally, to fly from DIA. We're about to become a family of five so we need some deals to keep traveling.

 

[Pinnie]

Wowsers. Last year I flew one of the last flight in and out of Denver on SPIRIT who gave up flying there because of the landing fees.

pinnie

 

[tinkerbellmagic]

Darn, well I'm happy about this news, but I just booked a flight to Denver on American for late January. I'm sure this won't be the only trip there though, so this is great news!

Tink