Southwest Airlines adds new flights in key markets

Southwest Airlines announced that it is refining its schedule beginning May 10, 2008. Through the elimination of 57 existing roundtrip flights from its May flight schedule, Southwest will add 40 roundtrip flights in key growth markets including Denver.

“These additional flights to the area are proving Denver is a growing, strong, competitive market even during times of increased fuel prices and a tightening economy,” state Holli Baumunk, vice president of the Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation.

New destinations to and from Denver include Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Raleigh-Durham, San Antonio, San Jose, and St. Louis.

"Southwest Airlines is concerned about slowing economic growth, and we want our flight schedule to be built around flights that are in high demand," said Gary Kelly, chief executive officer of Southwest Airlines.

"Southwest is intent on strategically changing its flight schedule in 2008 to reflect demand and grow revenue -- even adding seasonal flights when we can," Kelly said. "We've improved our boarding procedures and updated our gate areas to make our customers more productive, and we look forward to 2008 as being one of the most productive yet for Southwest Airlines."

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 33,000 employees system wide.