Atlanta, at Last! Southwest Airlines Launches Service from Georgia

First Flights Usher in Era of Lower Last-minute Fares, No Change Fees, and Bags Fly Free™ Value for Atlanta Travelers.

The People of Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today delivered an early Valentine's gift to travelers who have long-awaited the Atlanta arrival of the carrier's legendary low fares and positively outrageous Customer Service.  Continuing the 40-year mission to serve in its communities, Southwest also announced the launch of LUV Grants for Good, making available $150,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations from across the State of Georgia. 

"Our service from Atlanta brings greatly reduced fares with new flexibility and value for both leisure and business Customers," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chairman, President, and CEO, at a news conference Monday afternoon in the airport's main terminal. Employees of Southwest Airlines celebrated the milestone in a LUV-themed ceremony featuring congratulations from Georgia Governor Nathan Deal, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, Aviation General Manager Louis Miller, and a cadre of excited Southwest Customers and airport employees.

"Southwest Airlines will significantly expand the tradition of excellent customer service and low fares that we have come to expect from AirTran Airways over the past 15 years," said Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed. "Hartsfield-Jackson Airport prides itself on serving more than 90 million passengers every year, and Southwest's presence will further assure our airport remains as the busiest passenger airport on the planet."
Following on months of community service performed around Greater Atlanta even prior to the August 2011 announcement of Southwest service, Kelly also announced the launch of an online essay and video contest to award $150,000 in LUV Grants for Good across the State.  The contest is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofits which meet guidelines and rules, available at southwest.com/luvgrants.

The public will have an opportunity to vote and select the winning six organizations from a pool of finalists that produce videos on how they would use money to show love to the communities they serve.  Those finalists will have been selected from essays submitted online and judged by the Georgia Center for Nonprofits and Southwest Airlines. In accepting the gift on behalf of all Georgians, Governor Deal said, "Southwest Airlines has established itself as a first-rate corporate citizen in our State by creating LUV Grants for Good to celebrate their arrival in our community. This program will benefit the people of Georgia, who welcome Southwest, their good works, and the wonderful opportunities they bring to our great State."

Today's initial schedule of 15 flights to five nonstop destinations, with additional same-plane and connecting service to 48 destinations across the country, is just the beginning of a beautiful partnership between the world's busiest airport and the largest airline in the nation, as measured by the U.S. Department of Transportation in terms of originating passengers boarded.  Daily nonstop service between Atlanta and Austin, Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Denver, and Houston (Hobby), will grow next month with the addition of nonstop service to and from both Las Vegas and Phoenix starting March 10.

 Southwest also will add nonstop service beginning June 10 between Atlanta and Los Angeles and will offer additional nonstop service connecting Atlanta to Louisville, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, and Seattle starting August 12.  All flights are available for sale now at southwest.com.

Read more at  Southwest Media 

Low-cost airline with familiar name hopes to fly

NORFOLK, Va.—The name PeoplExpress conjures up thoughts of cheap fares, packed planes and bare-bones service. If regulators agree, the name will be back this summer, attached to an airline that hopes to borrow from the old playbook while avoiding some of the mistakes that doomed one of the pioneers of the no frills airline business.

PeoplExpress Airlines announced Monday that it will be headquartered at Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport in southeastern Virginia. The airline plans to offer flights on the East Coast this summer. But a successful launch is far from a sure thing. It still needs approval from the U.S. government. And it still needs to secure financing.

Initial destinations are expected to be Pittsburgh, Newark, N.J. and West Palm Beach, Fla. Chief Operating

Officer Michael Morisi, who worked at the original airline, says the airline won't ever fly to large cities served by other airlines. The original PeoplExpress called overexpansion one of its fatal mistakes. At the time, Morisi was responsible for opening up several domestic and international destinations, including London and Los Angeles.

The old PeoplExpress was once the country's fifth largest airline. It flew from 1981 to 1987 and was known for offering fares for as low as $19 while turning a profit. But once American introduced "Ultimate Super Saver" fares in 1985 the airline struggled. Continental Airlines eventually swallowed it up. Since then, more than 100 airlines have filed for bankruptcy or stopped operating altogether.

Continental did not maintain the name to PeoplExpress, allowing Morisi to register for it.

Morisi says he intends to serve niche markets that are currently underserved or those that have lost service altogether because of industry consolidation. A number of bigger airlines have pulled out of smaller markets since the recession because flying there wasn't profitable.

"I think we can build a very nice operation serving dozens of cities and never really encroach on some of the major hub cities that other carriers are dominant in," he said in an interview.

Newport News is losing AirTran service next month as AirTran's parent Southwest Airlines Co. redirects flights to other cities. The region has also offered financial incentives for new airlines to roost.

But although some bigger carriers have left room for new airlines to start service, the industry remains highly competitive. If one airline sees another building up business, it's likely to target those cities, and try to win them back.

"New airlines tend to underestimate the degree and gravity of that competitive response." airline consultant Robert Mann said. Morisi, who lives in Chesapeake, Va., said he thinks PeoplExpress can beat the odds and become successful through a combination of factors. Among them, he said the airline aims aiming to have a non-union workforce of employees -- a strategy employed by the old PeoplExpress.Continued...

Boston News/Aviation