Southwest Airlines Announces Fares and Flights To/From Milwaukee

Carrier Will Operate 12 Daily Nonstop Flights on Boeing 737 Aircraft to Six Destinations

Beginning November 1, 2009 with Fares as Low as $35 one-way

DALLAS, June 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- We're going to do it our way--the Southwest Way! Beginning November 1, 2009, Southwest Airlines will connect Milwaukee to the nation's largest airline network bringing legendary Customer Service and Low-Fare Value to fee-weary and under-served travelers across Southeast Wisconsin.

The airline will begin service with a dozen daily nonstop flights to six destinations: 3 to Baltimore/Washington, 3 to Kansas City, 2 to Las Vegas, 2 to Orlando, 1 to Phoenix, and 1 to Tampa Bay. Southwest is offering all of these new flights with fares as low as $35 one-way (when purchased by June 26th), recognizing Wisconsin's place as the 35th state to join the Southwest network. After the 26th, enjoy Southwest's low introductory fares from $49 to $99 to all nonstop destinations (see all fare rules below).

The fares and schedule are available for purchase today on Southwest Airlines

"That's $35 to get from Milwaukee to all six of these cities -- It's On!" said Teresa Laraba, Southwest's Vice President of Ground Operations, this morning at a news conference outside the Milwaukee Art Museum. "While other airlines have taken away options and added fees, our new Milwaukee service will stand apart in many ways. Milwaukeeans should know that we're here to serve and we're here to stay! We can't wait to introduce our legendary Customer Service, as well as our low fares and on time flights to new Customers across Wisconsin and Northern Illinois who've been asking for Southwest service for many years."

In addition to the 12 daily nonstop flights, Southwest Airlines' new service out of Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport will offer direct (same plane) or connecting service to 49 other destinations throughout the Southwest Network. Southwest Airlines will operate from two gates in Terminal D at Mitchell, and will have about 40 fulltime Employees.

"Southwest has a loyal following and many cities covet attracting their service," said Milwaukee County Executive Scott Walker. "We can't be more pleased they chose Milwaukee."

Milwaukee County Supervisors Lee Holloway and Michael Mayo, Sr., said, "This added service will build off Mitchell Airport's reputation as one of the most effective and efficient airports in the United States."

When shopping for Southwest online, it's important to know that Southwest Airlines' low fares are available only at Southwest Airlines. Not only will Customers find Southwest's great online rates, but the site also hosts Southwest's Travel Guide where Customers can check out travel tips posted by those who frequent Southeastern Wisconsin. For an insider's look into the new Milwaukee Service, a long-time Southwest Employee and native Wisconsinite writes about growing up in Southwest's newest state on Southwest's blog--Nuts About Southwest. To view her post, visit: Blogs | Nuts About Southwest rs.

After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines -- offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service and the Nation's largest airline network exclusively utilizing Boeing 737 aircraft. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 65 cities in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.

Fare Rules

The sale fares between Milwaukee Mitchell Airport and Baltimore/Washington, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay are available on southwest.com or swabiz.com. Customers must purchase from June 23 through June 26, 2009, and before 11:59 pm (PST) for travel November 1 - November 18, 2009. Fares valid on nonstop service only. Other introductory fares from $49 - $99 one-way will be on sale through July 30, 2009, for travel through December 17, 2009, excluding November 24 - November 25 and November 29 - November 30. Travel valid everyday except Fridays and Sundays. Fares do not include federal excise tax of $3.60 per take off and landing. Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 and government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 one-way. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by flight and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares may be combined with other combinable fares. Fares are not combinable with Senior Fares. When combining fares, all rules and restrictions apply. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines. Fares are not available through Group Desk. Any change in itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed.

SOURCE
Southwest Airlines

You're wrong. Bedford even said on WTMJ today that this was a "merger". A relative % merger is the most fair in most eyes I would hope (this coming from someone near the bottom at Midwest), with a fence regarding bases as I do not want to commute to BUF. That's the best I can wish for. All I know is we have a merger fund and attorneys will be hired for us.

I never said that. I've never mentioned staple. I don't think anyone should be expecting a 1 to 1 ratio. I'm in favor of a TWA style integration as mentioned earlier. I don't expect any bought airline to expect an even integration. They can keep their seniority in base on current aircraft but have a low seniority on the overall list.

Why? Because the second they hit our seniority list they are afforded the luxuries it provides us. Once they are on our seniority list they could furlough next day and several of our pilot are now the street that shouldn't been. We have due paying members in our airline that I think it's the responsibility of the company and union to look after first. 1000 pilots join our seniority list but we only need 500 and instead of furloughing out of that batch we're now putting a pile of our own out there.

There's nothing merger about it. Midwest has been bought and paid for. It's debts and liabilities will be taken over by RAH. There's no merging. It's a new subsidiary for now. A relative % is bull. Someone 50% in your company coming in at 50% in ours is not going to happen. So after more of the 717's leave you think a "flowback" to displace RAH captains to the right seat is fair for us? Nope. I remember you saying several times that you've hoped RAH would fail and that you'd quit before working here. Start packing. You've done nothing but insult after insult and if you think I care at all about the commute you're going to have you're sadly mistaken.

Chance, your making RAH pilots look very very bad, how about a little "humble pie", I would venture to say these guys at Frontier and Midwest have been flying 121 long before your hard-on for Shiney planes

This is how I see all of this playing:

Step one:

BB meets with UA and and renews the 50 flying, and might get more depending on how Mesa turns out, in exchange for removing UA competition in Denver (F9). United is happy and RAH has more contract flying.

Step 2:

BB goes to big daddy D and offers the F9 fleet for next to nothing in cash in exchange for the 36 175's at compass. DL is heavy on Wholly owned carriers and would be happy to burn Compass' cert. and sell/trade their planes to RAH. Delta contracts with RAH to operate the 36 175's out of MKE using all the assets (gates/slots) just aquired from Midwest. Delta instructs RAH to fend off Airtran out of MKE and RAH does it for cheap. (Delta does not care about Southwest in MKE, Southwest will to and from the west and DL will fly to and from the east.) Now DL is happy because they keep the "thorn in their side" (Airtran) from gaining ground in MKE, They got a 40+ Airbus fleet for cheap and one less Wholly owned to deal with. And...RAH has more 175's and more flying.


Everything I just said is just a way to make a point. People have said many times that the legacys are going to be upset about this. BB is a lot of things but dumb is not one of them. Do you think he made these deals, and tonight when he is brushing his teeth its going to hit him and he'll say.. uh oh...Delta might not like this???

I am one of those people who thinks there is something much bigger going on here. DL and UA are both in a position to benifit from all of this. I am not so sure that they were not FULLY aware of this before it happened and maybe "on board" with it.

I am mad/afraid.

RAH STILL sucks. Now I want a staple of the Duck below all. I still hope RAH fails, what makes you think that's changed?

EVERY seat in the MKE and MCI domicile (MCI by percentage on Midwest ASM's versus total Republic ASM's in MCI) should be for 400 Midwest pilots FIRST. The same can be said for DEN wrt to F9 pilots.

Your career expectations at this point is all those 70/50 seaters and 2 E-190's (15 of which and 2 190's built off of cheap labor replacing our flying).

I agree, good points

I've gone completely out of my way by stating these are my opinions and not shared by anyone. It's not that I don't appreciate the situation but I came here for a reason and it wasn't to watch my position as an FO only get worse because we acquired a failing airline. In other words my life should not get worse or stagnate because another management ran their company into the ground. I've paid dues here since day one to protect my job stability, my rights for employment, and my place within the company. "Humble Pie" is picking up two pilots group and them flying their same airframes, maintaining their current seniority in base, and keeping them at their same payrates. If that's not a helping hand I don't know what is.

Not to point out the obvious, but this would appear to apply to you as well, at this point.

(I understand your hostility, but the humor regarding the size of aircraft and long-term career with your integration into RAH was amusing).