Southwest Airlines Co. plans to begin service next year to Minneapolis, its first new city in more than a year, Chief Executive Gary Kelly said Wednesday.

I think this is a shrewd move. NW is known for AGGRESSIVELY defending its fortress hubs of Detroit and Minneapolis, but in 2009 it will be DL. DL is about as aggressive in the upper midwest as NW is in the SE, i.e. not at all...

I doubt the new DL will defend MSP as NW did in the past. Not sure if that's bad or good.

The old DAL defended to the end DFW, MCO, PDX, CVG, LAX, ORD (80s). Wait a minute? The old DAL couldn't see past ATL. The new DAL leadership hopefully will. I hope they realize from places like LAX that it is much more difficult to rebuild something you gave up than possibly in defending it. We will see. I know if the credit markets don't improve this industry will see a radical re-shaping in the next 12 months. Everyone, including SWA will feel these effects.

Heyas DFE,

Well, considering the new DAL management is the old/current NWA management, I would suspect they will be more prone to holding their ground.

RA was the architect of the "Fortress Midwest" strategy.

Nu