GARY’S GREETING
Forty-four years ago, Southwest Airlines embarked on a mission to give America the Freedom to fly—and we achieved it like no other airline in history. Last year, we expanded that Vision and set our sights on spreading our wings beyond U.S. borders. We launched international service for the first time on July 1, 2014. This past summer, we brought the total number of flights to and from our destinations in Latin America and the Caribbean up to as many as 100 per day. And this month, we celebrate another major milestone in moving forward with our international plans.
On October 15, Southwest will join the city of Houston in celebrating the opening of a five-gate international terminal at William P. Hobby Airport. Thanks to a partnership between Southwest and the Houston Airport System, Hobby Airport will become a gateway to Latin America. The project includes a new concourse, a Federal Inspection Services facility, a parking garage, and roadway modifications and improvements around the airport. Coinciding with the terminal opening, Southwest will launch seven daily international flights from Houston to six destinations (Belize City, Belize;
Cancún, Los Cabos, Mexico City, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and San José, Costa Rica). We’ll follow up next month by launching new service to Liberia, Costa Rica, and Montego Bay, Jamaica. And this is only the beginning of our international Vision. Houston will be a vital gateway moving forward, but we will also continue to expand our overall footprint beyond our borders. With the addition of Belize and Costa Rica, we’ll serve 12 destinations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean from 12 gateway cities in the U.S. For our Company, this marks the dawn of a new era. For our Customers, this means more flights and more destinations—all served with our famous Southwest Hospitality, travel-friendly policies, and low fares (see page 54 for more information on our fall advertising campaign). We aim to prove that the historical “Southwest Effect” (a phrase coined by the U.S. Department of Transportation to describe the trafficincreasing, fare-decreasing phenomenon that occurs when Southwest enters a new market) is alive and well and now extends beyond the lower 48 states. Our Vision is to become the world’s most loved, most flown, and most profitable airline. It’s a bold ambition, for sure. But thanks to you, our valued Customers, we’ve learned to dream big, and we can’t wait to spread a little love to the rest of the world.
Gary Kelly Chairman, President, and CEO Southwest Airlines
PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN KELLER
An Eye on International Expansion
16 SOUTHWEST MONTH 2015
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9/9/15 10:55 AM