Southwest Airlines Plans Massive Expansion: 12 Long-Haul Routes Are Coming

Few very large carriers are evolving as much as Southwest Airlines, which now has nearly 800 Boeing 737s and 4,100 daily movements. While Southwest's long-haul ambition was already known, more information has come to light following CEO Robert (Bob) Jordan's speech at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on May 28.

Southwest Airlines Plans Massive Expansion: 12 Long-Haul Routes Are Coming. Few very large carriers are evolving as much as Southwest Airlines, which now has nearly 800 Boeing 737s and 4,100 daily movements. While Southwest's long-haul ambition was already known, more information has come to light following CEO Robert (Bob) Jordan's speech at the Bernstein Strategic Decisions Conference on May 28. Jordan stated that the first long-haul service is due to take off in the next five years. "I think it's likely that we'll ... delve into long-haul international flying [by then]," which will be driven, in part, by offering things that "meet our customers’ needs." "I want to give you fewer and fewer reasons to have to choose United, Delta, American and others. They don't want to. They love Southwest. They want to choose us, and they simply can't...