Southwest Airlines Announces Service From MacArthur Airport on Long Island

Southwest Airlines announced today that it will inaugurate daily service from MacArthur Airport on Long Island on March 14, 1999. Southwest will operate 12 daily nonstop departures to four cities: Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Nashville, and Tampa.

The airline will offer eight nonstop flights to Baltimore/Washington, two daily to Chicago Midway, one daily to Nashville, and one daily to Tampa. Southwest also will offer direct or connecting service to 29 other cities such as Phoenix, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, Houston Hobby, and Las Vegas.

Southwest is offering a $65 one-way unrestricted fare between Long Island and Baltimore/Washington, which is a 54 percent savings from the $140 one-way fare currently offered by other airlines between MacArthur Airport and Baltimore/Washington. Southwest Airlines' $65 fare is available on every seat, every flight, and every day between Long Island and Baltimore/Washington. (See attached chart for fares to all destinations from Long Island.)

An even lower fare of $39 each way, based on roundtrip travel, is available with seven-day advance purchase for travel between Long Island and Baltimore/Washington. Seats are limited and an overnight stay is required. Tickets must be purchased within one day of making reservations and are nonrefundable but may be applied, if unused, toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest.

Customers can travel across the country for $299 one-way or less on Southwest Airlines. The unrestricted fare for travel between Long Island and Los Angeles, for example, is just $299 one-way. Fares do not include airport-assessed Passenger Facility Charges of up to $6 each way and a federal tax of $2 per segment.

"People who live or work on Long Island can look forward to an exceptional travel value in Southwest Airlines. MacArthur Airport is an ultra-convenient facility for travel to or from Long Island and is the perfect fit with Southwest's current route network," said Herb Kelleher, Southwest's chairman, president, and CEO. "When Southwest begins service to a new area, we offer communities much more than just low fares. Southwest is based on a philosophy of providing convenient, reliable, and affordable travel accompanied with warmth and humor. The tremendous Employees of Southwest deliver unparalleled Customer Service each and every day."

From MacArthur Airport, Southwest will operate its quietest aircraft, the Boeing 737-700. Southwest Airlines was the launch Customer for the 737-700 in 1997 and will take delivery of 29 new Boeing 737-700s in 1999. The Company's current fleet is comprised of 278 Boeing 737s with an average age of 8.4 years, one of the youngest pure jet fleets in the domestic airline industry.

The announcement was made at a news conference at MacArthur Airport by Islip Town Supervisor Pete McGowan and Kelleher.

"We are pleased to welcome Southwest Airlines to MacArthur Airport," said McGowan. "Their presence confirms our belief that this facility is market-driven, not government-driven, and that MacArthur is quickly becoming a vital link for Long Island’s transportation needs."

Southwest will occupy two gates at MacArthur Airport and will employ 44 people when operations are fully staffed.

The fifth-largest domestic carrier in terms of Customers boarded, Southwest currently serves 52 cities in 26 states--this will increase to 53 cities in 27 states when Southwest begins service to MacArthur Airport in March. Southwest currently operates more than 2,375 flights a day.

This press release as well as past releases, can be accessed on the Southwest Airlines internet site at: http://www.southwest.com.

Editor's Notes: A fare chart with all of Southwest's destinations from Long Island is attached.

*Indicates nonstop service

Fares do not include airport-assessed Passenger Facility Charges of up to $6 each way and a federal tax of $2 per segment.