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Southwest Airlines has updated its schedules and four airports will be losing service completely on August 4th. Additionally, the carrier’s presence is shrinking at a few other airports due to delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing.
Which Airports are Getting the Axe?
Southwest will stop flying to the following airports on August 4th. These include:
- Bellingham International Airport (BLI) (Denver International Airport (DEN), Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), and Oakland International Airport (OAK) are current routes)
- Cozumel International Airport (CZM) (Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) and William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) are currently served)
- Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) (Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), Dallas Love Field (DAL), Denver International Airport (DEN), Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS), Nashville International Airport (BNA), Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) are currently served)
- Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) (Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Orlando International Airport (MCO), and Tampa International Airport (TPA) are currently served)
George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is particularly noteworthy as this is the second time that Southwest has pulled out of the United hub. The last time that Southwest vacated an airport entirely was in 2019 when it cut service to Mexico City International Airport (MEX) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) (another United hub). Southwest serves more than 120 airports and it has only ever left 11 in its history.
Which Airports Will See Reduced Flights?
Southwest has said in a statement that it is planning to “significantly restructure other markets, most notably by implementing capacity reductions in both Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD).” The airline has only been flying to/from United’s hub at O’Hare since 2021 and to/from Delta’s Fortress hub in Atlanta since 2012 when it acquired AirTran. Specific routes have not been revealed (although it has been stated that Atlanta will lose up to 33% and Chicago will see cuts as deep as 50% of flights).
Anthony’s Take: Southwest is facing lots of issues with aircraft delivery and as a result is having to cut routes, airports, and jobs. Hopefully, Boeing is able to stop this bleed soon.
(Image Credits: Nick Morales and Cy.)
(H/T: The Points Guy.)
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1 comment
I hope they will remodel that third-world level hallway and security checkpoint they occupy at MIA while they are at it.
IAH makes some sense because they have such a huge market share at Hobby but it also shuts them down from United and many long-haul Skyteam and Star Alliance routes that people might be positioning to.