Southwest Airlines, the third-busiest carrier in the U.S., known for their allowing customers to check bags for free and to change flights without charging a fee, announced last month that they plan to expand their flights to Hawaii in 2018!
Following special events held Honolulu and Los Angeles, the airline made their intentions known on Twitter:
As seen on Twitter
“A day long-awaited by our Customers, fans, and more than 55,000 of the world’s most-loved airline Employees is finally within sight — a day that will showcase your Hospitality, about as far Southwest as you can go in the US,” Southwest Chairman and CEO Garry Kelly said at an event announcing the new route.
“Hawaii is an important place for Southwest Airlines because so many people count on us to take them everywhere they want to go reliably and affordably, “Kelly continued. “We’re ready and excited to address a request we’ve heard for years.”
The service can’t start until they get the A-OK from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS). That’s expected to take a few months.
It’s general believed that Southwest’s brand-new Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft (a new jet with better fuel efficiency, quieter engines and a Boeing-listed range of 3,515 nautical miles) will be used for the trips back and forth to the Aloha State. Southwest still hasn’t announced its Hawaiian routes, although the Southwest’s Executive VP & CRO suggested to the Los Angeles Times that they will fly to Kauai, Honolulu and the island of Hawaii. Prices are also TBA, but it’s suggested they will be lower than what is currently typically available.
Want to stay in the loop on this? Keep checking Southwest’s website and Twitter feed for updated info.
Tip of the hat and a big THANK-YOU to Norman J. for the heads up on this story!
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