Southwest launches five new routes from AirTran bases

Austin welcomed Southwest’s Atlanta route with cupcakes decorated with Georgia peaches on top.

Southwest Airlines, the airline analysed this week, launched five new routes on 12 February, in addition to taking over frequencies on routes already operated by its subsidiary AirTran on the same day. From the AirTran base in Atlanta, GA (ATL), Southwest now operates the new twice-daily route to Austin, TX (AUS) in competition with Delta’s 39 flights a week. From Georgia’s capital, it also serves Baltimore/Washington, MD (BWI) thrice-daily in competition with Delta’s 68 and subsidiary AirTran’s 26 weekly flights, Chicago Midway, IL (DEN) also thrice-daily, competing with the same two airlines that operate 46 and 23 weekly flights respectively, and Houston Hobby, TX (HOU) twice-daily, which faces Delta’s 49 and AirTran’s 20 flights a week. One further Atlanta route was launched in competition with an entire four other airlines; Denver, CO (DEN) is served twice-daily and competes with Delta’s 50, United’s 18, Frontier’s 16 and AirTran’s 14 flights a week. From Baltimore/Washington, Southwest now also flies daily to Tucson, AZ (TUC). Three of the airline’s new routes were launched out of AirTran’s Fort Myers, FL (RSW) base; each daily to colder climates in Hartford, CT (BDL), Providence, RI (PVD), and Long Island/Islip, NY (ISP). All of the routes are operated with the airline’s 737-700s.