SWA retrofits B733s, applies to fly USA-Canada

[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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... with Mexico to possibly follow.

DALLAS, Dec. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines today
submitted an application to the Department of Transportation (DOT) to
acquire international route authority to operate flights between the
United States and Canada. The application for a certificate to provide
foreign air transportation is required by law before Southwest Airlines
can fully implement its previously announced codeshare agreement with
Canadian carrier WestJet. The certificate, which Southwest hopes to
receive in the first quarter of next year, would also allow Southwest
Airlines the authority to operate flights to Canada with its own
planes, although the airline does not have any plans to do so at this
time. Under the planned codeshare, Southwest Airlines and WestJet will
offer Customers a seamless travel experience to a wide array of
destinations in both the U.S. and Canada. The airlines plan to announce
codeshare flight schedules in the second half of 2009.

Since all three (SWA, WJA and Volaris) have all entered
'codeshare', it appears that SWA may be the one to enter the foreign
countries instead of the foreign airlines flying to the US. So we may
see another application to the DOT for approval to fly to Mexico (VOI
is based out of TLC, not MEX).

Offical Application is here: http://tinyurl.com/8k42ge

Additionally, SWA is retrofitting their entire B733 fleet with
glass cockpits, to the sum of $40million.

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email: ***@sbcglobal.net
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[JF Mezei]

Post by A Guy Called Tyketto
Since all three (SWA, WJA and Volaris) have all entered
'codeshare', it appears that SWA may be the one to enter the foreign
countries instead of the foreign airlines flying to the US.

From what I read, this "paperwork" is required for Southwest to sell
tickets from canada to USA and vice versa, and WN still intends to use
Westjet operated aircraft. (at least for now).

Westjet also signed marketing deals with a few oneworld members,
including AA. So it will make for strange bedfellows.

Post by A Guy Called Tyketto
Additionally, SWA is retrofitting their entire B733 fleet with
glass cockpits, to the sum of $40million.

I was going to post about that. Are you sure it is their entire 733
fleet ? I had read 150 aircraft. Is that the lot ?

I was under the impression that Southwest's plans were to replace its
older "classic" 737s with NGs, hence his huge orders for 737s.

Dos this outfitting of old 737s with cockpits that look/feel like those
of NGs mean that Southwest now intends to keep those older 737s for
quite a bit of time instea and perhaps reduce the number of 737 NGs on
order ?
.
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[A Guy Called Tyketto]

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Post by JF Mezei
I was going to post about that. Are you sure it is their entire 733
fleet ? I had read 150 aircraft. Is that the lot ?

Not that I see:

http://tinyurl.com/8qsgqo

According to GE, they are doing 150 refits; SWA has 185 B733s.

Post by JF Mezei
I was under the impression that Southwest's plans were to replace its
older "classic" 737s with NGs, hence his huge orders for 737s.
Dos this outfitting of old 737s with cockpits that look/feel like those
of NGs mean that Southwest now intends to keep those older 737s for
quite a bit of time instea and perhaps reduce the number of 737 NGs on
order ?

Probably not to reduce the number, but to increase them,
especially if they need to fly their B733s on these Canada and Mexico
routes (assuming they are going to be as frequent as any other route
they have). Also.. do the B735s they fly have glass cockpits? and could
it be that this retrofit and new orders for the -700s be to replace the
- -500s, which they were the launch customer for?

BL.
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Brad Littlejohn | Email: ***@sbcglobal.net
Unix Systems Administrator, | ***@ozemail.com.au
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