Pilots for Southwest Airlines have reached a tentative agreement with the carrier that will enable it to move forward with converting existing Boeing 737-700 orders to the larger -800 series aircraft. The larger -800 can seat up to 40 additional passengers and is the largest of the Boeing 737 models.
Last month Southwest reached a similar agreement with the Transport Workers Union which represents the flight attendants. The just announced tentative deal will be voted on by the rank and file between November 1 and December 1. Assuming the agreement is ratified by the pilots, the first -800 models will be delivered to the airline early in 2012.
Adding the Boeing 737-800 to the Southwest fleet will provide it with more capacity in slot-controlled or gate-restricted markets that are also on high-demand routes. Examples include flights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Newark International Airport which Southwest recently obtained slots at for the first time, and at Reagan Washington National Airport, which Southwest will begin serving if the merger with AirTran Airways is approved.
The president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, Carl Kuwitsky commented that the union “shares the company’s enthusiasm for the added revenue this aircraft can provide.”
Southwest could utilize the -800 Model Aircraft during the winter months between the Twin Cities and Phoenix, maximizing the flight of snow birds to the southwest. This new route started up for the carrier in mid-August. Other non-stop destinations fromMinneapolis/St. Paul for the airline are Chicago-Midway, St. Louis and Denver.
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Last month Southwest reached a similar agreement with the Transport Workers Union which represents the flight attendants. The just announced tentative deal will be voted on by the rank and file between November 1 and December 1. Assuming the agreement is ratified by the pilots, the first -800 models will be delivered to the airline early in 2012.
Adding the Boeing 737-800 to the Southwest fleet will provide it with more capacity in slot-controlled or gate-restricted markets that are also on high-demand routes. Examples include flights at New York’s LaGuardia Airport, Newark International Airport which Southwest recently obtained slots at for the first time, and at Reagan Washington National Airport, which Southwest will begin serving if the merger with AirTran Airways is approved.
The president of the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association, Carl Kuwitsky commented that the union “shares the company’s enthusiasm for the added revenue this aircraft can provide.”
Southwest could utilize the -800 Model Aircraft during the winter months between the Twin Cities and Phoenix, maximizing the flight of snow birds to the southwest. This new route started up for the carrier in mid-August. Other non-stop destinations fromMinneapolis/St. Paul for the airline are Chicago-Midway, St. Louis and Denver.
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Read more Aviation News
View Model Aircraft
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