Southwest Airline Starts New York Flight

The first Southwest Airlines departure from LaGuardia Airport came at 7:30 a.m. Sunday, 10 minutes late according to Flight. And so starts Southwest's experience at the New York airport.We've got a story Sunday about why Southwest came to New York and how a couple of analysts are looking at its arrival, as well as a story about Southwest's efforts to make itself a part of New York.

Here are some official statements issued Sunday, starting with Greg Wells, Southwest's senior vice president of operations:Southwest Airlines is celebrating a truly momentous occasion today. Finally New York travelers can experience our unmatched record in Customer Service and our phenomenally low fares at an airport close to where they work and play.
Additionally, Customers in both Chicago and the DC area now have a new low fare choice when planning trips into LaGuardia.

And from Bill DeCota, aviation director for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey:
Our customers are our number one priority and Southwest Airline's new service out of LaGuardia provides not only excellent service, but also a cost efficient choice for our customers to some of the nation's most important destinations.

Oh, one more thing Bob Jordan, Southwest's executive vice president, noted in an interview last week that you can fly from Dallas Love Field to New York, and didn't think enough attention had been paid to that fact.I replied that it'll take at least two stops, but it is true. You can get on an Southwest airplane in Dallas, and eventually get to New York.

In fact, you can take Flight 453 and never get off the airplane. Of course, it'll take nearly eight hours and three stops. At the fastest, it'll take six and a half hours and connections.