Southwest Airlines and AirTran Airways Announce New US Gateways for Customers Traveling to Mexico

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways announced today the carriers received route authority approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for AirTran to operate new international flights between Denver International Airport and Cancun International Airport and between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Cancun International Airport.Austin is a new market for AirTran Airways, joining Denver and Cancun on AirTran's current route map. AirTran's new international flight schedule will now include the following flights:


Daily roundtrip service starting April 16, 2012, through July 7, 2012
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday service starting July 8, 2012, through Aug. 12, 2012
Saturday and Sunday service starting Aug. 13, 2012, through the end of the schedule (currently Sept. 28, 2012)Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday roundtrip flights starting May 25, 2012, through Aug. 31, 2012 Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday roundtrip flights starting Sept. 1, 2012, through the end of the schedule currently Sept. 28, 2012.In addition to the new international service, AirTran will operate new domestic roundtrip flights between Houston Hobby and San Antonio and between Houston Hobby and Austin to support the international flying. The new service between Houston and San Antonio begins May 24, 2012, and the new flights between Houston and Austin begins May 25, 2012. Both roundtrips are scheduled to operate through the end of the current flight schedule (which is Sept. 28, 2012).

"We are excited to offer more domestic markets new opportunities to travel to Mexico," said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines' Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and AirTran Airways President. "The additional service is one way Customers are already realizing the benefits of the Southwest and AirTran acquisition.Today's announcement adds to the new AirTran international service scheduled to begin May 24, 2012, between San Antonio and Cancun and between San Antonio and Mexico City. Additionally, beginning June 3, 2012, AirTran will initiate service between Orange County, Calif., and Cabo San Lucas/San Jose del Cabo and between Orange County and Mexico City.