Southwest Airlines pulling out of Branson Airport

[Baldknobber]

Kansas City Star http://www.kansascity.com/2013/12/05/4671228/southwest-airlines-dropping-branson.html


Southwest Airlines dropping Branson operations

December 5

BRANSON, Mo. — Southwest Airlines has announced plans to drop service to Branson and two other cities.

The Dallas-based company said Thursday that it will cease operations on June 7 at Branson Airport, Key West International Airport and Jackson-Evers International Airport.

Southwest executive vice president and chief commercial officer Bob Jordan said in a news release that there isn't enough demand to profitably serve the markets.

The airline began service to Jackson-Evers International in 1997. The airline added the Branson and Key West airports in 2012 as part of its integration with subsidiary AirTran.

Southwest said there would be no disruption to reservations over the next six months. Employees at the three locations would be given the opportunity to transfer to other jobs within the airline after operations cease.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/12/05/4671228/southwest-airlines-dropping-branson.html#storylink=cpy

[Junior]

They will be leavin' on a jet plane. Don't known when they'll be back again. Oh babe, I hate to see 'em go! (Sorry John Denver.  )

[qwed94]

"Oh Big ol Jet Airliner-Dont Carry Me Too Far Away-Because Its Here (Branson) That Ive Got To Stay"

Guess Southwest wont be carrying us too far away now.  Just hope Branson Airport can stay afloat now. and not end up like the airport over in Illinois at Scott AFB.

[sanddunerider]

Only made it for a year... not much of a "try" to make it work.....

wonder what the "real"
 political decision was........

[qwed94]

Well of course its money. The whole big stinkin world will cut throats for a dime these days.

Southwest (known for their cheap airfares) is going crazy today. They gave me a rate of $600 round trip to/from Chicago (from St Louis).   I think that is ridiculous. That is also no baggage at all. That is also a huge increase from spring when my Son flew Southwest (one way) to Chicago for $89

I was going to go up there with my brother for a quick day to meet with the Phillipine Embasy. But at that fare. Im certain we will drive. Or he will go solo.

[sanddunerider]

qwed! that's nuts..  I thought you could fly for less than 100?

KC used to always have flights for 70-80 bucks one way. .. quick trips to Denver..?/   those days are gone?  I haven't flown for years....  (and probably not going to)..

I know st loius used to do the same thing...

[qwed94]

sanddune, truthfully I havent flown since the early 80s. I never had to pay for a flight. I was with Dad/Mom then. (Although we used to fly to/from Houston (visit Moms Sister) and fly to Tampa (Sister lived thereabouts).  I have no idea what airfare is these days "other than advertisements on TV"  But I know my Son flew to Chicago back in Feb or March to pick up (and drive back home) a new straight truck for his company (he worked for). And told me his ticket was only $89. So imagine my surprise when I called Southwest to book a flight for my brother and I (round trip) and they quoted me $1130 total.  (I also know he wanted to go on the 21st-right before Christmas-I dont know if that affected the price or not). I also know it was an early flight up there, and a late day (same day) back home.

Different circumstances, and it might be $89 one way. Not real sure.  I do know he flies all the way to/from the Phillipines and he only pays  about $1000 round trip. So I think this quick one day thing right before Christmas was a deal breaker. Either way If Southwest is willing to gouge people that, It makes sense they dont want to give Branson a chance.

[sanddunerider]

qwed...  I think u hit it dead on!!... 

""If Southwest is willing to gouge people that, It makes sense they dont want to give Branson a chance""

[chittlins]

qwed...  I think u hit it dead on!!...  

""If Southwest is willing to gouge people that, It makes sense they dont want to give Branson a chance""

cost more and you get less, Honestly, I see Southwest expanding in Memphis now that Delta has de hubbed it. It might be the best darn thing that happened to the place. Brother told me that Frontier has looked at a mini hub there to expand eastward. There's a gate grab going on at the major airports for the gates American/US Airways have to give up. Quite honestly I'd fly more if is was more old school and less Dollar General.

My Mom has been using these guys to fly to the gulf on weekends from Memphis.

http://www.iflysouthern.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=pubDsp.dspWelcome

She and her friend know a realtors down there always hooking them up with condos on a couple of weeks notice. She says that the pilot she's flown with several times mention Orlando as a place they want to get into soon. More of these type of operators are greatly needed plus no security hassle.

[Gilligan]

$600?  HOLY COW!  Four or five years ago, a couple of us teachers flew out of Midwest (Chicago) to New Jersey for $39!!!  Granted, once we got there we had to take a shuttle, train, and subway to get to our destination in Manhattan, but one of the teachers has been doing this for years because her daughter lives there and knew how to do it. 

My son is coming in from CA for Christmas and found it cheaper to fly into Springfield than St. Louis or Chicago.  Now, that's nuts, too!  It's always more to fly to/from Springfield's small airport.

[sanddunerider]

Gilligan, your right about the springfield part.. we have had friends in Denver and out east, that wanted to fly in and go to branson with us....  price was terrible, we also checked lsat year after Branson got southwest....  still terribly high/!......  oh well..

[Gilligan]

Gilligan, your right about the springfield part.. we have had friends in Denver and out east, that wanted to fly in and go to branson with us....  price was terrible, we also checked lsat year after Branson got southwest....  still terribly high/!......  oh well..

Sanddune, I meant Springfield, IL.  Last year on a trip to Houston, we flew out of Paducah.  Our flight took us from Paducah, to Chicago, to Houston, and the same on the return.  Made no sense whatsoever!

[sanddunerider]

oops, my BAD!!!   but prices for springfield Missouri was outraqous also

[chittlins]

Gilligan, your right about the springfield part.. we have had friends in Denver and out east, that wanted to fly in and go to branson with us....  price was terrible, we also checked lsat year after Branson got southwest....  still terribly high/!......  oh well..

Sanddune, I meant Springfield, IL.  Last year on a trip to Houston, we flew out of Paducah.  Our flight took us from Paducah, to Chicago, to Houston, and the same on the return.  Made no sense whatsoever!

Nothing about most hub systems do. Delta had promised the Memphis airport lots of stuff, some of it was to actually get approval for the Northwest Merger( Memphis has a Northwest'KLM hub) They have since broke every assurance they made. They just used Memphis as leverage on Atlanta to give them everything their hearts desired. I hate Hartsfield with a passion. When a low cost carrier would come in, they'd slash ticket prices to undercut them till they threw in the towel, but that's over now and Southwest has moved in along with Frontier and the Memphis Airport is quite nice. This will hurt Little Rock and to a lesser extend Jackson Ms. and Nashville with traffic on their Southwest Flights. The key to Southwest it seems is knowing way ahead of time where to go and book early during a fare sale. You can talk to many people here in Fayetteville and they were clueless about Frontier and Southwest in Branson. That's on the Airport and it's marketing. A billboard on 540 between Springdale and Rogers on the two exits lots of folks take to get to XNA would have been very beneficial.

Some of the routes my wife got stuck with to fly to DC from NWA made no sense, it often involved two stops along the way. NWA will never be cheap unless Allegiant expands its offering or a company like I linked starts to run out of Drake here in Fayetteville that got a terminal just sitting there begging for some small carriers that aren't business traffic dependent. They know these folks are calling on Walmart, Tyson, JB and the rest of the suppliers offices that are here.

[okiebluegrass]

First thought was: dang that didn't last long...