Dallas-based Southwest Airlines has updated its flight schedule, extending flights available for purchase through early next yr. The update allows passengers to book flights for this yr’s holiday season.
The low-cost airline confirmed the extension last week, informing travelers that it is ready for the busy travel season at yr’s end. The carrier can be meeting demand by returning a seasonal nonstop route that was stopped throughout the pandemic.
Flights available through January
Southwest Airlines Chief Operating Officer, Andrew Watterson, spoke about extending its flight schedule.
“Our Summer operational performance is off to a powerful start with Customers taking much-needed vacations and vital business trips. We all know some already are eager about holiday plans and we wish them to know we’re ready. Ahead of winter, we’re delivering on our plans so as to add capabilities, tools, and equipment to reliably connect Customers to people and places that matter most of their lives.”
Photo: Denver International Airport
The carrier’s full schedule of service is obtainable through January 7, 2024, with flights available for purchase at its website. Attributing the US Department of Transportation’s most up-to-date report of domestic originating passengers boarded, Southwest said it carries more air travelers flying nonstop throughout the country than every other airline.
Resuming a preferred route
Just in time for the summer travel season, the airline resumed seasonal nonstop service between Indianapolis and San Diego on Saturday. The flights were previously suspended in 2020 because of the pandemic, however the carrier reinstated the flights to fulfill demand.
” said Mario Rodriguez, Indianapolis Airport Authority Executive Director.
Photo: Lukas Souza | Easy Flying
In accordance with Indianapolis International Airport (IND), San Diego was the highest unserved destination out of Indianapolis. The seasonal service will only be once weekly, with flights departing Indianapolis on Saturdays through the primary week of November. The service returning is the second route Southwest has resumed at IND.
In April, the carrier returned nonstop flights to Kansas City twice day by day because of an area corporate push to make day by day nonstop air travel available for Indianapolis-based business operations. From IND, Southwest serves a complete of 16 nonstop destinations.
Predicting Demand
Unlike the three US legacy carriers that schedule flights 11-12 months into the long run, Southwest typically plans flights six to seven months out. In accordance with ABC News, airlines used historical data and trends to develop flight schedules, however the pandemic has ultimately modified the practice.
As travel restrictions have eased and lockdowns a thing of the past, travel trends and days have shifted, making it tougher for airlines to predict demand accurately. Now, airlines are using different methods to find out when and where people need to travel, in line with Jeff Pelletier, Managing Director of Airline Data Inc.
Pelletier said to ABC News.
