Southwest Airlines Expands at Sky Harbor; Airline Adds Eight New Gates and Expands ATA Codeshare

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PHOENIX, March 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) has eight new reasons to celebrate in Phoenix. Today, the airline is introducing the latest development at Sky Harbor International Airport, the new D Concourse. Additionally, Southwest is expanding its codeshare with ATA Airlines to include Sky Harbor International Airport.

"Improving the Customer experience is one of our top priorities at Southwest, and this new facility is a testament to that," said Gary Kelly, Southwest's Chief Executive Officer. "These eight new gates will give Southwest room to grow at Sky Harbor and will accommodate the growth we anticipate at the fifth busiest airport in the world."

Southwest's "D" concourse includes eight new gates, a brand new six-lane security checkpoint, and new concessions. Southwest will begin operating out of the new concourse on March 8. The airline will utilize eight gates in the "D" concourse and 16 gates in the "C" concourse for a total of 24 gates at Sky Harbor. Southwest will no longer use the "B" concourse.

Southwest is celebrating its new terminal today with Southwest's CEO Gary Kelly and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. Kelly and Gordon will tear down the last construction wall in Concourse "D."

The new facility in Phoenix also gives Southwest the opportunity to expand its codeshare agreement with ATA Airlines, which offers service to Maui. The codeshare means that Southwest and ATA will exchange passengers and their checked baggage at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport, with a single ticketing option through either airline. For example, a Customer who wishes to travel from Austin to Maui will now have the flexibility of booking the codeshare service through either carrier. The flight from Austin to Phoenix will be on Southwest Airlines, and then the Customer and baggage will transfer for the continuation to Maui.

Codeshare service with ATA flights in Phoenix for continuation to Maui is being offered from the following Southwest Airlines markets: Albuquerque, Austin, Nashville, Houston (Hobby), Chicago Midway, Oklahoma City, Omaha, Providence, Raleigh/Durham, and St. Louis. Codeshare service with ATA flights in Phoenix for continuation to Honolulu is being offered from the following Southwest Airlines markets: Albuquerque, Austin, Birmingham, El Paso, Houston (Hobby), Islip (Long Island), Raleigh/Durham, and Salt Lake City.

Service is available for booking now at http://www.southwest.com/ or through Southwest Airlines reservations at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA. Flights start April 3, 2005, and a range of fares is available, with low advance purchase fares and unrestricted walkup fares.

Phoenix Sky Harbor International is Southwest Airlines second busiest airport in terms of daily departures with 190 daily nonstop flights to 40 cities. Southwest's Phoenix operation includes a flight attendant base, a pilot base, a maintenance base, and reservations center. Southwest has more than 3,700 Employees in the Phoenix area.

http://wwww.southwest.com/

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