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Lee Lipton, Southwest’s Director of Network Strategic Planning sees a future in low cost long haul in addition to its existing shorthaul products, but emphasizes there is no timetable for the move. Their chairman, Gary Kelly, said that the carrier is seriously considering operating flights to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean as soon as 2011.
ATWOnline’s article on the subject quotes Association of Asia Pacific Airlines DG Andrew Herdman, who states, “Once the LCCs enter the international market, they have to comply with international standards, which means they have to operate a two-class cabin on widebody aircraft and sell their tickets not only through their website but also by GDS. All these would make low-cost carriers look like full-service airlines, as they have a lot of convergence with carriers that choose the standard model. I wouldn’t say it can’t work, but it’s quite challenging.”
We can’t say we’re always the expert on international and IATA regulations, but the article makes it sound like there is a regulation on the subject requiring these things. Even considering this an accepted standard is unrealistic. Plenty of airlines operate transatlantic service, for example, using 757 aircraft, which are narrowbody aircraft. And plenty of airlines, including Southwest, do not sell the majority of their tickets through traditional GDS systems. Southwest does limitedly participate in such systems, however.
He may be speaking more to the Asian carriers, as there is a different market there. But Southwest should dips its toes into the Canadian and Mexican markets. They are right across the border, and wouldn’t require any new aircraft models, something that would be needed if the airline tried for Europe. We look forward to seeing how they develop over the next few years.
