Southwest Airlines has requested each of the 17 flight slots recently made available at Long Beach Airport (LGB). The permanent flight slots were relinquished when JetBlue announced it would cease operating from LGB as of October 6.
“Southwest picking up all available flight slots at the Long Beach Airport so quickly is a testament to the strength of our airport and their commitment to succeeding here in Long Beach,” said Mayor Robert Garcia.
On July 28, LGB reached out to air carriers, inviting them to add their names to the waiting list by the close of business on August 28; some carriers expressed interest, but indicated the timing was not ideal. Delta Air Lines and Hawaiian Airlines, already on the permanent waiting list, declined to take additional slots at this time. As a result, based on the procedures and protocol outlined in Section 4 of City Council Resolution No. RES-18-0176, Southwest Airlines was awarded all 17 permanent flight slots.
With the new slots, Southwest will increase from 17 to 34 flight slots. No announcements have yet been made regarding new destinations, but it is expected that the airline will increase its current offering of nonstop destinations from LGB. In late May, Southwest announced new nonstop service to Austin and Phoenix, initially set to begin in November, but service to Phoenix will now begin in September.
“This is a vote of confidence in the boutique travel experience we offer at our airport,” said Airport Director Cynthia Guidry. “We are thrilled to see Southwest increase their presence at LGB and grateful for their ongoing partnership.”
Southwest began service at LGB in 2016 and has steadily increased service as flight slots have become available. With one of the strictest noise-controlled airports in the nation, LGB offers a total of 53 flight slots, 41 of which are permanent and 12 of which are supplemental and subject to review of the annual noise budget.
“Southwest has established decades of consistency as the hometown carrier of California and soon will proudly offer more for Long Beach,” said Andrew Watterson, Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer. “We’re grateful for this opportunity to bring more of our value and reach to our Customers in the LA Basin who prefer Long Beach, one of ten airports we serve across the state.”
With today’s announcement, LGB’s flight slots are allocated as follows:
|
Air Carrier |
Permanent Flight Slots |
Supplemental Flight Slots |
Total Flight Slots |
|
Southwest Airlines |
25 |
9 |
34 |
|
Delta Air Lines |
9 |
3 |
12 |
|
American Airlines |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Hawaiian Airlines |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
FedEx |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
UPS |
1 |
0 |
1 |
|
TOTAL |
41 |
12 |
53 |
Now that the flight slots have been awarded, the order of the waiting list for any new permanent flight slots that will become available in the future has been updated as follows:
-
Hawaiian Airlines
-
Delta Air Lines
-
Southwest Airlines
Like airports across the nation, LGB has seen passenger traffic decrease sharply due to the COVID-19 pandemic. LGB offers one of the few outdoor concourses in the nation, outdoor boarding and a small-town feel. In recent months, the Airport has seen a modest increase in passenger traffic.
Situated near the border of Los Angeles and Orange Counties, Long Beach Airport is located in close proximity to numerous major attractions in Southern California.
About the City of Long Beach
Home to approximately 480,000 people, the multiple award-winning and innovative City of Long Beach offers all the world-class amenities of a large metropolitan city while maintaining a strong sense of individual and diverse neighborhoods nestled together along the California coast. As a full-service charter city, Long Beach is home to the Queen Mary, Aquarium of the Pacific, several museums and theaters, a highly rated school district, Long Beach Airport and the Port of Long Beach. The City also has a highly respected university and city college, two historic ranchos, five hospitals, five golf courses, 171 parks, miles of beaches, marinas and bike paths.
For more information about the City of Long Beach, visit http://longbeach.gov/. Follow us on social to keep up with the latest news: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About Long Beach Airport
Founded in 1923, Long Beach Airport (LGB) is the oldest airport in California. Among its many awards, LGB was named a Top 10 airport in the 2020 USA Today 10Best Readers' Choice travel award contest for Best Small Airport. LGB offers non-stop service to several U.S. cities while supporting a healthy general aviation community with more than 300,000 annual operations. The airport is also a source of substantial economic activity and employment, with the LGB Aviation Complex generating $8.6 billion in economic impact and supporting 46,000 jobs. LGB is a self-supporting enterprise of the City of Long Beach and does not receive local tax dollars. The Airport prides itself in preserving its esteemed historic legacy and maintaining a safe, sustainable, and environmentally responsible operation. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @LGBAirport.
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