Company Watch - Southwest Airlines

AirGuide Business, Oct 13, 2008

Oct 13, 2008

Southwest debt downgraded by S&P. Weaker demand and volatile fuel prices led Standard & Poor's to downgrade Southwest Airlines' bonds to "BBB ." Though falling fuel costs have helped the company's outlook, CEO Gary Kelly said planes will probably be less full this fall than they were last year. Forbes/The Associated Press (10/9) Oct 9, 2008

Southwest Airlines Vacations clients who book a flight and hotel in Las Vegas vacation package at least five days in advance from Oct. 8 to 23 for three nights or longer can save on their travel between Oct. 10 and Jan. 6. Clients that stay two or three nights can save $50 per reservation and those that stay four nights or longer save $100 per reservation. If you use promotion code LASOCT they[sup.1]ll receive 10 percent off the price of any show, shopping, spa, wedding or nightclub attraction offered by Southwest Airlines Vacations. A sample two-night package from Columbus, Ohio, for instance, is priced at $344 for the Golden Nugget, $384 for the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, or $389 for the Paris Las Vegas. Packages include roundtrip air via Southwest Airlines into Las Vegas, hotel accommodations and taxes, Rapid Rewards credit on air portion and 24-hour traveler assistance. For more information or reservations, visit www.southwestvacations.com/specials/detail.asp?xmlfile=FS0259. For more information on Southwest Airlines Vacations, call 800-423-5683 or visit www.southwestvacations.com. Oct 9, 2008

Southwest hopes to benefit from competitors' policies: Southwest Airlines expects an increase in bookings following the Thanksgiving holiday, when many travelers on other carriers get hit with high fees for the first time. "We don't think the bulk of the traveling public has been hit between the eyes with the new reality," says Dave Ridley, Southwest's senior vice president of marketing and revenue management. "We used to talk about nickel-and-diming," he says. "Now we're talking about some real money." Ridley questions whether the new revenues generated by such fees will cover the revenues lost by passengers defecting to other airlines, like Southwest, that don't charge fees. "The market will determine over time who wins this strategic gambit," he says. Oct 6, 2008

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