Southwest Airlines to serve new Panhandle airport in Florida! Only 30 Minutes From Destin and Airport Shuttles are the way to go!
The Associated Press
PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- Southwest Airlines plans to serve the new Northwest Florida-Panama City International Airport when the airport opens in May.
The company announced plans to serve the airport Tuesday afternoon. The Panhandle airport is the first new airport expected to open in the United States since Sept. 11, 2001. It is being built in Bay County on 4,000 acres donated by The St. Joe Co., a former timber company started by an heir to the DuPont family fortune in the 1930s.
The company, which owns hundreds of thousands of acres of Panhandle land, lured Southwest Airlines to the new airport under a unique agreement to provide fuel if the airline does not have sufficient passengers in first two years. Executives from the airline, the company and the surrounding community celebrated the news at an announcement ceremony on Tuesday.
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Southwest Airlines to add service to Panama City, Fla.
ReplyDelete07:45 AM CDT on Thursday, October 22, 2009
By ERIC TORBENSON / The Dallas Morning News
etorbenson@dallasnews
Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. will partner with real estate developer St. Joe Co. to start service in May at a new airport being built near Panama City, Fla.
In a partnership that Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly called the first of its kind, St. Joe will subsidize at least the first two years of Southwest's service from Northwest Florida Panama City Airport.
St. Joe will guarantee that Southwest at least breaks even on the Panama City service, but it can terminate the agreement if its payments to Southwest exceed $14 million in the first year or $12 million in the second year. Southwest can end the service if it proves to be a huge flop, Kelly said.
St. Joe, the largest private landowner in Florida, owns 71,000 acres around the airport, which is scheduled to open in May.
The Panama City region annually attracts millions of visitors who primarily drive there for vacations. The lack of business travel there could keep pressure on fares, and Kelly said the airline wouldn't have tried the service without the partnership with St. Joe.
Southwest plans eight daily flights from Panama City spread among four cities to be named later.
Southwest also said Wednesday that it would add nine more flights from St. Louis starting in May. Fort Worth-based American Airlines Inc. is reducing its schedule there to 36 daily flights.
Southwest's new St. Louis flights will be spread among six new markets and add one new flight to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. The new markets from St. Louis are Los Angeles International Airport; Nashville, Tenn.; Raleigh/Durham, N.C.; New Orleans; Seattle; and San Diego.
Southwest currently has 72 daily flights from St. Louis' Lambert International Airport.
What is the Southwest to VPS Campaign
ReplyDeleteThe Southwest to VPS Campaign is a community driven campaign to help provide inducements and incentives to Southwest Airlines. This commitment by our community will demonstrate our commitment to a long term partnership with Southwest Airlines in the Northwest Florida region.
How can I help?
You can help by filling out a pledge form online - click here
What am I pledging to do?
You are pledging a financial commitment to Southwest to VPS to provide incentives and inducements to Southwest Airlines upon their announcement that Northwest Florida Regional Airport will be the airport of choice in Northwest Florida.
How will I be notified that my pledge was received?
You will be notified by email that your pledge was received. Every pledge will be acknowledged by the Chamber.
Do I have to pay money now?
No, all we need is your pledge. You are pledging to financially support the Southwest to VPS efforts. Any payment due based on your pledge will only start when Southwest officially announces air service at Northwest Florida Regional Airport (VPS) and requires funding to assure profitability.