Southwest to End IAD and ORD Service
Plot twist: We’ve got an airline actually ending service to Chicago/ORD, bucking the current trends.
Southwest Airlines revealed to employees this morning that it would be ending service at two airports: Chicago/O’Hare and Washington/Dulles. Its exit will be completed on June 3, giving it just under three months to wrap things up. These exits are unlikely to create seismic changes in the Southwest ecosystem as it already has a much larger presence at other airports in both regions.
In Washington, Southwest has had a limited schedule out of IAD for more than a decade, with its main east coast hub home of intentional connecting opportunities up the BW parkway at Baltimore/Washington International. A little closer by, Southwest flies to and from 21 destinations from Washington/National’s historic Terminal A, making it the second largest carrier at the airport behind American.
As for Chicago, the carrier has a much larger operation across town at Chicago/Midway, compared to its tiny presence at ORD. Southwest began flying to ORD post-pandemic in 2021, and reduced the size of its operation there in 2026. As of today, it’s scheduled to serve about 12 destinations from the airport with one — Panama City (FL) — scheduled to begin next month.
Despite the move out of ORD not yet having been formally filed, both American and United are jockeying for position. American CEO Robert Isom told Southwest officials it would be willing to pay for movers to help get Southwest out of the airport and freeing up the gates as soon as possible. Upon hearing this, United CEO Scott Kirby one-upped his colleague and rival, offering to come down to the airport and help with the move himself. Then they both realized Southwest was in Terminal 5 and decided they couldn’t care less.
Spirit to Recall Pilots
Spirit Airlines is recalling many of the pilots it placed on furlough as attrition in the cockpit has struck the carrier with many of its pilots opting for greener not-as-yellow pastures where they’re more likely to receive a stable paycheck.
As you might call on a previous episode of As the Spirit Turns, part of its strategy to shrink costs as it went through not one, but two bankruptcies was to put hundreds of pilots on unpaid leave as it shrunk its operation and didn’t need them. But now the tables have turned, as Spirit needs to backfill the flight deck. The carrier sent notices to about 500 pilots who have been out of work between six and 20 months to come back to work.
As part of a welcome package for coming back, pilots will receive a six-pack of BuzzBallz (only to be consumed off-duty) and a BOGO for any Fort Lauderdale area Howard Johnson.
Southwest Restricts Jumpseat Access
Southwest seems to be taking its new assigned seating policy further than we originally thought, as the carrier is now restricting jumpseat access to flight crew — FAs and pilots — leaving other non-rev fliers forced to take a seat in the cabin or wait for the next flight.
This change came as a request from TWU 556 Union, Southwest’s FA union which sought to keep jumpseats for pilots and flight attendants. The union said in a statement that the change enhances safety and ensures those occupying the jumpseat have an understanding of the operational demands and work taking place in the galley. When hearing that, a select group of Southwest pilots laughed and said “yeah, we have no idea what they do back there, but whatever makes it easier for us to get home works just fine…”
Toronto to Take Worldwide Lead in Preclearance Facilities per Capita
One preclearance facility is good, but two are better. More than a decade after adding preclearance at Toronto/Pearson, the city’s main airport, the other option in the city, Toronto/City, known to some as Billy Bishop Airport added one as well.
This is great if you’re traveling on Porter back to the U.S. or on Air Canada’s limited service from the airport, but beware — it comes at a price. To pay for it, YTZ is adding a $16.56 fee on every passenger who uses it for the first year. Canadian passport holders will be permitted to opt-out of the fee if they bring a pint of fresh maple syrup to the facility.
The service will also open up the possibility of service from YTZ to U.S. destinations without a CBP clearance, specifically making both New York/LGA and Washington/DCA open to service to the airport. It’s so convenient that Air Canada will begin 4x daily YTZ-LGA service later this month. Porter will also expand its large U.S. footprint with this addition, adding flights first to Nashville and moving its Chicago/Midway service across town to ORD.
JetBlue Grows Fort Lauderdale
JetBlue Airways announced an expansion of four current routes out of its Fort Lauderdale hub, continuing its trend over the last year to put a boot to the neck of its largest FLL rival – Spirit. Cartagena, Dallas/DFW, Jacksonville, and Tampa will grow for JetBlue, starting in June, complementing the 20 destinations its added from the south Florida airport in the last year.
Cartagena will grow from 4x weekly to year-round, 1x daily flights beginning June 11, while Jacksonville will grow on June 18 to daily year-round service, upped from limited spring break-only service. Dallas/Fort Worth and Tampa will both double on June 18 from 1x to 2x daily.
- Air Baltic reduced its full-year loss 40% to $51.2 million.
- Air Canada is growing its Landline service from Toronto.
- Air New Zealand is feeling the fuel crunch.
- Asia Pacific applied for rights to serve both Hong Kong and Manila from Guam.
- Air Premia is down to just one CEO. How clever.
- Air Transat posted a Q1 loss.
- AirAsia will leave Darwin in April.
- Breeze is starting 2x weekly service between Madison and Fort Myers. It’s no Appleton – Fort Myers, but it’s close.
- Cathay Pacific is increasing its current fuel surcharge by more than double.
- Condor will wet-lease an E190 later this month, stripes and all.
- Delta will reportedly begin serving Manila from Los Angeles next summer. It’s also extending its pause of service from JFK to Tel Aviv until March 31 and won’t resume ATL-TLV service until August.
- Hawaiian is going to self-tagged bags.
- IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers IndiWent out the front door, resigning his position.
- JSX is adding 4x weekly turboprop service from Santa Monica to Napa.
- KLM took delivery of its 13th and 14th A321neos this week.
- SAS is partnering with Google to
track your movement, spy on you, and listen in on your callstrack bags more efficiently. - Spirit is blaming the FAA for everything.
- Southwest will now interline with ANA, making it easier to check your bags on that HOU-DAL-AUS-NRT itinerary.
- STARLUX is leasing an additional eight A321neos.
Therapist: What bring you in today.
Patient: I have a overwhelming fear of tsunamis.
Therapist: How bad is it?
Patient: It comes in waves.
