Southwest Airlines bids on LaGuardia slots
Triangle Business Journal
Southwest Airlines said Wednesday that it’s competing for space in New York’s LaGuardia Airport.
Southwest (NYSE: LUV) says it bid $7.5 million to buy the rights from ATA Airlines, a now-bankrupt carrier that operated out of LaGuardia.
Southwest would be able to operate seven roundtrip flights out of LaGuardia if it wins the bid, the company says. It would not buy any of ATA’s aircraft, facilities or employees.
A bankruptcy court must approve Southwest’s bid, as well as a reorganization plan for ATA Airlines, before Southwest could gain the rights to ATA’s slots at LaGuardia. Southwest says it’s not sure where it would fly out of LaGuardia or when it would start service.
“Even in this volatile environment, we have said we must monitor the competitive landscape and take advantage of prudent market opportunities,” Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said in a written statement.
Southwest Airlines is the No. 1 major carrier out of Raleigh-Durham International Airport, though it does not currently fly between RDU and either of New York’s major airports.
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