Southwest Airlines Cleans Up with Electric Ground Support Equipment at Tulsa International Airport

Southwest Airlines today introduced environmentally friendly, electric powered ground equipment at Tulsa International Airport. The carrier purchased six belt loaders, which help load luggage and cargo onto the aircraft, and seven electric tugs, which push aircraft to and from the jetway, for its Tulsa operations. Systemwide, Southwest has a total fleet of more than 20 electric belt loaders and 50 electric tugs and uses the equipment in such cities as Oklahoma City, Ontario, Phoenix, and Tulsa.

"We're extremely proud to be the first airline to help Tulsa International Airport begin its conversion to an 'electric' airport," said Lynn Winters, a Southwest Airlines maintenance foreman. "By using electric-powered ground support equipment, Southwest Airlines is reducing the pollution produced by combustible-fuel ground transportation and helping make the air around the airport cleaner."

Southwest Airlines and the Tulsa Airport Authority worked closely with Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) and its parent company, Central and South West (CSW), in what officials have called a shining example of private and public sector partnerships. The companies and the airport authority made all of the infrastructure changes necessary to allow the conversion to electric-powered equipment.

"PSO and CSW are very proud of the role we played in helping Southwest Airlines and the Tulsa Airport Authority discover and implement innovative ways to use electric technology to benefit the environment," said Pete Churchwell, PSO president. "The launch of electric equipment at Tulsa International Airport shows how public and private sector partnerships committed to improving air quality can find solutions."

PSO/CSW is a major distributor of the fast-charge unit which makes using electric tugs feasible by reducing the battery charging time from eight hours to about 20 minutes. The fast-charging system also provides a battery with a longer life and better performance.

Public Service Company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Central and South West Corporation, a public utility holding company that serves more than 1.7 million Customers in the four-state area of Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, and Louisiana.

Southwest Airlines, the fourth largest domestic carrier in terms of Customers boarded, currently operates 25 daily nonstop departures from Tulsa to Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, St. Louis and Phoenix, with additional direct or connecting service to 45 other cities. Southwest Airlines currently operates 2,450 flights a day with a fleet of 301 Boeing 737s.

www.southwest.com