Southwest Airlines Celebrates One Year in Northern New England

Southwest Airlines Employees, Manchester Mayor Raymond Wieczorek, and state and airport representatives celebrated Southwest's one-year anniversary of service today in northern New England. Southwest presented Mayor Wieczorek and the state of New Hampshire ceremonial keys to Southwest's fleet of Boeing 737s in honor of this special milestone. Southwest also is serving birthday cake to its Customers during the day and two Boston Celtics players were on hand in the gate areas to play basketball with passengers.

According to the Department of Transportation, the number of passengers flying between Manchester Airport and Baltimore/Washington in the third quarter of 1998 increased more than 4,500 percent versus the same quarter a year before. The average fare between the two cities dropped 71 percent. Southwest's arrival last year helped make Manchester Airport the fastest-growing airport in the nation in 1998.

"Southwest is throwing a birthday party today to thank our Customers for quite a year. Southwest is proud to bring our special brand of service and low fares to northern New England, and we look forward to continued growth at Manchester Airport," said Ronda Ivy, Southwest's area marketing manager for northern New England.

On August 5, Southwest will initiate nonstop service between Manchester Airport and Kansas City with one daily flight.

Southwest began service at Manchester Airport on June 6, 1998, with 12 daily departures to Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Nashville, and Orlando. The carrier currently employs 46 people at Manchester Airport.

Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV), the fourth largest domestic carrier in terms of Customers boarded, currently serves 55 cities in 29 states. Southwest began service to Raleigh-Durham International Airport on June 6, 1999. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 2,400 flights a day with a fleet of 292 Boeing 737s with an average age of 8.5 years--one of the youngest pure jet fleets in the domestic airline industry.

www.southwest.com