Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field) is open to operating long-haul international flights, offering more premium seats, and considering airport lounges as it continues revamping its business model, according to chief executive Bob Jordan.
“Whatever customers need in 2025, 2030, we won’t take any of that off the table. We’ll do it the Southwest way, but we’re not going to say ‘We would never do that,’” he told CNBC in an interview.
In a statement to ch-aviation, Southwest said the management is continually looking at “all kinds of things that even a few years ago no one ever would have considered possible for us.”
“At the moment, to questions about lounges, additional premium options, or even longer stage-length flying (that would require a different aircraft type), we continue to share that everything is on the table for our consideration,” it said, but added that there is no specific news to share right now.
“No commitment, but you can certainly see a day when we are as Southwest Airlines serving long-haul destinations like Europe,” Jordan told CNBC. “Obviously, you would need a different aircraft to serve that mission, and we’re open to looking at what it would take to serve that mission.”
Earlier this year, Southwest announced the retrofitting of the interiors of its entire fleet, installing premium seating and changing to an assigned seating boarding procedure. It also applied for a new certificate of public convenience covering all countries with which the United States has an open skies agreement, as a first step to potentially broadening its international network.
Last year, the company grappled with an investor coup attempt and reached a cooperation agreement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management, which led to an ongoing business turnaround that has also included the introduction of red-eye flights, baggage fees, expanded airline partnerships, and voluntary redundancies.
The carrier’s fleet comprises 338 B737-700s, 203 B737-800s, and 268 B737-8s.
