Will Eventually Take Delivery Of 33 Of The Updated Single-Aisle Airplanes

Southwest Airlines hosted a celebration Wednesday for the arrival of the carrier's very first Boeing 737-800 aircraft at its Maintenance Hangar in Dallas. Employees, media, and invited guests had their first opportunity to see the new aircraft, as Southwest Executives hosted a walk-through and tour of the airline's newest addition to the fleet and brand new aircraft type. The airline took delivery of the new aircraft on March 8, 2012, and the plane will undergo several regulatory and conformity procedures before it is entered into regularly scheduled service on April 11, 2012.

Southwest's Chairman, President, and CEO Gary Kelly (pictured) and Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven greeted thousands of cheering Employees, media, and invited guests who gathered to catch their first glimpse of the new aircraft.

"Not only is this is a beautiful aircraft, and one our Customers are sure to love, but it will also play an important strategic role in our future. The -800 aircraft carries 175 passengers, close to a 30 percent increase over our current fleet configuration, which will improve our unit costs per flight," said Van de Ven. "Additionally, it complements our existing fleet with opportunities for longer-haul flying and schedule flexibility by allowing additional capacity in high-demand, slot-controlled, or gate-restricted airports."

Southwest is planning to take delivery of 33 737-800 aircraft in 2012, which will come equipped with full Extended-range Twin-engine Operational Performance Standards (ETOPS) configuration. ETOPS allows twin-engine aircraft to fly long distance routes and in the long-term, will provide the opportunity for adding new destinations to the airline's robust route map.

"I would like to thank our hard-working Employees for their Herculean efforts to introduce a brand new aircraft type into our fleet," Van de Ven said. "This is a proud day for me, for the People of Southwest Airlines, and for the future of our Company."

FMI: www.southwest.com