Southwest Airlines will start flying into Denver early next year, a move that could mean lower air fares and a threat to United and Denver-based Frontier Airlines’ success here.
The announcement today is also a coup for Denver International Airport and local officials, who have chased Southwest for years.
Southwest pulled out of Stapleton International Airport in 1986 and never came back to Denver. The airline had shied away from flying into DIA because of its high costs.
But because of Hurricane Katrina, Southwest has cut back its New Orleans flights significantly, leaving planes available for other uses.
Southwest is known for low fares, cattle-call open seating, and in some cities flying into smaller secondary airports. Here, it had been known as the airline that refused to fly into DIA.
“They’ve always said, no, we won’t go,” said Mike Boyd, an aviation consultant based in Evergreen.
Southwest could be starting with nine to 14 flights daily out of Denver, according to Southwest spokeswoman Whitney Eichinger. The airline did not announce exactly how many flights or what routes it will fly.
Southwest will likely occupy two gates on the C concourse of at DIA, according to DIA spokesman Chuck Cannon. The gates have been occupied by US Airways, which has merged with America West. Two other gates on the C concourse currently being used by Midwest and Southwest code-share partner ATA may also have some room for a few Southwest flights.
“It’s going to make life difficult for Frontier,” said Robert Mann, consultant with R.W. Mann & Co. “I just think that they’re going to have fewer opportunities to scrounge traffic from Ted and United.”
Frontier’s share price fell 28.6 percent to $7.68 Thursday, following the downgrade of its shares as a result of the Southwest announcement.
Staff writer Kelly Yamanouchi can be reached at 303-820-1488 or at kyamanouchi@denverpost.com.
