Southwest Airlines execs roll out Branson service plan

On the heels of yesterday’s pep rally-themed announcement at Branson Landing, Southwest Airlines executives this morning discussed the company’s March 9 service launch at Branson Airport during an invitation-only breakfast with Springfield-area business leaders.

Southwest Vice President of Airport Affairs Bob Montgomery told a crowd of roughly 80 at Hilton Garden Inn that Branson Airport is the 79th airport in Southwest Airlines’ network. Following Southwest’s $1 billion acquisition of Orlando-based AirTran Airways in May 2011, Southwest is now converting the AirTran aircraft, and Branson is the first in a second wave of cities to convert. In January, Branson Airport made the cut as Southwest officials assessed all of AirTran’s airports and ceased operations in six cities.

Jonas Arjes, executive director of the Taney County Business Development Partnership, said Southwest’s commitment to Branson should help his organization, as well as the Springfield Regional Economic Partnership and the Missouri Partnership, attract companies to invest in the area.

“Southwest Airlines gives us another brand new shiny blue-and-orange tool in our economic development toolbox,” Arjes said. 

With daily direct flights to Chicago, Dallas and Houston, and a Saturday flight to Orlando, Fla., Southwest officials said the low-fare carrier’s move nearly triples the number of weekly seats to and from Branson, compared to AirTran’s schedule. Including connecting flights, Southwest will offer service between Branson and 67 cities.

“There’s a term called the Southwest effect, which basically means that when we go into markets, we bring fares down, and the travel explodes from there,” Montgomery told the crowd at Branson Landing on Aug. 27.

Video clips from the event, which featured Gov. Jay Nixon and Bass Pro Shops founder Johnny Morris, were played at the morning meeting. “That’s what we hope to do here in Missouri,” Montgomery added, noting Southwest seeks a 15 percent rate of return on its investments in each market.

Tim Roth, a Sperry Van Ness Rankin Co. commercial real estate agent, said he flies on business and personally only three times a year.

“It may change,” Roth said after this morning’s meeting.

He said he has client relationships in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta that could benefit from the Southwest service. “A lot of people have an opportunity to benefit from it,” Roth said, adding, “I’m a little disappointed that they are dropping the direct flight to Atlanta.”

AirTran had served a fifth destination from Branson, but Southwest chose to discontinue the direct flight to Atlanta.

Brad Hawkins, a media relations manager with Southwest, said the contract with Branson Airport was a multiyear agreement, but he declined to disclose further details.


Reporter Brian Brown contributed to this story.