Southwest Airways is closing in on its second partnership with a world airline.
Southwest on Monday mentioned it’s presently “in discussions” to launch an interline settlement subsequent 12 months with China Airways, based mostly in Taiwan.
As a part of the settlement, Southwest prospects would finally be capable of e-book China Airways-operated flights to Taipei via its web site and cellular app. Ultimately, it is potential that Speedy Rewards members would be capable of redeem factors on transpacific flights to Taiwan.
The information of the potential Southwest-China Airways tie-up got here practically 4 months after Southwest launched its first worldwide partnership, with Icelandair.
At present, prospects can use Icelandair’s web site or third-party instruments like Expedia to e-book Southwest-Icelandair itineraries to Reykjavik (and even on to Europe). Anticipate that partnership to develop within the not-too-distant future, together with with reservations accessible by way of Southwest’s reserving channels and Speedy Rewards redemptions.
It is secure to guess that Southwest has related hopes for a future China Airways tie-up, which might supply the airline its first hyperlink, of kinds, over the Pacific Ocean.
“This preliminary work to associate with Taiwan-based China Airways would enable for seamless trans-Pacific journeys throughout the Southwest community, furthering the attain of our Imaginative and prescient and Objective—to attach Folks with essential moments of their lives,” Southwest Chief Working Officer Andrew Watterson mentioned in a assertion Monday.
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Increasing its world attain
Final fall, when Southwest introduced sweeping adjustments to its enterprise mannequin, the airline revealed it hoped so as to add a number of worldwide airline companions, in hopes of providing Speedy Rewards members extra redemption choices.
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At present, the airline operates home flights and short-haul worldwide flights to locations like Mexico and the Caribbean. Linking up with Icelandair and China Airways expands the Southwest “map,” so to talk.
China Airways, for its half, flies from Taipei to 5 U.S. airports:
- John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK)
- Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX)
- Ontario Worldwide Airport (ONT) in Southern California
- San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO)
- Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA)
The provider flies between Taiwan and the U.S. with more and more stiff competitors, because of rising networks from Taiwan-based opponents Starlux Airways and EVA Air.
Executives from the 2 airways met this week to hash out the small print of the brand new partnership on the Worldwide Air Transport Affiliation’s Basic Assembly and World Air Transport Summit in India, a serious annual business gathering.
Southwest executives had instructed TPG in January they hoped to disclose a second worldwide associate earlier than the tip of 2025 — a plan that appeared to return true Monday.
Southwest provides 3 new worldwide gateways
One different bit of reports Monday: Southwest mentioned it plans to develop its Icelandair partnership to a few new U.S. airports subsequent month.
Beginning July 14, prospects will be capable of e-book Southwest-Icelandair connections via:
- Orlando Worldwide Airport (MCO)
- Pittsburgh Worldwide Airport (PIT)
- Raleigh-Durham Worldwide Airport (RDU)
That is along with the three gateways the 2 airways launched earlier this 12 months: Denver Worldwide Airport (DEN), Nashville Worldwide Airport (BNA) and Baltimore/Washington Worldwide Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI).
Once more, it is a restricted tie-up for now, with no Speedy Rewards earnings or redemptions accessible. For now, you can also’t e-book any Icelandair flights via Southwest’s personal web site — solely via Icelandair’s channels or Expedia, Reserving.com and the like.
However Southwest has mentioned it hopes to develop the partnership and reserving choices to its personal channels within the close to future — across the similar time it places assigned seats on sale for the primary time, which is predicted to occur someday between July and September.
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