As Southwest Airlines Co. prepares to launch its first flights to non-U.S. destinations next year, the Dallas-based carrier has informed its pilots and flight attendants that they need to have current passports in their possession by the end of 2013.
“This is another tangible step toward the rapidly approaching milestone — Southwest plans to both market and operate international flights in 2014,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said Wednesday.
Such documents haven’t been necessary for Southwest crews to date because the Dallas-based airline has been limited to U.S. destinations since it began flying June 18, 1971. But beginning in 2014, it plans to fly to non-U.S. airports, with passports needed for passengers and crew.
The start of international flights “is an exciting step in the legacy of Southwest Airlines, and the pilot group is ready to begin this opportunity,” Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association vice president Aaron Anton said.
“Most Southwest pilots, in part because of previous international flying experience, are already in possession of a valid passport,” said Anton, a first officer. “SWAPA will work with our pilots to ensure this requirement is met prior to the beginning of the company’s growth into international markets.”
Southwest customers can buy tickets to fly to eight international cities. However, the flights are operated by AirTran Airways Inc., a carrier Southwest bought in 2011 and whose operations it is slowly absorbing.
When Southwest bought AirTran, the carrier lacked the capability to fly internationally because its aging reservations system could not handle international itineraries. In addition, its airplanes lacked the certification needed for long trips over water.
It since has contracted with Amadeus to install a reservations system for international bookings, a system that is expected to later embrace domestic reservations as well. Southwest “expects the new international reservation system to be substantially complete in 2014,” according to the company’s annual report.
Southwest also is taking steps to change its fleet to allow international flying.
Since early 2012, Southwest has been aggressively taking delivery of a larger version of the Boeing 737, the 175-seat 737-800, intended for use on longer, international flights.
In its 2012 annual report, the carrier said it “expects the 737-800 will enable Southwest to profitably expand to new destinations, including extended routes over water, and potentially fly to more distant markets such as Hawaii, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.”
Hawkins said the airline is not ready to announce what destinations will be at the head of the list when Southwest begins international flights next year.
However, the initial cities likely will be among the eight destinations AirTran serves: Nassau, the Bahamas; Cancun, Mexico City and San Jose del Cabo in Mexico; Aruba; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Bermuda; and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
Source: southwest - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGUSjsZflYk8YGhW1UhFLaSf7CtKw&url=http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airline-industry/20130704-southwest-airlines-tells-pilots-flight-attendants-to-have-current-passports-by-years-end.ece
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