Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) has been trying to conquer the local US market since 43 years, today, it’s going international, opening multifarious horizons for itself. In the start, Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) will be launching for Aruba and Montego Bay, Jamaica, from Atlanta, Baltimore (BWI), and Orlando but in the coming months, it will start the flight operations for Bahamas and Mexico and other countries. Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) has long tagged itself as the “America’s largest domestic airline.”
CNBC’s Phil LeBeau explained this major deal and said that the expansion has surprised many because people think that there is a great competition in the international airlines domain but Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) leaders think that they can offer what can take them to the next level within a decade.
In an exclusive interview on CNBC, Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) CEO, Gary Kelly, said that he is optimistic about Southwest’s growth opportunities internationally.
“We’ll be able to do things that nobody else can and we think that we have a wonderful opportunity for international growth,” said Kelly.
Southwest executives believe that after this expansion, the company now has the bigger canvas to paint the competitive edge it has because of its low pricing strategy for market penetration. The international routes are overpriced and the strategy will be to give a market distinction for the travelers who are eager to hit the sky in lower rates.
LeBeau added that the stock of Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV) have done well in the recent past and there are great chances that this expansion will elevate the market in favor of Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV).
“This expansion is not just about these quick hops down to certain destinations in the Caribbean. Eventually, look for Southwest to fly into the northern part of South America, that’s probably the farthest they will go, but this is the beginning of Southwest gradually adding more routes and more destinations overseas,” said LeBeau.
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