DALLAS, Nov. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) is excited to announce that LUV has officially landed at Key West International Airport (EYW), extending the airline's Florida presence to the southernmost point of the country in the Florida Keys.  Key West, a popular tourist destination, becomes the eighth city the airline serves in the state of Florida and the 78^th city added to the airline's vast route map. 

Southwest attributes its entrance into the market, beginning today, to the roots planted by its wholly-owned subsidiary AirTran Airways.  Southwest will take over AirTran's two daily nonstop departures to Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Tampa Bay International Airport (TPA).  In addition to the two daily nonstop flights, Southwest will introduce an entirely new market with daily nonstop service to Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport beginning on March 9, 2013.  With this nonstop service, Key West Customers will have access to Southwest's extensive network with additional connecting service to more than 75 destinations nationwide. 

"Our arrival in Key West represents one of the true benefits of our integration with AirTran Airways, allowing us to continue to bring low fares and legendary Customer Service to the Florida Keys," said Kevin Krone, Southwest Airlines Vice President Marketing, Sales, and Distribution.  "Key West is a destination our Customers have been eagerly awaiting."

Southwest celebrates its inaugural Key West service today with a nationwide Twitter contest, encouraging the airline's more than one million followers to take part in the historic Sunset Celebration, a Key West staple where local street performers, musicians, and artists venture to Mallory Square to perform for thousands of tourists who have made their way to the docks for the sunset.  Followers can submit a video of their talent that they would perform at Mallory Square as they compete for a pair of roundtrip tickets.  Submissions should be tweeted to @southwestair with the hashtag #LUVKeyWest.  For more information and contest rules, visit www.blogsouthwest.com/LUVKeyWest.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 42^nd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers by providing reliability and exemplary Customer Service delivered by 46,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers every year.  Including wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways, the Company operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and six near-international countries. Visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™ and see how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen while underscoring a commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.

Southwest Airlines

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel quantified by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares wherever the carrier serves. Southwest now flies the most passengers nonstop of any U.S. airline and stands alone among major air carriers in offering all Customers the first two pieces of checked luggage (weight and size limitations apply) and all ticket changes without additional fees.  On every flight, Southwest consistently offers leather seating and the comfort of full-size cabins across the world's largest fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft, many of which are being equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity and a new, eco-friendly cabin interior featuring sustainable materials. Having achieved a 39^th consecutive year of profitability, the People of Southwest operate more than 3,100 flights a day and serve communities around 78 airports in Southwest's network of domestic destinations.  Southwest Airlines' frequent flights and low fares are available only at southwest.com.

AirTran Airways

AirTran Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co., has been ranked top airline in the Airline Quality Rating study three times in the past five years. AirTran offers coast-to-coast and near-international service with close to 600 flights a day to 54 destinations.  The carrier's low-cost, high-quality product includes assigned seating and Business Class. As Southwest continues to integrate AirTran's People, places, and planes into Southwest Airlines, Customers of both carriers may book flights at airtran.com and exchange earned loyalty points between both AirTran's A+ Rewards® and Southwest's Rapid Rewards® for reward travel on either airline.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines