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Although maintaining that he had no solid plans to move, Gary Kelly, the airline's chief executive, said on several occasions during the past year that he envisioned a time when Dallas would no longer make sense as the airline's headquarters because of the Wright restrictions.
Southwest spokesman Ed Stewart said airline executives heard a presentation this year from Phoenix officials about what the city had to offer the airline. But Stewart confirmed Tuesday that the Wright deal has squelched discussions about relocating the airline's headquarters.
'Once the deal is done, and Congress passes it, this is home forevermore,' he said.
Officials in Phoenix say they felt like it would be an ideal city for the airline if it chose to move.
'We've always said [that] if Southwest decides Dallas is no longer the best city for them, then we have a lot to offer,' said Scott Phelps, a spokesman for Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon. 'They already have a huge presence here.'
With 201 daily flights, Phoenix is Southwest's third-largest operation, after Las Vegas and Chicago Midway.
Topix.net News courtesy of Fort Worth Star-Telegram
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