Louisiana Travel Advisory – Southwest Airlines Announces Changes

Southwest Airlines, the budget airline that's earned a reputation for thinking outside of the box is making changes to their already successful business model. The airline which many passengers fly out of New Orleans, Louisiana is well known for its low-cost "fun fares" and its uniquely irreverent "wanna get away" commercials. And very soon Southwest could be known for doing something, it's not done before.

The reason for the change in business planning, according to the top of the house at Southwest Airlines has less to do with flying and more to do about planes. Or should we say the lack of new aircraft? You're probably aware of the current issues the Boeing Corporation is having. Those issues at Boeing have spilled over into becoming issues at Southwest Airlines.

The company had ordered several new aircraft from Boeing but when those aircraft might be delivered and certified is still, to use an industry term, up in the air. And since Southwest Airlines can't grow because they can't get new planes, their only option is to fly the planes they have more often.

Southwest Airlines to Offer Louisiana Passengers Redeye Flights

The term "redeye" refers to a flight that leaves its departing destination in the evening and arrives at its final destination early the next morning. The term redeye comes from the way passengers usually look as they deplane on an overnight flight. Yeah, the "redeye" is a function of the lack of sleep most of us experience during a flight that crosses over from one day to the next.

As of this report, Southwest Airlines has not officially announced flight plans that include redye flights. But, the airline is booking flights that allow for an overnight layover at six airports. Those airports are Baltimore, Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago Midway, and Oakland in California.

For the life of me, I could not imagine why anyone would book a flight that allows you to "spend the night in an airport" but for some people that fits their budget and their travel itineraries. For the rest of us, we value our sanity and would never put ourselves in that position willingly.

Southwest is expected to add some 50 overnight flights to its route map very soon. Those 50ish redeye flights will be on the board every day so customers could take advantage if the routes match their travel plans. And for those of you who pinch pennies, we should note that "redeye" flights are usually pretty cheap compared to daytime routes.