Down. Out?

Southwest's move to move its Seattle operations out of the big SeaTac International airport and into tiny Boeing field (officially King County airport) has been the talk of the towns - both Seattle and Tacoma - since summer but now it is back to square one or at least to the big terminal. The county fathers who control the little field have said "no" in no uncertain terms. King County Executive Ron Sims blocked the Southwest plan, saying that he couldn't afford the road improvements or the increased noise that Southwest would bring to Boeing Field. Its 85 flights - along with competitive moves with which Alaska Airlines would respond - almost certainly would overwhelm the smaller airport and its neighbours, Sims said. Southwest says it respects the decision but hinted that it wasn't over yet and that it still might move operations to an alternative area airport to escape high operating costs at SeaTac.

Technorati tag: Southwest Airlines