DALLAS- Southwest Airlines (WN) has reintroduced nonstop flights between Rochester, New York and Las Vegas, marking the first direct service between the two cities since 2008.
The new route connects Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC) with Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas.
Southwest Las Vegas to Rochester Flight
The service commenced on Thursday, October 3, operating four times weekly on Sundays, Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Southwest utilizes a 175-seat Boeing 737-8 (MAX 8) aircraft for these flights, adding over 500 seats per week to the Rochester-Las Vegas route.
Monroe County Executive Adam Bello highlighted the significance of this new service, noting that Rochester was the largest unserved domestic market for Las Vegas, while Las Vegas ranked among the top unserved destinations from Rochester.
Southwest Airlines, the largest carrier at Harry Reid International Airport, operates approximately 270 daily flights to 66 destinations. This new nonstop service to Las Vegas enhances connectivity to other high-demand western destinations, including Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, San Diego, and Seattle.
The airline already offers nonstop flights from Rochester to Baltimore, Orlando, and Tampa, further expanding its presence in the region.
The new route enhances the connectivity between the two cities and providing improved access to West Coast destinations such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, and Seattle. The new route marks the airline’s strategic focus on leisure travel and network optimization.
The airline currently serves 121 destinations across the United States and ten other countries, operating a fleet of 818 Boeing 737 aircraft.
Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, the primary air hub serving Rochester, benefits from this expanded service.
Atlanta Flight Cuts
On the other hand, Southwest Airlines are slashing over 300 crew positions and cutting its gate count by nearly 40% in Atlanta (ATL).
The airline will eliminate up to 200 flight attendants and 140 pilot positions for the April 2025 bid month. While not laying off staff, affected crew members will likely need to relocate to maintain their positions.
Southwest’s gate presence at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (ATL) will shrink from 18 to 11 gates next year, according to a pilots’ union memo.
The company cites the financial necessity for these changes. “We simply cannot afford continued losses and must make this change to help restore our profitability,” Southwest stated in its memo. The airline emphasized that the decision does not reflect employee performance.
This announcement follows recent warnings from Southwest’s COO about impending “difficult decisions” to boost profits. It also comes amid mounting pressure from activist investor Elliott Investment Management.
These cuts represent the latest in a series of significant changes for Southwest. In July, the airline announced plans to abandon its longstanding open seating policy and introduce extra legroom options, marking the most substantial shifts in its 50-plus years of operation.
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