Southwest Airlines to Terminate Agreement With WestJet

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Apr 16, 2010, 10:57 ET

DALLAS, April 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines notified WestJet today of its intent to terminate the agreement to offer connecting service between the United States and Canada with WestJet. Recently, WestJet requested significant changes to the agreement that the two airlines have had in place since 2008, and WestJet has since reaffirmed and clarified its request. Southwest cannot agree with the modifications to the confidential agreement.

"We prefer the existing terms of our agreement with WestJet. Upon reviewing the number of changes that WestJet has requested, we have decided that it is in the best interest of both parties to move forward independently," said Southwest's Executive Vice President of Strategy and Planning Bob Jordan. "We remain interested in exploring the possibility of one day offering service to Canada if it makes sense for Southwest and for our Customers. That would not rule out future codeshare relationships with Canadian carriers, or flying north of the border ourselves."

Based in Dallas, Southwest (NYSE: LUV) currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide and is the largest carrier in the United States based on domestic passengers carried.

www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines