At a news
conference earlier today, the Honorable Mayor of Houston, Annise Parker
announced her support of Southwest Airlines' proposal to construct a new
five-gate international facility at William P. Hobby Airport (HOU).
Earlier this
year, Southwest asked the City of Houston for permission to look into the
construction of a five-gate international facility. The plan is to fly to
destinations such as Mexico, the Caribbean and cities in Central and South
America.
Mayor Parker
and Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO announced
details of the agreement, which is still subject to approval from the Houston
City Council. The proposal will be financed by Southwest Airlines at no cost to
the city of Houston. No Passenger Facility Charges are required in the
agreement, no debt will be issued by the City of Houston and no general revenue
funds will be used as part of this arrangement.
"Today
is a great day for Southwest Airlines, a great day for the city of Houston, and
a great day for Houston's international travelers who have suffered for far too
long from high fares and limited options," said Gary Kelly, Southwest
Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO. "I want to thank Mayor Parker for
her support. There is still much work to do, but I believe our proposal shows
that we are committed to bringing international service to Hobby, without the
city taking on additional debt."
Southwest has served Houston since June 18,
1971. Hobby Airport is home to Southwest Airlines, with more than 2,700
Employees serving 134 flights every day. Upon approval by the Houston City
Council, Southwest and the Houston Airport System would begin work immediately.
The construction is expected to take a couple of years, with the facility ready
to initiate international service sometime in 2015.