Southwest picks GSP

By Cindy Landrum  

MAY 20, 2010 12:40 p.m. (0)

It took unprecedented cooperation between the Upstate and the Lowcountry – regions of South Carolina which are fierce competitors when it comes to economic development and politics – to land Southwest Airlines.

Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport had been trying for years to lure the discount airline to put an end to some of the highest fares in the country – which prompted 66 percent of its potential customers to fly out of Atlanta and Charlotte and kept an untold number of companies from considering locating in the Upstate.

Charleston’s search for a low-cost carrier hit a crescendo after AirTran Airlines’ departure in December sent airfares skyrocketing.

Columbia-area senators’ blockage of an incentive bill to entice low-cost carriers to the state and their attempt to get $10 million added to the bill for the Columbia Metropolitan Airport to use to draw a discount air carrier could have played a part in the timing of Southwest’s announcement Tuesday it would begin service to GSP and Charleston in 2011 without government subsidies.

“I think with the talk in Columbia over the past several weeks, they decided why promote a plan that would subsidize their competition,” Greenville Mayor Knox White said.

Southwest recently announced it would not serve Columbia, despite the airport offering the airline $15 million in incentives including breaks on landing and terminal fees.

GSP and Charleston had been courting Southwest separately when Helen Hill, the executive director of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, suggested the two regions work together to woo the airline.

It worked.

“We look forward to serving the Palmetto State with Southwest Airlines’ unique brand of genuine hospitality, great value, a robust and reliable flight network, and our terrific employees who deliver excellent customer service,” said Dave Ridley, Southwest’s senior vice president of marketing and revenue management, in a statement.

Ridley was in Greenville two weeks ago for Food for Thought, an Erwin-Penland sponsored conference that spotlights creativity. He was asked to talk about the airline’s corporate culture.

But Joe Erwin said he doesn’t think Ridley’s visit had anything to do with Southwest’s decision. Instead, he said, it was the totality of people from all over the Upstate coming together.

Southwest wasn’t trying to wrangle money out of the state, but instead wanted to have a “backstop” in case it lost money in the market during the initial years of operation, Erwin and Ben Haskew, president of the Greenville Chamber said.

“They expected an economic shortfall in the first two years of operation,” Haskew said. “Southwest expects that in all the markets they enter.”

In the panhandle of Florida, a market the airline will start serving this month, St. Joe, a development company, provided incentives.

Haskew said more than 200 Upstate companies made pledges to fly Southwest if it came to GSP or to provide in-kind services.

Some of the companies tried to fly out of GSP, while others went to Atlanta or Charlotte for cheaper fares.

“Even wonderful companies like Michelin found it necessary to send vans of people to Charlotte because of cost,” he said.

Southwest serves 68 cities in 35 states and is the largest U.S. carrier, based on domestic passengers. Based in Dallas, Southwest operates more than 3,200 flights a day, according to the company.

“When the opportunity arises for us in a slightly smaller market, we need to take advantage of it,” said Southwest spokesperson Ashley Dillon. “It was an attractive business and tourist destination that lacked service. Southwest will serve the market independent of the actions of the legislature.”

Dillon said Southwest will spend time researching which destinations will be served from GSP.

The airline will release details on start dates, destinations, number of departures and fares at a later date, she said. Some destinations mentioned are Baltimore, Chicago Midway, Nashville and Houston.

“We know Southwest will be strategic in its selection of cities,” said Rosylin Weston, spokeswoman for GSP. “No matter what the cities are they select, the flying public will benefit.”

Weston said the airport’s runway is used at 45 percent of capacity. The airport averages 70 flights per day.

The airport also has terminal and gate space available and has identified space in the airport if a build-out is required, she said.

While GSP has attracted low-cost carriers before, Southwest is in a whole different ballpark, Upstate officials said.

The airline’s staying power differentiates it from other airlines. Southwest has made a profit every year and it has never left a market.

Southwest also will provide access to more cities initially than any other low-cost carrier has at GSP, Erwin said.

“This is a game-changing announcement for the future of the Upstate,” GSP Executive Director Dave Edwards said.

But now the hard part begins, Weston and Haskew said.

“We’ve got to put people in seats,” Haskew said.

Contact Cindy Landrum at 679-1237 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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