Amid a wave of bouncing beach balls at Houston City Hall, Southwest Airlines announced two new international destinations from Hobby Airport this fall.
Flights to Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Liberia, Costa Rica, will begin Nov. 1 out of Hobby’s $156 million international terminal, currently under construction. The airline previously announced flights to Mexico (Cancun, Mexico City, Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta), Belize and San Jose, Costa Rica, that will begin from Hobby on Oct. 15.
“2015 is all about Houston. You’ll have more choices and lower fares," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told an enthusiastic crowd.
Tickets to all international destinations will go on sale Thursday on Southwest's web site.
“2015 is all about Houston. You’ll have more choices and lower fares. It’s a great opportunity for all us to boost travel and tourism here in Houston, and that creates jobs," Southwest CEO Gary Kelly told an enthusiastic crowd that included Mayor Annise Parker and Southwest employees. "We are just getting started. This is only the beginning.”
Southwest won the right to begin international flights out of the new Hobby terminal in the face of determined opposition from United Airlines three years ago. Parker alluded to the battle when she paraphrased a quote from Lyndon Baines Johnson that "sometimes it’s hard to figure out what the right thing is."
"This is a situation that it wasn’t hard at all to figure out that the right thing was to allow more competition for international flights," she said. "And it wasn't hard to do the right thing because the increased competition for international flights and a major investment in Hobby Airport will not only make this more convenient for the traveling public but it is also a huge stimulus to the area around Hobby Airport. We are excited at the possibilities."
Earlier this week, Parker was at George Bush Intercontinental Airport as United broke ground on a new Terminal C North concourse. The $244 million project will create a 265,000 square-foot concourse with floor-to-ceiling windows offering soaring tarmac views, expansive gate-lounge areas and 20 new dining and retail options near boarding gates.
The airline hosted a beach bash at Houston’s City Hall.
Estella is the signature restaurant at Canyon Ranch Austin.Courtesy of Canyon Ranch Austin
