Major national airline announces it is ending operations at Bellingham airport
Southwest Airlines announced Thursday that it will no longer offer services in or out of the Bellingham International Airport.
Local operations will cease on August 4, 2024, according to the April 25 announcement.
The decision is based on the company’s 2024 first-quarter financial results, which showed a net loss of $231 million.
“While it is disappointing to incur a first-quarter loss, we exited the quarter with healthy profits and margins in the month of March. We are focused on controlling what we can control and have already taken swift action to address our financial underperformance and adjust for revised aircraft delivery expectations,” said Southwest Airlines President and CEO Bob Jordan in the announcement.
Southwest said customer travel patterns and preferences, higher fuel prices, and Boeing’s aircraft delivery delays are contributing significantly to its financial challenges.
As of Dec. 31, 2023, Southwest had 817 Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet.
The company’s financial issues are also impacting services at other airports the company said were “underperforming markets.”
Southwest will close operations at Cozumel International Airport, George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston and Syracuse Hancock International Airport.
It will also implement capacity reductions in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
Southwest said it planned to implement other cost-control initiatives including limiting hiring and offering voluntary time-off programs.
“We now expect to end 2024 with approximately 2,000 fewer employees as compared with the end of 2023,” Jordan said.
Southwest Airlines flies direct from Bellingham International Airport to Las Vegas, Oakland and Denver.
Port of Bellingham Aviation Director Kip Turner told The Bellingham Herald the airport intends to fill the gap in service with another airline.
“We are in discussions with other airlines, and those discussions look very positive for flights coming in and out,” Turner said.
Turner declined to share any specific airlines the airport was in discussion with but called the airport a “thriving market” that is busy, cost-efficient for travelers, and catches the attention of airlines.
Travelers who have purchased flight tickets through Southwest for a trip scheduled after Aug. 4, 2024, are entitled to a refund.
The Biden-Harris Administration announced Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds for a canceled or significantly changed flight.
Prior to the ruling, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund, resulting in refund policies differing among airlines.
Bellingham International Airport still offers flights through Alaska Airlines, Allegiant and San Juan Airlines.
This story was originally published April 25, 2024 at 11:11 AM.
