Southwest to fly daily, non-stop from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas, Kansas City and Albany, N.Y.

Jun 26, 2008 (South Florida Sun-Sentinel - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- LUV | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Southwest Airlines said Thursday it will start flying daily, non-stop from Fort Lauderdale to Las Vegas, Kansas City and Albany, N.Y. beginning Nov. 2.

The Dallas-based low cost carrier also noted plans to bump up service to Chicago-Midway and Providence, R.I., with one extra flight each day starting Nov. 2. No other air carrier at Fort Lauderdale offers service to Kansas City or Albany.

Southwest's expansion in Fort Lauderdale comes on the heels of United Airlines' announcement Wednesday that it would close operations at airports Broward and Palm Beach counties, effective Sept. 2.

"We have a much different story to tell today than our competitors," CEO Gary Kelly said Thursday, in a written statement. "We are well prepared financially, we are the nation's leading low fare airline, we are still growing."

The company eliminated 31 existing round-trip flights from its current flight schedule and has added 40 new round-trip flights in Fort Lauderdale and Denver. Southwest will be accommodating this new service with two aircraft that it previously planned to retire.

To kick-off the service, the carrier Thursday offered an $89 one-way advance purchase fare between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Kansas City and Albany and a $149 one-way advance purchase fare between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Las Vegas. These fares, available on southwest.com, are applicable for travel beginning on Nov. 2 through Jan. 9, 2009.

Jaclyn Giovis can be reached at 954-356-4668 or jmgiovis@sun-sentinel.com.

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