Carrier also plans to enter MSP-MDW market

Starting later this month, Southwest Airlines will offer a new perk for purchasers of its Business Select fares and members of its Rapid Rewards A-List: Priority security lane access. The airline said the new access lanes, identified by a sign that says Fly-By, will be deployed within a few weeks at a limited number of airports, including Baltimore/Washington International, Dallas Love Field, Phoenix Sky Harbor, Orange County John Wayne, Denver International, San Francisco International, and Los Angeles International. “Southwest plans to add additional airports to the Fly-By rollout starting in November 2008,” a spokesperson said. To use the special security access, customers will have to present a Rapid Rewards A-List ID card or a Business Select boarding pass. For more information, go to www.blogsouthwest.com.

Meanwhile, Southwest also announced that it plans to add another major airport to its route network in March 2009: Minneapolis-St. Paul. The company hasn’t yet set specific schedules, but said that it will “begin a modest operation at MSP with flights to Chicago Midway only.” That route will give Minnesota residents access to a large number of other flights on Southwest, since it operates a virtual mini-hub at close-in Midway Airport. There has been no low-fare carrier service between the two airports since AirTran pulled out of the MSP-MDW route several months ago. The MSP-Chicago market is dominated by Northwest, United and American, which all fly into O’Hare.