Reaction to Southwest plans positive

Local travelers will soon have another option when they start shopping for tickets to certain domestic destinations.
Frequent flier Keith Williams rejoiced over Wednesday’s announcement that Southwest Airlines will fly out of Bay County, when the new airport is completed. The leading low-cost provider in the U.S., Southwest has initially committed to four non-stop destinations, with two daily flights for at least the next three years. Service is to begin in May 2010.
That’s none too soon, as far as Williams is concerned.
“That’s awesome. When I die I won’t have to change planes in Atlanta,” he joked. “We will definitely use them. Southwest has a great reputation and the fares are good. The best thing about it, though, is the people. They’re happy to be in their jobs.
“I’ve flown with the major airlines, and the difference in people who work with Southwest is very apparent, very positive. I’ve flown with others where the people just seem miserable, and that creates a pretty unpleasant experience.”
Southwest officials have not announced the destinations, but said those decisions should be made by the end of this year.
Williams is confident he’ll find something on their menu that will fit into his future travel plans.
A Mariana agent with State Farm, Williams said he flies for pleasure at least three times a year, and on business about four times a year.
Jackson County Development Council Executive Director Bill Stanton said the entry of Southwest into the local market may have as effect on the pricing for other airlines that serve the area, although he’s not banking on that.
“The closest points to catch a Southwest flight have been 300-plus miles away, and very few people will take the drive even for the savings,” Stanton said. “Now, with Southwest bringing low-cost service to the area, presumably it will cause the others to come down in price, although historically that’s not always the case. That aside, it’s a huge win for Bay County and our part of the region. It clearly positions this region for growth and easy access into our area.”
Stanton said he’s not sure it will have a direct effect on Jackson County’s economy, except as another potential employer for people willing to commute.
Jackson County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Art Kimbrough is a bit more optimistic about the direct effects.
“It remains to be seen in terms of what kinds of implications it will have for services, and related jobs, but clearly it gives air travelers easy access to lower cost to travel,” Kimbrough said. “It will also open the door for more people to fly directly into the regional communities and enjoy the area. The long-term effect overall is extremely positive. As the industrial areas around the airport grows, the opportunities could be huge.”
He said the airport is a harbinger of economic changes coming to the Panhandle.
“When you look at Florida as we knew it, solely building houses, tourism and agriculture, it’s over as we knew it. Tourism, construction and agriculture will still be be part of it, but the key now, going forward, is innovation and technology,” he said. “As we have access to transportation, particularly the high-tech arena will see more opportunities for those types of businesses to have an effect on the local area. Short term, it’s ease of transportation, long term it’s economic impact. It’s an enormous win.”