Southwest confirms
Hawaii deal

The discount carrier will sell seats
on ATA to the isles, but will not
allow use of frequent-flier miles

DALLAS » Southwest Airlines Co. will sell seats on ATA Airlines flights to Hawaii and other U.S. locations beginning Feb. 4, the Dallas-based carrier said yesterday.

All connections between the two airlines would be made at Chicago's Midway Airport, which could make Hawaii travel inconvenient for Southwest's West Coast customers.

Southwest chief executive Gary Kelly said his airline would consider adding connecting cities in the West; he mentioned Las Vegas as a possibility.

The airlines will start selling seats on each other's flights under the so-called code-sharing agreement on Sunday.

Importantly, the deal does not allow use of frequent-flier rewards on the other airline. For example, members of Southwest's Rapid Rewards loyalty program won't be able to use their credits on ATA flights to Honolulu.

Kelly said Southwest had already fielded inquiries about customers eager to cash in their credits for Hawaii travel. However, the airlines feared that Hawaii-bound planes would be filled with nonpaying customers.

The code-share deal was part of Southwest's acquisition of six gates at Midway Airport from ATA, which is under bankruptcy protection.

In addition to Honolulu, other ATA destinations that will be linked with some Southwest flights through Chicago are New York's LaGuardia Airport; Newark, N.J.; Boston; Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C.; Ft. Myers, Sarasota and St. Petersburg, Fla.; Minneapolis; Denver; San Francisco; and Honolulu.