Southwest Airlines Completes US$100 Million Expansion in Phoenix
On February 16, Southwest Airlines announced the completion of a $100 million expansion of its technical operations facility located in Phoenix Sky Harbor.
On February 16, Southwest Airlines announced the completion of a $100 million expansion of its technical operations facility located in Phoenix Sky Harbor.
DALLAS — On February 16, Southwest Airlines (WN) announced the completion of a US$100 million expansion of its technical operations facility at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport (PHX). The project added tens of thousands of square feet to WN's maintenance hangar, yielding space to park five aircraft simultaneously.
The massive hangar opened in part of a plan to renew the carrier's fleet facilities, enabling nearly 500 of PHX's WN staff to access the most advanced tools and utilize expanded space to increase the workforce's efficiency. Additionally, more than 30% of the newly completed hangar was built with recycled resources, and its reflective roof aligns with environmentally friendly practices by reducing the green island effect.
Southwest CFO Andrew Watterson stated, “Safety-first work to support a continuous renewal of our fleet benefits our entire network and the community.” The newly completed hangar expansion “is one of the most impactful investments we can make at WN and our future in Phoenix.”
However, this multi-million dollar project is a marker in WN's decades of thriving success at PHX. The carrier jump-started passenger operations in Arizona starting in 1982, with only 13 daily flights.
Solely within a few years, the low-cost carrier added a crew and technical operations base to the airport, becoming one of its most prominent carriers. Today, the airline is PHX's second most popular airline, operating tens of transcontinental flights daily and many seasonal destinations. Following its recent expansion, WN continues its persistent support at its southern hub.
Featured image: Chris Goulet/Airways
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