Southwest Working On Direct Flights To LaGuardia

CHICAGO (CBS) ― You may have a new travel option next time you go to New York. Southwest Airlines is working on a way to fly right into LaGuardia Airport.

Chicagoans who fly Southwest say they like its less expensive fares and the cheerful attitude of its employees.

"Friendly people up here, singing on the plane and stuff like that. It's cool," said Southwest passenger Marsha Drummond.

And they cite the convenience of Midway Airport, Southwest's Chicago home. For years Southwest has been flying into secondary airports to keep its operating costs down and to avoid the congestion at the bigger airports. Now the airline seems to be changing its strategy.

Southwest is trying to buy landing and takeoff slots at LaGuardia Airport, and for the first time the carrier would fly directly into New York City.

It's already flying into the big airports in Los Angeles and San Francisco, among other cities.

Transportation experts say the reason is simple: Southwest wants to make more money.

"Southwest has picked off easy markets, now going after harder markets, hubs, congested east coast airports," DePaul University Professor Joseph Schwieterman said. "They see a lot of high-priced business traffic and they want a part of it."

But there is a risk.

"You send planes to LaGuardia. You got delays, high costs. It could create service problems Southwest hasn't had in the past," Schwieterman said.

Right now, Southwest flies into Long Island, outside New York City. Passengers told CBS 2 they would welcome an alternative.

"It's fantastic," Jason Chan said. "It'll make it more convenient. You don't to go into Long Island and take the drive into Manhattan. Makes a lot of sense."

Southwest has not said when it'll start service to LaGuardia.

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