Why Southwest Airlines Should Serve Lehigh Valley Airport
This paper argues that Southwest Airlines should establish scheduled service at Lehigh Valley International Airport (LVIA) in Pennsylvania rather than discontinuing AirTran's existing routes following its acquisition of the smaller carrier. The paper examines Southwest's hesitancy in light of LVIA's proximity to Newark and Philadelphia airports, then counters that the surrounding metropolitan area represents millions of underserved leisure travelers whose preference for low-cost air travel aligns directly with Southwest's business model. Drawing on Pennsylvania Department of Transportation data and local reporting, the paper contends that entering the LVIA market would increase Southwest's revenue, expand its route network, and strengthen its brand presence in a strategically important region.
- Introduction: The Case for Southwest at Lehigh Valley: LVIA's regional importance and Southwest's departure decision
- Southwest's Hesitancy and the Competing Airports Argument: Proximity to Newark and Philadelphia raises redundancy concerns
- Market Alignment: Leisure Travelers and Low-Cost Service: LVIA passengers match Southwest's low-cost leisure model
- Economic and Brand Benefits of Expanding to LVIA: Service expansion would boost revenue and brand image
- Conclusion: Mutual benefits support Southwest entering LVIA market
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper anticipates and directly addresses the opposing argument — that LVIA's proximity to Newark and Philadelphia makes it redundant — before systematically dismantling it with demographic and market-alignment evidence.
- It grounds its claims in concrete sources, including Pennsylvania DOT planning data and local news reporting, lending credibility to what is ultimately a persuasive business case.
- The argument is tightly scoped: rather than making sweeping airline-industry claims, it focuses on a single, specific business decision, which keeps the reasoning focused and manageable.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper demonstrates effective use of the concession-and-rebuttal structure. By acknowledging legitimate reasons for Southwest's hesitancy before presenting counterarguments, the author signals intellectual honesty and strengthens the persuasive impact of the positive case. This technique is particularly useful in business and policy writing where one-sided advocacy can undermine credibility.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens by establishing LVIA's regional importance, then introduces the Southwest/AirTran situation as the central problem. A middle section concedes the competing-airports objection before pivoting to the market-alignment argument — noting that LVIA travelers skew toward leisure and low-cost preferences that match Southwest's model exactly. The paper closes with a brief synthesis reaffirming the mutual benefit of Southwest entering the market.
Introduction: The Case for Southwest at Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley International Airport is located in the heart of Pennsylvania's third-largest metropolitan area, after Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, and is by far the most convenient regularly scheduled-service airport for millions of Pennsylvanians (DOT, 2012). In addition, the airport is situated near many attractions and business destinations, making it an important hub for travel even for those who are not residents of the area (DOT, 2012). Increased service to the airport — through the entrance of new airlines and/or the expansion of existing airlines that include Lehigh Valley International Airport in their routes — would further enhance the convenience and usefulness of this airport for travelers. This increase in airport traffic would also benefit a number of businesses located in and around the airport (DOT, 2012; Zanki, 2010).
Southwest Airlines has long shied away from including Lehigh Valley International Airport in its routes and service offerings, despite being regularly courted by airport executives (Zanki, 2010; Assad, 2012). The airline's acquisition of the smaller discount carrier AirTran seemed to carry a promise to change this state of affairs: since AirTran already operated out of Lehigh Valley International Airport, all Southwest would have to do to establish a presence there was simply not leave (Zanki, 2010; Assad, 2012). This appeared to be precisely what would happen for well over a year. Yet Southwest recently made the preliminary decision to terminate AirTran's contract with the airport and to discontinue services at Lehigh Valley (Zanki, 2010; Assad, 2012).
Southwest's Hesitancy and the Competing Airports Argument
There are valid reasons for Southwest's hesitancy to provide service at the airport, and it would not be fair to expect the airline to enter into a contract that would not be profitable. While a contract with Lehigh Valley International Airport would open new routes and non-stop destinations for travelers using the airport, it is also true that the airport is less than a two-hour drive from two other major airports — Newark and Philadelphia — and may therefore be seen as redundant by some carriers and travelers (DOT, 2012). If a sufficient number of travelers are already using routes that terminate in Philadelphia or Newark, Southwest Airlines might not see a need or strategic advantage in adding routes that also terminate at Lehigh Valley International Airport. The fewer flights and destinations the company must operate to meet consumer demand, the more efficient its operations become.
Market Alignment: Leisure Travelers and Low-Cost Service
There are more specific reasons that Southwest should reconsider its decision regarding Lehigh Valley International Airport beyond the general observation that a market exists and that economic benefits would reflect well on the company. Data on airport usage show that travelers moving through Lehigh Valley International Airport tend to gravitate toward lower-cost leisure travel, rather than being primarily composed of business travelers who demand more departure and arrival options, additional perks, and who are willing to pay premium prices for such services (Zankis, 2010; Assad, 2012; DOT, 2012). Southwest Airlines specializes in providing low-cost air travel, meaning its service model is directly aligned with the demands of Lehigh Valley International Airport's traveler base. The airline would have little difficulty obtaining a sizeable market share in the area if it offered flights along popular travel routes.
Many such routes have already been identified and are currently being flown out of Lehigh Valley International Airport by AirTran, including routes to destinations in Florida used by vacationing families and retirees (Zankis, 2010; Assad, 2012). If Southwest were to take over and expand these routes, its revenue and profitability would likely increase substantially. The U.S. Department of Transportation has noted the strong passenger demand patterns in the region, further supporting the case that a low-cost carrier like Southwest could capture meaningful ridership at LVIA.
Conclusion
It is true that Lehigh Valley International Airport is located near other high-volume airports. It is also true, however, that the region is home to millions of potential travelers and is a destination for millions more. The traveler profile at LVIA — leisure-oriented, cost-conscious — maps directly onto Southwest's core business model. Southwest service to the airport would be of benefit to everyone involved: the airline, the airport, local businesses, and the traveling public.
References
Assad, M. (2012). Lehigh Valley International Airport looks to offset loss of AirTran. Accessed 29 February 2012.
DOT. (2012). Pennsylvania Statewide Airport System Plan. Accessed 29 February 2012. ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/bureaus/aviation/lehighei.pdf
Zanki, T. (2010). Southwest says AirTran acquisition bodes well for Lehigh Valley International Airport. Accessed 29 February 2012.
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