As Southwest Airlines Co. prepares to launch its first flights to non-U.S. destinations next year, the Dallas-based carrier has informed its pilots and flight attendants that they need to have current passports in their possession by the end of 2013.
“This is another tangible step toward the rapidly approaching milestone — Southwest plans to both market and operate international flights in 2014,” Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said Wednesday.
Such documents haven’t been necessary for Southwest crews to date because the Dallas-based airline has been limited to U.S. destinations since it began flying June 18, 1971. But beginning in 2014, it plans to fly to non-U.S. airports, with passports needed for passengers and crew. It since has contracted with Amadeus to install a reservations system for international bookings, a system that is expected to later embrace domestic reservations as well. Southwest “expects the new international reservation system to be substantially complete in 2014,” according to the company’s annual report.the airline is not ready to announce what destinations will be at the head of the list when Southwest begins international flights next year.
However, the initial cities likely will be among the eight destinations AirTran serves: NAS, CUN, MEX and SJD Aruba; MBJ, BDA and PUJ.