New Orleans Airport Faces Flight Reductions To Major U.S. Cities

(KMDL-FM) Southwest Airlines has announced plans to pull back from two major airports that are served by the New Orleans International Airport. The change in routing and scheduling will leave Louisiana travelers with plans to visit Washington, D.C., and Chicago, or make a connecting flight in those cities, with one less option.

New Orleans Louis Armstrong International Airport is the only Louisiana airport that offers service from Southwest. But according to the airline, passengers will still be able to get to those cities via Southwest service; they will no longer be flying into certain airports that serve those destinations.

The reason most often suggested for the change by Southwest is money. Higher fuel prices have not only affected motorists on the ground, but the airlines have taken a major hit in their profit margins because of the massive jump in fuel prices.

Southwest Says Route Changes Will Mean Better Travel Options

But if you ask officials at Southwest, they will suggest that budgetary reasons are not why they are curtailing service to our nation's capital and to the largest city in the Midwest. Southwest says the route changes and cancellations are strategic. The airline is launching several new flights, and the reduction in "redundant routes" would make that plan more economically feasible.

READ MORE: NOLA Airport Leads TSA's List of 'Most Bizarre Things Found' 

Southwest has announced plans to launch service to Alaska via Denver. The airline also has international flights that would serve the Caribbean and Central American destinations.

Southwest will no longer be serving Chicago O'Hare. Instead, visitors to the Windy City who choose Southwest will have their travel plans made through Chicago Midway Airport.  Visitors who book Southwest for trips to our nation's capital will need to schedule flights into Regan National or Baltimore-Washington International.

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What If You have a Ticket Booked on a Cancelled Southwest Airlines Flight?

The airline says service from New Orleans to O'Hare in Chicago and Dulles in Washington will end on June 4th, that's Thursday. If you've already booked a flight to those airports via Southwest, contact the airline to re-arrange your travel plans. You may opt for a refund or rebook to an alternative airport at no additional cost.

READ MORE: Louis Armstrong International Earns 'Best Airport' Accolades 

Southwest currently operates between 50 and 60 flights out of New Orleans each day. The most popular destinations for travelers out of the Big Easy are Atlanta, Dallas (Love Field), and Houston (Hobby).

For leisure travelers, airport data suggests departures to Orlando and Denver lead the pack when guests "Want to get away".