Southwest CEO sees profit for Q2, full year DALLAS (Reuters) =97 Southwest Airlines Inc., the only major U.S. airline to= =20 post an operating and net profit in 2002, expects to be profitable in both= =20 the second quarter and for the full year 2003, Chief Executive Jim Parker=20 said on Wednesday. "We do expect to be profitable this quarter and for the= =20 year," he said at the company's annual shareholder meeting. Parker also=20 unveiled a variety of new routes and service, particularly on the West=20 Coast and serving Las Vegas. Some of the new service will begin on Aug. 10= =20 and some will start Sept. 10. "We clearly have growth ahead of us," he=20 said. The No. 6 U.S. airline will also take delivery of 17 Boeing 737-700=20 aircraft this year. Southwest's founder and chairman, Herb Kelleher, also=20 told shareholders the airline is poised to acquire additional aircraft if=20 revenue improves. A huge number of aircraft remain parked in the desert as demand for air=20 travel continues to remain below normal levels following the Sept. 11,=20 2001, attacks. A weak economy and the war in Iraq have added to the=20 sector's trouble. As a result, the U.S. airline industry at large is still= =20 in the midst of its worst ever financial downturn, with $11 billion in net= =20 losses tallied by the largest eight carriers in 2002 including Southwest's= =20 $241 million net profit. Major carriers just last week announced a $10 fare= =20 hike to take effect June 1, and were joined by smaller airlines this week.= =20 But Southwest will not raise its rates as other airlines have done,=20 Kelleher said. While the airline does typically raise prices heading into=20 the summer season, Kelleher said the fares will not be hiked as much and=20 will not apply systemwide. *************************************************** The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site/TnTisland.com Roj (Roger James) escape email mailto:ejames@xxxxxxxxx Trinbago site: www.tntisland.com Carib Brass Ctn site www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ Steel Expressions www.mts.net/~ejames/se/ Site of the Week: http://www.cso.gov.tt TnT Webdirectory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************