{"id":213,"date":"2008-11-06T15:34:13","date_gmt":"2008-11-06T21:34:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2008\/11\/southwest-airlines-fills-gap-at-minneapolis-st-paul\/"},"modified":"2016-12-17T14:45:20","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T20:45:20","slug":"southwest-airlines-fills-gap-at-minneapolis-st-paul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orbitz.com\/blog\/2008\/11\/southwest-airlines-fills-gap-at-minneapolis-st-paul\/","title":{"rendered":"Southwest Airlines fills gap at Minneapolis-St. Paul"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Business<\/a>
\nBy Joe Brancatelli<\/em><\/p>\n

Southwest Airlines<\/strong> is going to fill one of the obvious gaps in its route network next year when it adds service to Minneapolis-St. Paul<\/strong>. Although the airline<\/a><\/strong> hasn’t said where it will fly except for Chicago’s Midway Airport<\/strong>, it has targeted March as the launch month for its inaugural MSP flights<\/a><\/strong>. And if you think this move has something to do with the Northwest-Delta merger<\/strong> and the idea that maybe Northwest’s MSP hub might be somewhat more vulnerable, well, I won’t argue. … Porter Airlines<\/strong>, the Canadian carrier based atToronto<\/strong>‘s City Center Airport, is expanding in Chicago, too. Its flights<\/a><\/strong> from City Center to Midway begin November 12. … Just in time for the ski season, Denver-based Frontier Airlines<\/strong> will launch commuter flights<\/a><\/strong> to Steamboat Springs<\/strong><\/a> on December 18. … AirTran Airways<\/strong> will add Cancun<\/a><\/strong> to its route network next year. Flights<\/a><\/strong> from its Atlanta<\/strong> hub and Baltimore\/Washington<\/strong> launch on February 25.<\/p>\n

HOTEL HOT SHEET<\/strong><\/p>\n

Doubletree extends its branches in Europe:<\/strong> When U.S.-based Hilton Hotels<\/strong> Corp. and London-based Hilton International<\/strong> merged back into one gigantic lodging firm several years ago after decades of corporate divorce, the company promised that its American brands would head overseas. Hilton Garden Inn<\/strong> has already opened several hotels<\/a><\/strong> in Europe, so it should come as no surprise that Doubletree is now expanding on the continent, too. This week brings the news that the mid-priced, full-service chain has added branches in Milan, Italy and Aberdeen, Scotland. The Milan hotel<\/a><\/strong>, a 240-room property, is newly built and located a block from the Viale Certosa in the northern reaches of the city. The Aberdeen hotel<\/strong> is a conversion from a British brand. The 168-room property, a few steps from the city’s beachfront, is undergoing a renovation, too. And unique for a Doubletree, it features a full-service spa, indoor pool spa and sauna. A third European Doubletree, a conversion of a Kempinski property in London<\/strong>, is due to open soon. Meanwhile, back at home, Doubletree has opened a 168-room property in Chattanooga, Tennessee<\/strong>. It was formerly a Clarion hotel and has undergone a $26 million renovation.<\/p>\n

Related Orbitz resources:<\/strong><\/p>\n