Southwest has ambitions at Midway

Southwest Airlines could be on course to make Chicago Midway International Airport its number one hub, the Associated Press reports.

Southwest spokeswoman Linda Rutherford said that Midway "has the potential" to become the discount airline's busiest hub by 2007.

The airline has already gained ten extra gates at the airport over the past year, and now operates 29 of the 43 gates at the airport. It has also increased flights from the airport, listing 196 daily departures.

This year's expansion has seen Midway tie with Phoenix as Southwest's second busiest airport, surpassing Baltimore-Washington.

A concentrated expansion at Midway would allow Southwest to compete with its larger rivals operating out of nearby O'Hare Airport.

"Midway is a gold mine for Southwest," said Jim Brown, an independent aviation consultant. "This is seen by a lot of frequent flyers and business travelers as a low-fare alternative to O'Hare."

Southwest's enthusiasm for Midway has remained buoyant, despite questions arising over the safety of the airport's layout.

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