Southwest: $29 fares

Airline competition for passengers in Philadelphia began to pick up as Southwest Airlines announced fares of as little as $29 for one-way tickets. Southwest, the nation’s biggest low-fare carrier, announced plans to enter the US Air-dominated Philadelphia market in May. Southwest plans to fly from Philadelphia with 14 daily flights to Providence, R.I.; Chicago; Phoenix; Las Vegas; and Orlando and Tampa. Southwest will serve another 32 cities through connecting flights. The $29 starting price by Southwest “jolted” US Airways, according to The New York Times. US countered with a “buy three, get one free” promotion for customers who purchase tickets on its web site.