Southwest said to weigh Boeing 787 for first widebody fleet

Southwest Airlines is leaning toward the Boeing 787 Dreamliner to open its first widebody fleet and take the carrier into long-haul international flying, people familiar with the company's planning told Reuters. The deliberations are confidential and no final decision has been made. Southwest has considered an initial fleet of dozens of 787s.

The decision rests with the board of directors, which last year set up a Fleet Oversight Committee to lead aircraft acquisition strategy. In September, chief financial officer Tom Doxey confirmed that long-haul international flights were among the options under review and said the shape of the project had not been settled.

Widebodies would put Southwest into direct competition with Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and American Airlines, the largest US carriers. The expansion is meant in part to keep Southwest passengers from booking with rivals and to strengthen its Rapid Rewards loyalty programme and co-branded credit card business.

Chief executive Bob Jordan has said Southwest is not trying to build a global network on the scale of the established network carriers. A portfolio of 8 to 12 long-haul destinations would cover most of its customers' travel demand, he said in May.

The widebody study sits inside a broader overhaul of Southwest's commercial model, which already includes assigned seating and rows with more legroom.