Southwest to invest in new MRO facility at Baltimore/Washington

Southwest will co-fund a new $130m regional maintenance facility at Baltimore/Washington International airport, to better meet its needs at the second busiest airport in its network. Construction of the 12,080 m2 line maintenance facility will begin early next year, with completion in 2021. Southwest will invest $80m, with the Maryland Aviation Administration contributing the remaining $50m. The three-bay hangar will be the first of its kind for Southwest in the northeast, complementing six maintenance hangars in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Orlando and Phoenix. The facility will include additional exterior parking spots for eight aircraft, as well as office space. Southwest CE Gary Kelly says the facility is yet another signal of the airline's "serious commitment" to Baltimore/Washington. Construction of the hangar is expected to create 450 jobs, but will not significantly grow maintenance employee numbers at the airline. Southwest currently employs more than 120 technical operations staff at the airport, which is its largest line operation and has the most number of Southwest aircraft remaining overnight.<br/>