Press Release

April 04, 2006

Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Welcomes Southwest Airlines to Dulles

Southwest Airlines will start service from Washington Dulles International Airport this fall.

“We are very pleased to welcome Southwest Airlines to Dulles,” said James E. Bennett, President/CEO of the Airports Authority. “Their highly-regarded low fare service will be an important complement to our existing full range of air service at Dulles.”

“Dulles serves one of the fastest-growing regions and economies in the country, and the Airports Authority is committed to continuing to attract airlines to Dulles to serve our customers. To keep pace with our growth and to continue to attract new air service, we are continuing to build the necessary facilities at the Airport."

Dulles Airport served 27 million passengers in 2005. The Airports Authority is midway through a nearly $4 billion expansion program at the Airport which includes construction of a new runway, expansion of airline gates, and a new passenger conveyance system which will transport passengers from the Main Terminal to airfield concourses via an underground airport automated train system.

Currently there are thirty-one airlines serving Dulles, nineteen of which are international carriers.