Southwest to trim New England flights

Southwest says that it will trim three flights each at Manchester Boston in New Hampshire, Bradley International outside Hartford, and two at T.F. Green near Providence.

The carrier says the cuts are part of a plan to trim its schedule by 190 flights, or 6 percent of its 3,400 daily total, starting Jan. 11.

Southwest slowed growth this year to 4 percent because of record fuel prices and a softening economy, but it has been able to remain profitable because it had locked in fuel-purchase contracts far in advance.

At Manchester, Southwest will cut one of ten daily flights to Baltimore and one of four to both Chicago and Orlando, according to Whitney Eichinger, a company spokeswoman. Bradley will lose one of eight to Baltimore, one of three to Chicago, and one of two to Tampa. Providence loses one of four to Chicago and one of six to Orlando.

Eichinger points out air traffic tends to slow in the winter months and that some of the cuts may be restored in spring.
(By Paul S. Makishima, Globe staff)