Southwest Airlines says it has submitted an application to the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to acquire international route authority to operate flights between the United States and Canada. This is required before the airline can fully implement its codeshare agreement with WestJet.

Southwest hopes to receive this in the first quarter of 2009 and would allow it to operate cross-border services with its own aircraft, although it says that at this time it does not plan to do so.

The airlines plan to announce codeshare flight schedules in the second half of 2009.

Source: Routes News