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UPDATED Bad news: Southwest to quit PHL-BOS route

UPDATED with today's Inquirer story, which includes some good (speculative) news: An analyst's prediction that JetBlue will add PHL-BOS flights after Southwest pulls out.

THE ORIGINAL POST FROM TUESDAY: Of course, this isn't bad news for US Airways but it could be quite unfortunate for those who fly between PHL and BOS for business or fun: Afer Feb. 11, Southwest will no longer fly nonstop or even offer connecting service between the two cities, a route it started just 15 months ago (June 28, 2010).  PHL fliers were overjoyed when it started, since it brought down fares substantially to have nonstop competition from a low-cost carrier for the first time in years. With this cut, Southwest will have roughly half as many daily flights from PHL as it did a few years ago.

In July Southwest said it was droppng nonstops from PHL to the other two cities that gave many customers some access to the Boston area, Providence, RI and Manchester, NH. Southwest's focus is now on Atlanta, where it's taken over AirTran's operations, and on flying longer routes. More and more, Southwest is becoming like other airlines in its route structure, with flights mostly to its "focus cities" from outposts like PHL.