Southwest Capping Fleet Marks Record No-Growth Period

Southwest Airlines Co.’s plan to keep its fleet size little changed through 2012 marks a record stretch without expansion as the carrier waits for business travel to pick up, Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly said.

New jets will be added only to replace older aircraft being retired, with 10 Boeing Co. 737-700s arriving this year and 14 in 2011, Kelly, 55, said today in an interview. The Dallas-based company had 544 planes as of the end of June.