Southwest Airlines (WN, Dallas Love Field) is planning to build a new maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at its base at Houston Hobby.
The facility will include a 23,000sqm hangar capable of handling up to six B737 Family aircraft simultaneously, as well as aircraft wash facilities, taxiway connections, parking and loading docks, and offices. The airline plans to commence construction in spring 2018 with an anticipated 2Q19 completion date. Once operational, it will be the Texan LCC's sixth MRO facility.
Southwest needs to expand MRO capacity in order to service its growing fleet. According to the ch-aviation fleets module, the LCC currently operates 691 B737 Family aircraft including 501 B737-700s, 177 B737-800s, and thirteen B737-8s. It has a further 197 B737 MAX 8s and thirty B737-7s on order from Boeing.
