Southwest makes changes

TAMPA/FORT MYERS — Southwest Airlines has announced plans to eliminate its short-haul flight between Orlando and Fort Myers but will add a new flight from Tampa to Key West, among other changes at its two Gulf Coast airports this winter.

Effective Nov. 4, Southwest plans to permanently discontinue a number of short-haul routes, such as the popular Orlando-Fort Myers flight. However, Southwest and subsidiary AirTran Airways will start new air service this winter, according to a post on the Southwest blog.

At Southwest, the airline announced new service from Tampa to Key West once a day. And for the winter season, Southwest plans to fly from Fort Myers to both Boston and Hartford and from Tampa to Milwaukee.

On the AirTran side, the airline will be adding new flights from Tampa to Buffalo, Pittsburgh and Rochester. From Fort Myers, AirTran will fly to Akron-Canton, Flint and Grand Rapids.