Southwest Airlines to add 140 pilots at BWI Airport

Southwest Airlines will add at least 140 new pilots to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport over the next two years, needed to fly 14 new Boeing 737-700s coming to the airport.

The new pilots will be among 600 the Dallas-based carrier is adding nationwide. Ten pilots are needed for each plane the airline operates, said Bert Seither, one of Southwest's three chief pilots at BWI.

Brandy King, airline spokesman, said the planes and pilots will be used for new flights. Southwest also has an agreement with Boeing to purchase 25 more new planes in 2007, with an option for nine additional aircraft, she said.

"We are growing our...