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Southwest Airlines, the nation’s most popular domestic carrier, has submitted an application to begin daily service out of Long Beach Airport starting later this year.

Southwest
A Southwest Airlines plane is seen in a file photo. (Credit: KTLA)

If the application is approved by the city of Long Beach and the Federal Aviation Administration, the Dallas carrier would join only JetBlue, American and Delta Air Lines in serving one of the smallest commercial airports in Southern California.

Southwest officials said they have applied to operate nine daily flights but did not disclose the destinations the carrier plans to serve. Still, Southwest officials noted that air travel demand in California is strong for service between Southern California and the San Francisco Bay Area.

The slots became available when noise studies confirmed that Long Beach Airport could add nine daily flights without violating the city’s noise ordinance.

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