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Airline relic set to depart

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By TED JACKOVICS

tjackovics@tampatrib.com

Published: July 21, 2009

TAMPA - Southwest Airlines is closing a chapter of U.S. commercial aviation history by discontinuing paper timetables for passengers.

Southwest, the last domestic carrier to print and distribute paper timetables, said in a corporate blog Wednesday that the paper timetable released June 28 will be its last after almost 40 years.

"An era has ended not only here at Southwest but in the airline industry as a whole," Southwest online executive Brian Lusk said at blogsouthwest.com.

"As far as we can tell, only Lufthansa will be left with a paper timetable."

Lusk said few customers were using the schedule booklets, and discontinuing their printing will save money when every penny counts.

Southwest schedules can be accessed online at southwest.com or by calling 1-800-435-9792.

In the distant past, airlines not only stocked terminal ticket counters with timetables, they distributed them at hotels, where they shared schedule racks with dozens of equally colorful passenger railroad timetables.

Reporter Ted Jackovics can be reached at (813) 259-7817.

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