Ken Hoffman unloads his biggest pet peeves about flying Southwest Southwest is back at IAH. Our columnist hopes for some changes. Monday, April 12 marks the return of Southwest Airlines to Bush-Intercontinental Airport, where it all started a half-century ago for the world’s largest low-fare airline. Although most travelers think of Hobby Airport on Houston’s south side as Southwest’s home turf, fun fact, the very first flight Southwest Airlines flight on June 18, 1971 left Dallas Love Airport and landed at Houston Intercontinental Airport, as our big airport up I-45 was known then. The airport wasn’t renamed George Bush Intercontinental Airport until 1997. (Or, just call it IAH to save time buying tickets online.)