This is the first in a series of posts about our fourth annual integrated report, the 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report™, where we illustrate our triple bottomline approach that takes into account our Performance and productivity, the importance of our People and the Communities we serve, and our commitment to efficiency and the Planet.
Since my first job in the airline industry more than 20 years ago as a frontline mechanic, I have had the unique opportunity to observe airline operations all over the world. Now, as Senior Vice President of Technical Operations at Southwest, where I work among the best 3,300 Maintenance & Engineering Employees, I am privileged to witness the tremendous Performance of this Company and our hardworking Employees year after year. Southwest remains the only airline to offer excellent Customer Service while remaining profitable for 40 consecutive years, and 2012 was no exception to that standard. Last year, Southwest Airlines:
- Led the airline industry in Customer Satisfaction
- Achieved the best baggage handling ratio in our history
- Introduced the 737-800 into our fleet
- Launched service to Atlanta; Akron-Canton and Dayton, Ohio; and Washington, D.C. (Ronald Reagan Washington National)
- Selected Amadeus for our international reservation system (2014 implementation)
Sometimes a photo can reveal even more about Southwest’s Culture and commitment to excellence. The photos below are highlights from the 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report™, and illustrate our dedication to Performance. 
In 2012, Dallas Maintenance Technicians performed 64 scheduled heavy maintenance checks, which require aircraft to be stripped down to their “bare bones” for evaluation and maintenance upkeep.
We’re proud to have provided our Shareholders 40 years of consecutive profitability—a record unmatched in the US airline industry.
Our home base for more than 40 years, Dallas Love Field, recently underwent a renovation with a new concourse, remodeled lobby, new ticketing wing, and expanded baggage claim area to better accommodate Customers.
We began flying 737-800s outfitted with our environmentally-friendly Evolve interior in March 2012 to fly longer-haul destinations, and ended the year with 34 -800s in our fleet.
Today, more than four decades after our founding, we remain steadfast in our Purpose of connecting people to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost airline travel. We hope you’ll enjoy our upcoming blog posts each month and follow along on Instagram and Pinterest each week with photos and fun facts tagged #SWAOneReport as we share how we’re working to be the best in the business. You can check out and download the full report online at www.southwestonereport.com.