My first day at Southwest Airlines was February 9, 1983. I was an ex-Braniff International employee and the company went bankrupt. What to do? Luckily for me, I had two friends at Southwest Airlines, Tonda Montague and Donna Holm, who told me about an opening in DAL Maintenance. I think their good recommendations helped me get my foot in the door.
My first position was somewhat like a secretary for the Tech Services (now Engineering) Department. I typed all the Maintenance Department’s manuals on a typewriter (yes, for those in the know, it was a Selectric). Whenever we got a new airplane, I had to type the Ops Specs on my typewriter. The form was two pages, and I was not allowed to make even one mistake! Trust me, that was not easy. Sometimes I was down to the last word and someone would walk up to ask a question, and oops, time to start over.
I had to make copies of all the manuals and send them to all Stations. We only had one copier, and it had a collator on it. Some of the manuals were on colored paper, so I was constantly having to change out the paper to let people in. Then I had to punch holes in the copies I sent out, so they could be put in manuals out at the stations. We did not have audex, so I had to answer everyone’s phones and put the message on pink pads (you remember those, right?).
We had less planes, but everyone wore more than one hat. My boss wanted me to pass out the mail a minimum of twice a day, so I was constantly putting mail in everyone’s basket, then taking their mail to the outgoing mail. I also had to revise all their manuals, even the SWA phone book, which was in paper form.
I used to wonder, “Why doesn’t SWA have mail codes?” My boss asked me to send something to “Chris”, so I mailed it to the only Chris in Maintenance. However, it was supposed to go to Flight Ops to their VP. One of the managers in the department was named Ben, and he and I always used to get each other’s mail (Ben/Bev)…it was quite a challenge.
Despite the difficulty, I felt I had found a home. Everyone was so friendly and we all knew each other and looked out for another, somewhat like it is now, but on a much smaller scale.
A particular story about Herb comes to mind: Larry Barrett was the QC Director in 1983, back when there was a SWA Management Club. Larry invited me to the club, but I politely responded, "Thanks, but I am not in management." Insisting that I go, Larry told me he wanted me to meet Herb.
I said, "Herb won't want to meet me, he's far too busy." Plus, I didn't feel I was all that important.
Larry assured me that Herb would love to meet me, and when it was my turn to talk to him, he acted as if I was the only one in the room. And it is true, he never forgets a name. From that time on, he's always smiled and greeted me with a, "Hi, Bev!"
I am so thankful that I came here and stayed. My old boss at Braniff tried to get me to leave Southwest and come back to Braniff, and I wondered if I should. Thank goodness I didn’t.
I only wish I had come here in 1973, when I moved to Texas. Before that, I was on the West Coast and had never heard of Southwest Airlines.
How things change!