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Fly Me To The Moon

sheaser
Frequent Flyer B
In case you were wondering, the earth’s circumference is 24,900 miles around and the moon 238,857 miles away. What does this have to do with a podcast about Southwest Airlines? Well this podcast is about travel. Whaaa? A podcast from Southwest Airlines about travel? Yes. Go back and check the archives, I feel this is the first. (I suppose someone might argue there is one other.)

As you may know, one of the perks of working for an airline is the ability to fly for free or for very cheap. Southwest Airlines Employees can fly on Southwest if there is a seat available, and we have agreements with other carriers that allow us to fly stand-by for a fee. The further the flight the higher the fee, but you get the idea. It is nice, but pretty much every Employee has a horror story of sitting in an airport watching plane after plane load and depart leaving him or her sitting there without a boarding pass.

But luck is what you make it, and Katie Coldwell (part-time blogger) uses her travel privileges like no one I have ever known. I used to work with Amber, a graphic designer, who in her first six months of employment was only home three weekends. But even Amber can’t hold a flame to the times Katie has been told “Put your seat-back in the upright position…”

What is even better is that she has tracked her travel since she started at Southwest in 2000. (Here is where I tie the earth-moon thing together.) Her logged miles would have taken her around the world a number of times but to learn how many, and if she could have gotten to the moon, listen to my interview with Katie on this week’s edition of Red Belly Radio. Better yet, subscribe in iTunes and get it delivered through the magic of RSS to your iTunes account every Wednesday.
5 Comments
john-churchill
Explorer C
That's a mighty fine looking logo up there ... it almost gives me some direction with my news. Keep up the good work, Heaserman! I enjoy reading your posts and checking out Red Belly Radio ...
Kathi
Explorer C
I'm seeing a New Hire promotion with that beautiful logo. "Let Southwest help you find your way"! Great interview, thanks for the fun facts.
sheaser
Frequent Flyer B
BTW--John C. Helped design the above logo.
bob-collie
Explorer C
Let Katie know that there is something better than her spreadsheet: www.flightmemory.com! Great podcast! Consider doing a B737 MX podcast going over what is required to maintain a SWA B737 - A, C, D checks and overnight line MX.
Alexandro
Explorer C
Hi! Hello to all WN folks. Congrats on running a great airline! I have one question and would very much appreciate some info. As a WN employee what kind of discounts are made available to travel to S. America, Mexico, and Europe? Can one expect ZED/ID90'S/ID75's or what type of discounts? I am hoping to get hired maybe this year, but I am curious how expensive it would get if I plan on traveling every now and then to say Mexico City, Bogota, etc.? Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and take care. Alex