Earlier this year, Southwest Airlines welcomed the inaugural group of Southwest Storytellers to our Headquarters in Dallas for a dose of Southwest Hospitality and history before they began their year-long journey as the Company's first social media ambassadors. The Southwest Storytellers program brings together a group of loyal Customers who are also influential on social media to share their travels with their many followers. The inaugural group spans both coasts and includes a former professional football player, a radio personality, and a barefoot water skier. You can follow along on their adventures using the hashtag #SouthwestStorytellers or through their personal social media handles on all social channels.
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The 2018 Southwest Storytellers
Name: Dani Austin, @Daniaustin
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Home Airport: Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: 25 years. Technically, I've been flying Southwest since before I was born. My mom still gets mad at my dad for not investing in Southwest back in the day.
Favorite Southwest Memory: My favorite Southwest memory is when my fiancé flew out both of our families to Los Angeles on Southwest buddy passes (his dad works on the Ramp at DAL!) when he proposed to me on a helipad.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Costa Rica
Name: Joey Price, @joeyvpriceHR
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland
Home Airport: Baltimore–Washington International Airport (BWI)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: 11
Favorite Southwest Memory: It's so hard to choose but I have to go with flying Southwest during Labor Day Weekend 2017 to see my Terps beat the Texas Longhorns in a surprise upset! I'm sure there will be many more memories though. Southwest consistently connects me with the people— and experiences—that I love!
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Grand Cayman Islands!(with my out of office message up on email and my phone on do not disturb for the entire trip)!
Name: Justin Forsett, @jforsett
Hometown: Prosper, Texas
Home Airport: Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: Over 15 years
Favorite Southwest Memory: The plane ride home after my retirement from football. I was traveling to my new home in Texas with my entire family. It was special because we were starting a new chapter together.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Hawaii!
Name: Karen Putz, @agelesspassions
Hometown: Naperville, Illinois
Home Airport: Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: Since they started service in 1985 in Chicago!
Favorite Southwest Memory: I sent out a tweet about how thankful I was to be able to fly my wetsuit bag for free—after my last barefoot water skiing week in Florida in October. Southwest sent me a warm fleece blanket to get me through the winter months until I could barefoot again!
Bucket List Southwest Destination: I want to barefoot water ski in Hawaii and Turks and Caicos—both are on the bucket list!
Name: Kody McCormick, @the_outboundlife
Hometown: Lake Zurich, Illinois
Home Airport: Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: Four years. I’m an adventure filmmaker, which means I always travel with a lot of stuff. You know the saying … bags fly free.
Favorite Southwest Memory: In fall 2017, I flew to Portland and proposed to my fiancée, Lisa, at Cannon Beach. We are getting married in September 2018!
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Hawaii! I think we’re all waiting for this destination to hit the market.
Name: Kyler McCormick, @the_outboundlife
Hometown: Lake Zurich, Illinois
Home Airport: Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: Four years. At the time we started The Outbound Life, it quickly became clear that every other airline was going to charge us out the wazoo to bring all the camera gear we needed. We never looked back!
Favorite Southwest Memory: One time I accidentally left my laptop on a plane after landing for a really important project. My heart just about stopped. I run my business off my computer, and I couldn’t back up footage without it. Southwest’s Customer Service Agents ended up going full out Batman and updated us throughout the night until they found it, and sent it back our way. I’ve always loved Southwest, but I think that’s the moment I became a lifelong fan.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Montego Bay, Jamaica
Name: Leslie Harvey, @tripswithtykes
Hometown: Alameda, California
Home Airport:
Oakland International Airport (OAK)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: At least 30 years—maybe longer!
Favorite Southwest Memory: The time a Flight Attendant gave my pretzel-loving eight-year-old daughter all the leftover Southwest pretzels on the plane. My daughter had Southwest pretzels in her lunchbox every day for weeks!
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Anywhere in Hawaii, of course!
Name: Lucas Hoge, @Lucashoge
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Home Airport: Nashville International Airport (BNA)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: Over18 years
Favorite Southwest Memory: A few years ago, I was boarding a Southwest flight at BNA and one of the Flight Attendants recognized me from my music and that I was a Cabelas ambassador. We proceeded to talk about Cabelas and I gave him my Cabelas hat that I was wearing and he was thrilled! I love encounters like that and I hope to cross paths with him again one day.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Hawaii.
Name: Rob Sesser, @robsessed85
Hometown: Born and raised in Walla Walla, Washington now living in Dallas, Texas
Home Airport: Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Numbers of Years Flying Southwest: 10 years
Favorite Southwest Memory: Flying the Love to Love party plane to see the Beatles Love Cirque Du Soleil show in Vegas
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Mexico City
Name: Rocky Turner, @rocktholla
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Home Airport: Dallas Love Field (DAL)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: 18
Favorite Southwest Memory: When I gave up my seat to a crying elderly woman that was on standby of a full flight trying to get home.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Name: Sakura Considine, @sakuraconsidine
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan but I now live in Phoenix
Home Airport: Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX)
Number of Years Flying Southwest: 13 years
Favorite Southwest Memory: I remember getting stuck in the airport for hours in San Francisco one time because of the weather and the Southwest Crew lifted everyone’s spirits by orchestrating a big scavenger hunt at the gates around us so we could have some fun! I thought that was the most clever thing I had ever experienced.
Bucket List Southwest Destination: Hawaii! I am really excited about Southwest beginning service to Hawaii.
