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Southwest's Milwaukee All-Stars Get Some Relief From the Pros

bhawkins
Explorer A

One of the great things about airports is people watching.  Even if you're not into airplanes or the air travel experience, you're bound to see something or someone memorable on a trip to a busy terminal like Milwaukee's Mitchell International.  

And when you throw in the hometown fans' love of— alright, let's call it an obsession with— baseball and the Milwaukee Brewers, one group that showed up Tuesday afternoon to pinch hit for Southwest Employees didn't stand a chance of sliding in under the radar.

It's the first time Southwest, Official Airline of the Milwaukee Brewers, has brought our beloved and successful Trading Places experience to Brewtown.  For Yovani Gallardo and Jonathan Lucroy, it's also a first — having a hand in running the largest domestic airline in the country.

Trading Places

“Let’s begin pre-boarding for people who need extra time to get down the jetway,” said Jonathan Lucroy at the mic of Gate D52.  Just more than 12 hours earlier, he and teammate Gallardo were wrapping up extra innings at Miller Park.

Gallardo and Lucroy had the insider, Southwest experience, doing what our Milwaukee Employees do so safely and predictably every day – bringing in an aircraft, off-loading baggage and cargo while Customers deplane above.  Then, inside 25 minutes, reverse the whole process and get the outbound flight in the air, ontime.

Of course, it’s not every day that you have a Major League ballplayer take your boarding pass or help push a plane off the gate.  Bernie the Brewer™ threw in his support and the The Famous Racing Sausages™ also cheered on the 25-minute turn.

Trading Places

“I almost didn’t know what to think,” Southwest Customer Pat Pulaski said with a giant grin as he walked down the jet bridge.  “On Southwest you know you’re going to get good service and a low fare, but you’re never quite sure what fun is going to happen.  This is the best surprise ever!”

Southwest flight 2146 to Tampa Bay pushed on-time.  Nice job, guys!  Now, imagine doing that successfully, 3,400 times each day across the Country.  Our Pros make that look easy even on the toughest of days.

"I'm going to ask them if they'd like to come back and work the ramp in January," said Doug Rutledge, Southwest's Milwaukee Station Leader, "and we'll go wrap up this homestand against the Giants.  That sound fair?  Ha!"

For more photos of Trading Places:  The Milwaukee Brewers and Southwest Airlines, please visit swamedia.com

2 Comments
MikeB1
Explorer C
I am really looking into finding how to get a job in your community relations department. You guys have sent me on some of the best flights ever, and the things you do for and in and with you community are amazing! How can I get more information?!?!
Alex_M_
Explorer C
Just stumbled on your blog today. It's a coincidence that I'm studying marketing in Milwaukee and this is the first post I see on your blog. It's awesome to see big corporations getting social media marketing right. Keep it up.