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Veterans Day on Southwest Airlines

cquinlan
Explorer C

Southwest Airlines named November our “Military Heroes Month,” to show appreciation for the military men and women who protect our many Freedoms. Currently, we have more than 750 Employees serving in the National Guard and Reserves.

To celebrate all service members, Southwest works with various nonprofit organizations across the country throughout the year and has events planned around our system for Customers and Employees throughout the month.

Here’s what you can expect when traveling with us this Veteran’s Day:

Onboard all flights and at all Southwest airports, announcements will be made for the men and women of the military to priority board; they will also be encouraged to deplane first.

We have partnered with A Million Thanks, a year-round campaign that shows appreciation to service members through letters, e-mails, and cards, to provide postcards in all Southwest airports and on our aircraft to enable our Customers and Employees to write a letter of thanks and encouragement for our military members on Veteran’s Day. These postcards will then be sent to service members to appreciate and recognize their service.

If you happen to travel through the San Antonio airport, you will see Employees celebrating Veteran’s Day by dedicating a commemorative exhibit titled “24-7 Southwest Airlines’ Family & Friends Tribute to the Military.” Our San Antonio Employees organized this exhibit to pay tribute and say thanks to service members who pass through the airport every day. A ceremony will be held at noon with the San Antonio Mayor and Southwest Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Herb Kelleher, and President Emeritus, Colleen Barrett, dedicating the art to our military men and women.



As you see service members on Veteran’s Day, please say thanks to them for protecting our Freedoms.

 

12 Comments
Rick30
Explorer C
How about offering free airfare to Veterans with Honorable Discharges who fly on Veterans Day and return within 3 days, hmmm, that would REALLY show your appreciation for Veterans!
Anonymous4564
Explorer C
To all the men and woman that are overseas fighting for us risking their lives I salute you and those who are scheduled to be deployed again my prayers are with you and your families.
Anonymous3143
Explorer C
Thank-you Veterans! My deepest appreciation for keeping this GREAT Nation FREE! My husband is flying SouthWest from Sacramento, CA to Detroit this Satuday, he served in the Navy & retired from the Navy Reserves in 2002 after almost 30 years of active and Reserve Service,How kind Southwest recognizes them!
czechlady
Explorer C
How about giving our military a half price rate regardless when they fly, a good way to show yours & our appreciation for a job well done.
Hugh
Explorer C
How about offering a free drink to retired and active duty military members upon display of a military ID card? You offer a free drink to mothers on Mother's Day and fathers on Fathers Day and there's a lot more of those than there are active duty and retired military members.
TK2
Explorer C
Boarding a 650 flight out of RDU near Ft. Bragg with my active duty husband, and no priority board announcement for military. 😞
Dukiedawg
Explorer C
Getting on Flt 1945 and they announced current or retired military could board early. What about those that served their time honorably or were medically discharged?
Andy_GeeWhizKid
Explorer C
Awesome way for a business to do what it can to honor those who serve to ensure our freedom.
Don
Explorer C
I love Southwest but your talk was just that - just talk. There was no preboarding of veterans on flight 407 from FLL to JAX on Veterans Day and no getting off the aircraft first as stated. It appears that you have a failure to communicate with your crew members? If Southwest can offer free drinks to mothers on Mother's Day, fathers on Father's Day, to everyone on Halloween and on Thanksgiving Day (I saw those on the drink card in my seat back on Veterans Day morning), and Lord knows what else you offer throughout the year, then why not free drinks for veterans on Veterans Day? If you're going to talk the talk then do the walk as they say. Thanks anyhow!
Anonymous4469
Explorer C
HOW ABOUT GIVING POSITIVE SPACE ON A BUDDY PASS TO EMPLOYEES SPOUSES AND CHILDREN WHO ARE TRYING TO GET HOME FROM THE MILITARY DURING THE HOLIDAYS ON A BUDDY PASS, NOW THAT WOULD BE PERFECT!!!!!!!
E_Morse
Explorer C
On Veterans Day, My husband who is a Veteran was not given the opportunity to board on either flight first as you said as a matter of fact it was never even mention. I feel that he as well as other Veterans were left out. This trip we made was from Washington Dulles Airport to Houston Texas. I think he as a Veteran of 20 years of service as well as others on that flight should be given a free flight of their choice or at least a cash voucher towards another flight.
gmoix
Explorer C
I am currently a member of the us air force, my wife and I flew out of san antonio airport (military city usa) to chi midway on veterans day. No announcements were made made for the men and women of the military to priority board on my flight nor was there a message to to deplane first upon arrival at midway airport. I also noticed on the drink card southwest was giving out a free drinks to anyone flying on thanksgiving, did southwest every think of doing this for those serving or have served on veterans day?