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Southwest Airlines Will Soon Offer Customers the Ability to Book Unaccompanied Minors (UMs) on Southwest.com DALLAS, April 16, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --On Friday, April 23, Southwest Airlines Customers will have the ability to book Unaccompanied Minors (UMs) on southwest.com! Currently, Customers booking UM travel must complete their transaction and fill out the necessary paperwork once they arrive at the airport. Southwest will soon offer this service via southwest.com - allowing passengers the added convenience of entering their information online and giving them more quality time to spend with their young travelers at the airport before they depart. "We continuously evaluate our UM process to ensure that we deliver the best possible service to our young Customers who are traveling alone," said Teresa Laraba, Southwest's Senior Vice President of Customer Services. "During a recent audit, we identified several opportunities, including the creation of an online booking tool for UMs and an enhancement in the Employee training that comes along with handling our young passengers who are flying solo." Children ages five through 11 traveling without an accompanying Passenger age 12 or older must travel as Unaccompanied Minors (UMs) on Southwest Airlines. Unaccompanied Minors may only travel on nonstop or direct flights. The UM program does not permit direct or connecting flights. In addition to the new online booking feature, parents and guardians should know that the UM service charge will go from $25 to $50 each way, which is still among the lowest in the industry. Even with the increase in service charge, Southwest will continue to absorb some of the cost associated with the extra care necessary to safely transport Unaccompanied Minors. Last year, Southwest implemented a $25 each way service charge, in addition to the fare or Rapid Rewards Award ticket, for Customers who are traveling as an Unaccompanied Minor. The new Unaccompanied Minor service charge will apply to tickets purchased on April 23, 2010, and later. Children traveling on tickets booked before April 23 (even if traveling after that date) will still pay $25 each way at a Southwest ticket counter. "The increase in our UM service charge will help us cover the added costs that come along with safely transporting our youngest travelers, while still allowing us to maintain our competitive Low Fare advantage," said Laraba. For additional information on Southwest's Unaccompanied Minor program, visit the Company's website at southwest.com. After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience, with all leather seats, all Boeing 737 jets. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, currently serving 68 cities in 35 states (Southwest will launch service to Panama City Beach, FL on May 23, 2010). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. ... View more

We like to think that all of the 68 airports (soon to be 69 with the addition of the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport in May) that Southwest Airlines serves are important, but some hold a unique historical distinction, like the Bob Hope Airport in Burbank.  Southwest’s history at Burbank goes back 20 years to April 16, 1990.  Until 1947, Los Angeles International was a minor commercial airport on the edge of the city.  Burbank, along with the long-gone Grand Central Airport in Glendale were the primary commercial airports for the greater Los Angeles area.  And while on the subject of Southern California airports, until the dawn of the jet age, almost every airline passenger in the world flew on an airframe built in Southern California by either Lockheed at Burbank, Convair in San Diego, or the two Douglas plants in Santa Monica and Long Beach.  This week for Flashback Friday, I want to take a look back at Burbank’s long history and at Southwest’s inaugural Burbank flight 20 years ago.  Special thanks  go out to Lucy Burghdorf at the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority for supplying these fantastic early photos of the airport.  To see the airport’s web site, click here. The Burbank Airport opened with a big air show as the United (Airlines) Airport on May 30, 1930.  As we can see in the photo below, a large crowd saw Army Air Corps airplanes put on quite a show.  Note how rural this part of the San Fernando Valley was 80 years ago. Because of the Lockheed plant at the airport, the Burbank facility was considered to be a high threat target for Japanese naval aircraft during the first part of World War II.  The factory, terminal building, and parking lots were covered with ingenious camouflage netting that was designed to make the facility look like city streets.  Below, we see the underside of the netting over the parking lot and the terminal entrance.   After the end of World War II, the airport, now known as the Lockheed Air Terminal, was the primary commercial airport for the Los Angeles Area.  As we saw a few weeks ago, Los Angeles International didn’t become the primary airport until late 1947.  The view below is probably from 1945 or early 1946 because of the aircraft depicted. The TWA L-049 Constellation is just a few yards away from its birthplace (to the upper left corner out of the photo), and it is still in the original all-metal livery.  Another clue to the date is the DC-3s belonging to United, American, and TWA. American and TWA replaced their DC-3s on flights to the coast with newer equipment as soon as they could after the war.  (United had local service routes in California up until the mid-1960s.)  The Lockheed plant, which has been razed, is world famous in aviation circles.  Commercial airliners produced here included the pre-war single-engined Vega; the speedy Lockheed twins; the four-engined Constellation series, which included the ultimate piston airliner, the L-1649; and the turboprop Lockheed Electra II.  (The L-1011 TriStar was built in Palmdale.)  Among the many military aircraft produced here were the P-38 Lightning, the Hudson patrol bomber (the military version of the Lodestar), the U.S.’s first jet fighter, the F-80, and the first versions of the P-3 Orion, the Navy’s patrol bomber version of the Electra—just to name a few.  (Actually, a true aviation historian just reminded me that the Bell P-59 was the first US jet fighter, but the F-80 would be the first "successful" fighter.)  Burbank was the original home to Lockheed’s “Skunk Works” that would go on to design such aircraft as the F-104, U-2, SR-71, and F-117 Stealth Fighter.  The view of the plant below is from the early 1970s. After the airlines moved to LAX, Burbank became the home to charter carriers like Flying Tigers and supllemental carriers.  With the rise of air travel demand in California, intrastate carriers like PSA had large operations at Burbank.  After PSA was acquired by US Airways in 1988, the larger carrier began a withdrawal from intra California routes.  Southwest opened our operation at Burbank on April 16, 1990, and the photos below come from our own archives.  The first is a view outside of the terminal’s main entrance. Inside, Herb was talking to representatives from the Los Angeles media. At the ribbon cutting ceremonies, Herb used a really big pair of scissors.  I don’t know if you can see, but it looks as though dollar bills are part of the ribbon.   Meanwhile, things looked a bit hectic at the checkin gate. Our Employees are working Flight #604 to Oakland. By our first birthday in Burbank, we had become the airport's largest carrier.  Interestingly, Burbank is the only airport we serve without jetbridges, and folks walk out on the ramp and board the aircraft the same way they have since the airport opened 80 years ago. ... View more

Who knew that Southwest Airline’s CEO, President, and Chairman, Gary Kelly, is also an artistic genius?  The proof is in the picture below, and it looks like Gary's work is from his "Blue Period."  Okay, Gary, maybe you should keep your day job, but the beauty in this art is the meaning behind its creation.  Gary was one of many Dallasites asked to complete an original work of art on canvas for the Art From the Heart Celebrity Auction and Benefit to be held on Friday April 30.   The event is sponsored by Dallas Challenge, which is a 25-year-old agency that has helped 125,000 youth in trouble to stay in school, off of drugs and alcohol, and out of trouble.  For more information about the event and Dallas Challenge, visit their web site.   Oh, and there is no truth to the rumor that Gary is accepting commissions for future art work. ... View more

As you may have read, Southwest Airlines celebrated our 30th Anniversary of serving Albuquerque (ABQ) on April 6.  For this week’s edition of Flashback Fridays, I thought we could take a look back at the opening festivities from 30 years ago.  Anytime we open a new station, there is always a lot of celebrating, and as you will see, that tradition goes back at least three decades.  But before we look at Southwest’s first day in the Land of Enchantment, let’s take a look at an early shot of the “new” Albuquerque Terminal.  (Check out the TWA Convair 880s and the Continental Viscount) New in this context is a relative term.  Above is a view from one of my postcards showing the terminal right after it opened in 1965.  The satellite gate building has yet to open, and today’s terminal only bears a resemblance to the building we see above.  An upper level concourse now fills the area where the yet-to-be-opened satellite and the old hangars are standing.  The main lobby now has two levels with baggage claim on the lower level.  For a video of the airport's history, with views of the old terminal, click here. My history with the airport goes back to the previous terminal building, which opened in 1939.  This building still stands, visible from the current terminal, and it currently contains offices and is on the National Register of Historic Places.  That original terminal was also built in the Pueblo Style for which New Mexico, my home state, is famous.  As a child when I traveled through the old terminal, it was totally outgrown, but I remember how cool and inviting it was inside.  In 1980, ABQ was the first Southwest destination outside of Texas heading west, and as you can see from in these photos from our Archives, our arrival there was a very big deal.  Above we see the large crowd on the ramp to welcome our first arrival.  Note that one of the airport hotels, the Airport Marina, wanted their presence to be known to arriving Customers.  Inside the gate area, we see two of our Flight Attendants holding a cake decorated for the occasion.  Check out the giant party percolator in the background.  Once the photo was taken and the cake cut, our Flight Attendants served drinks to Customers in the gate area.  We may have cleaned out the city's supply of cut flowers. The local media was out in force, and Herb is interviewed by a local reporter (above).  It looks like the reporter is enjoying his “camera time.” To kick off the outbound flight, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held under the tail of N24SW.  In the view above, we see reporters from at least four news organizations setting up for a shot of the ceremonies. And here is Herb, along with local dignitaries, getting ready to cut the ribbon.  With the festivities over, N24SW is ready to depart with the first outbound flight, and it looks as though it will “power out” from the gate without being pushed back.  Next week, we will flashback to the opening of our Burbank operation.   ... View more

Last week we looked at an airport with a rich aviation history, Chicago Midway, and this week, we take Flashback Friday to “the coast” for an airport with which everyone is familiar (thanks to television and movies), even if they have never visited the facility, and that airport is Los Angeles International (LAX).  Compared to Midway, LAX is a relative youngster because prior to the end of World War II, airlines serving the Los Angeles area primarily used Glendale’s Grand Central Airport or the Lockheed Air Terminal at Burbank (today’s Burbank airport). Like we did a few weeks ago with Dallas Love Field, let’s use some post cards to look at LAX before Southwest Airlines flew there.  The photo above is a shot of the original terminal taken in the mid 1950s looking toward the northeast and downtown Los Angeles.  This facility was located to the east of the current complex, but as you can see, it utilized a series of separate terminals also.  Century Boulevard runs from the middle left edge of the postcard to the upper middle right.  Note how full the parking lots are—there’s no doubt that Angelenos loved their cars.  Sharp-eyed airline geeks will notice the Pan American Boeing Stratocrusier parked at the end of the lower row of gates.  Our viewpoint is just over Sepulveda Boulevard, and the current terminal complex will be built behind us.  Today, the area to the left of Century is filled with hotels. Here’s a view above from the other direction toward the west.  We get to see three of the four terminal buildings, and it’s obvious the terminals were built with California sunshine in mind.  The terrace in the middle terminal on the second floor was part of the airport’s restaurant.  The script “Los Angeles International” is where the ocean would be, and the current terminal complex would start right under the words.  The hangar with the round top at the upper right is the old Western Airlines headquarters and is currently part of Delta’s maintenance complex at the airport.  If you look just above the United DC-6B at the lower left, you will see a group of passengers standing under and next to the small building waiting for flight boarding.  Although my postcard is damaged, I wanted to share the scene above with you because it gives a great idea of what flying was like in the late 1950s.  The passengers from the Continental DC-7B are deplaning on a gold carpet—the airline advertised Gold Carpet Service.  Look at the vintage fuel truck and the ladder behind the #1 engine for the fueler to use to climb up on the wing.  Now we are looking at an early view (above) of the current complex.  Only the United terminal at the lower left is completed and in use.  Note the lack of cars in the rest of the parking lots.  This view is from 1961.  Terminal One used by Southwest isn’t even planned at this date, and the site is filled with the airport’s employee parking lot, which is the open site at the right of the photo.  Another later addition will be the Bradley International Terminal which will run across the photo at the top of the terminal complex.  Today, the roadway through the terminal is on two levels, and parking garages fill the space between the terminals.  In addition, the original terminals have been extensively remodeled.  One of the next terminals to open was Terminal Four used by American.  The view above looks to the west on a very clear day.  At the bottom of the frame, we see cars belonging to the construction workers at Western’s Terminal Five.  The current Bradley International Terminal occupies the site where the North/South crosswind runway is located immediately above the American terminal, and the area beyond is currently filled with hangars and remote gates.  You can see Point Dume, the northern limit of Malibu, just under the “c” in “Pacific.” My dad was transferred to LAX with Continental in 1962, so the airport has always been one of my favorites.  We lived in El Segundo, immediately to the left of the last photo above, and for five years, the airport was part of my daily life.  In fact, Dad took me inside the satellite for Terminal Six before it opened to the public.  Later, when I was with Delta, I went to LAX for training and got to see behind the scenes in the operations area, the old Western hangar, and the employee restaurant at the base of the signature Theme Building.  I do love LA. ... View more

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RESPONDS TO WESTJET COMMENTS IN THE NEWS MEDIA   DALLAS - April 1, 2010- Southwest Airlines learned from media reports this week that WestJet apparently intends to enter into a codeshare agreement with Delta Air Lines.   At about the same time, Southwest learned of a deal by which Delta would transfer slots at LaGuardia Airport in New York to WestJet.  A codeshare between WestJet and Delta, as indicated in media reports, could be inconsistent with the agreement presently in place between Southwest and WestJet. “The Southwest/WestJet project was on target in accordance with a mutually agreed upon timetable,” said Bob Jordan , Southwest’s Executive Vice President of Strategy and Planning.  “However, WestJet in recent weeks requested material and significant changes to our agreement that we could not accept.  We are, and always have been, prepared to move forward to implement our agreement with WestJet.  We have not yet been notified of WestJet’s intent to terminate that agreement.  If we are so notified in order for WestJet to consummate its deal with Delta, Southwest remains very interested in offering our loyal Customers service to Canada via the most efficient means possible.” Based in Dallas , Southwest (NYSE: LUV) currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.    www.southwest.com ... View more

On St.Patrick’s Day, Southwest Airlines celebrated 25 years of service to Chicago Midway Airport, and I thought this would be a good occasion to take Flashback Fridays on the road to look at some history in another city.  There is no doubt that Midway’s magnificent new terminal is a jewel, and it is convenient and comfortable—even with great food choices.  However, I may be in a tiny minority, but I miss the old terminal.  I got well acquainted with the old terminal during a 1995 trip when I was doing research for a story about the airport that appeared in Airways magazine.  The views above and below show that the building retained its original look from when it was designed in 1942.  Due to World War II, the building didn’t completely open until 1947.  Even though it was completed after the war, its art deco appearance is more similar to the prewar terminals at LaGuardia (especially the Marine Air Terminal) and Paris LeBourget, rather than its true postwar contemporaries at airports like San Francisco and Seattle/Tacoma.  In the round area underneath the original control tower is where Marshall Field’s Cloud Room Restaurant (a very popular Chicago dining destination) was located for many years. The view above hadn’t changed since Cary Grant stepped out of his cab in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest to check in at the Northwest ticket counter.  Cary's cab stopped just under the "A" in "Chicago."  In 1959, Midway was the world’s busiest airport with 10.4 million annual passengers and 431,400 airline movements.  In 1996, the terminal matched those passenger numbers, but it did it with 174,400 fewer flights.  When I first stepped into the lobby, it was crowded and bustling just like it must have been in 1959.  This just goes to show that aviation’s “golden age” wasn't always serene.  To see a video of Midway at its zenith, click here.  The coming of the early jets doomed Midway.  The airport used to sit in exactly a square of one mile, and the runways simply were unable to handle 707s and DC-8s.  The airlines packed up and moved to O’Hare, and Midway was a ghost town.  It wasn’t until the advent of the DC-9, 727, and 737 that airlines began to venture back to the South Side.  To entice them, the airport tore down the slightly older International Terminal that was located farther south on Cicero Avenue, and they also tore down the original concourses on the main terminal and built new, longer concourses.  (Keep in mind that all of the passenger spaces were on just one level.)  Several airlines did move some services back to Midway, but by the early 80s, only Delta was left with a few DC-9s to St. Louis. Below, we see the concourse that occupied the site where the former International Terminal stood.  Southwest used this concourse and we see the control tower that replaced the original tower on top of the terminal.  (A new tower has replaced this building.)  In the view below, we see a Southwest flight parked along one of the “new” concourse.  Even though the concourses are all one level, jetbridges were used.  Customers would wait on the ground level and then climb stairs up to the jetbridge.  (Lifts were provided for disabled Customers.)  Midway’s rebirth began in the 80s, when Chicago-based Midway Airlines began operating from the airport.  When Midway went bankrupt in 1990, Southwest quickly expanded our service.  Today, we are the airport’s largest carrier. Looking below, we see a shot between the inner two concourses, from where many of the other carriers operated.  It’s interesting to note the neither Air South nor Kiwi are still in business, and America West purchased US Airways and kept the US Airways name.  During the time when Midway was the world’s busiest airport, this area would have been filled with DC6s, DC-7s, Constellations, Convair Liners, and other prop aircraft parked all over the place.  Here’s a link to a photo from that time. And finally, the view below is of the terminal from Cicero Avenue.  The current concourses sit where the terminal is in this view, and the current terminal would be off the screen to the left on the other side of Cicero.  Amazingly, given the tight quarters Midway occupies, the City of Chicago was able to build an entirely new terminal complex without severely disrupting any airline operations.     We are very proud of our home in the new terminal and concourse at Midway, and we are equally proud of our 25-year history in the Windy City.  Stay tuned for next Friday to see where we flash back. ... View more

It started with an e-mail in my mailbox.  It was from Stacey Vanek-Smith, a reporter at National Public Radio’s “Marketplace” program, and she wanted to interview me for a story about “traditional” companies using social media.  Stacey had worked with my former Coworker, Paula Berg, and since I am not only the old man in the office here but also the “ancient blogger” with four years of experience in the blogosphere, I became Paula’s stand in. Although I have spoken at some conferences before about our social media efforts, I am a total neophyte when it comes to broadcast interviews, especially when you look at the other folks on our Communications Team.  Brad and Paul are both former “anchormen,” and many of the others are regularly interviewed on camera and on "the record."  The last time I was on air was wayyy back in college and never on a national network, so needless to say, I was a bit nervous. Shomial, the audio technician arrived a little before lunch, and we set up the interview in my office.  She had a small boom mike, and she was recording my voice while I listened to the questions from Stacey over the phone.  It sounds complicated, but it wasn't.  After 30 minutes of questions about all aspects of our social media efforts, the interview was over.  Besides the blog, we talked about our use of Twitter and Facebook.  Stacey sent me the information about the air date, and I let all my friends know about my date with audio stardom.  Here in Dallas, Marketplace airs on KERA FM Radio at 6:30 pm, so like folks did back before television, my wife and I sat down to eat our dinner while listening to my interview.  I don't know what Shomial or the other technicians did, but this was the only time I haven't cringed and run for cover while listening to my recorded voice.   In case you would like to listen for yourself, the folks at Marketplace gave us permission to use the interview on our blog, and Steve Heaser included it in this week's Red Belly Radio podcast at the lower right of our home page or click here to listen.  If you would like to read a transcript of the show then click here.  (If you are reading the transcript, they gave credit for my first lines to Shel Holtz.  I was the one who said, "It's like my head is spinning, cause I mean, I didn't even know what a blog was five years ago."  I'm sure Shel was already knee-deep into the blogosphere at that point, so he would have known what a blog is. Next, I guess I am going to have to worry about who gets top-billing. ... View more

Meetup, tweetup, post, comment, sell! If you think you're having social media management issues, consider the plight of big companies. They're trying to stay connected to customers whose main mode of communication is social networking. Stacey Vanek-Smith reports. A sign on the table of a Ford Motor Co. tweetup. (Courtesy of Scott Monty / Ford Motor Co.) Links PHOTO GALLERY: View Slideshow Ford's Manhattan Tweetup page on Facebook (Login required to see full page) Southwest Airlines' Facebook page (Login required to see full page) Ford Motor Co.'s Scott Monty, at left in pink shirt, hosts a "tweetup" at a Starbucks inside the Empire State Building. Brian Lusk, Southwest Airlines' manager of communications. TEXT OF STORY Kai Ryssdal: Here is a completely random but somehow also completely stunning Internet statistic. The research firm Hitwise reported today that 14 percent of all Internet visits last week went to just two sites. Google.com was one of them. Facebook.com was the other. It actually had more hits than Google did. So you know what that means. It's going to get even harder to keep up with your Facebook page. To say nothing of your Twitter feed, your LinkedIn account and all the rest. But if you think you're having social media management issues, consider the Internet plight of big companies. Desperately trying to stay connected to their customers whose main mode of communication is fast becoming social networking. Marketplace's Stacey Vanek-Smith reports. STACEY VANEK-SMITH: At a Starbucks inside the Empire State building, about a dozen people are seated at a table, sipping coffee and hunched over their smart phones. This is what's known as a tweetup, a get together set-up on social networking site, Twitter. In this case, by Ford Motor Company. Ford truck owner Jack Monson came to the Tweet-up. He's deep in conversation with the other people at the table but nobody's actually talking. JACK MONSON: Actually, we're sitting at the table, and I'm already in touch with them over Twitter. We've already shared a few photos of when some of the folks were speaking at the table, and re-tweeted those photos, and we're actually talking about what the other folks at the table are talking about right now. If that just blew your mind, don't worry. Most of corporate America has no idea what to make of it either. But more and more consumers are going to tweet-ups and Facebook pages and blogs to learn about products. So companies are scrambling to adjust, says Sam Ford. He researches social media at MIT. SAM FORD: Corporate America really hasn't completely caught on to how to deal with that yet. You're telling your story directly to the customer now. That changes the game completely. On sites like Facebook and Twitter, companies have to respond to their customers directly and immediately. They also have to keep people interested, with things like coupons or videos. If they succeed, the payoff can be big. Jake Hurwitz: We're driving the Ford Fiesta around the country... Ford recently launched a social networking campaign around the new Fiesta, which goes on sale later this year. Ford loaned Fiestas to young people all over the country and sent them out on adventures. Ford had them blog, shoot video, and post Twitter and Facebook updates. Hurwitz: We're going to tweet clues about what different cities we're in and the first two people to find us, we're going to take them out to dinner. The result? Thousands of Fiestas have been pre-ordered, sight unseen, and the car has better brand recognition than some Ford models that have been around for years. Scott Monty is the head of new media at Ford. He says it took a while to get the company up to speed. When he first asked Ford's CEO if he'd answer some questions on Twitter... SCOTT MONTY: His immediate response was: Sure, what's Twitter? But Monty says, with successes like the Fiesta campaign, everybody's interested in social media now. MONTY: Suddenly, people internally are really excited about it and see the possibilities. We no longer have to educate and convince. That's true at a lot of companies. And consultant Shel Holtz says people with social media expertise are in demand. SHEL HOLTZ: If you look position descriptions for companies that are hiring in their communications department, their marketing department. They're all looking for social skills. Or teaching them. HOLTZ: It's like my head is spinning, cause I mean, I didn't even know what a blog was five years ago. Brian Lusk manages communications at Southwest Airlines. He's worked there for 15 years. Lusk says social media requires transparency, which can be awkward. When filmmaker Kevin Smith was kicked off of a Southwest flight because he was considered too big for one seat, Southwest got hammered on Facebook, Twitter and its own blog. BRIAN LUSK: I think it shows this is a company that's gutsy enough to post these negative comments. They're going to treat me right, because they're not going to hide behind corporate speak. Ford's Scott Monty says companies are still trying to deal with being so exposed, and they'll make mistakes. But the effort is crucial... MONTY: We subscribe to the Woody Allen theory of social media -- 90 percent of social media is just showing up. But Monty jokes, the other 10 percent is half the battle. If companies are smart with social media, they can build new types of relationships with consumers, and if they get it wrong, it's going to be all over Facebook. I'm Stacey Vanek-Smith for Marketplace. ... View more

Oakland International Airport ’s Terminal 2 Awarded Prestigious LEED® Green Building Silver Certification   First Airport Passenger Terminal in the U.S. to be Awarded LEED “Silver,” Saving Energy, Reducing Waste, and Protecting the Environment     Oakland, Calif. (March 17, 2010) – The Port of Oakland announced today that Terminal 2 at Oakland International Airport (OAK) has been awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) Silver Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. OAK received Silver recognition for its environmental leadership in extending and renovating Terminal 2, the first airport passenger terminal in the U.S. to receive the “Silver” level of this prestigious award.   The LEED rating system was developed to encourage and facilitate the development of more sustainable buildings, which meet certain environmental or “green” criteria. OAK’s Terminal 2 extension and renovation, completed in 2007, achieved LEED Silver Certification for conserving energy, material, and water; and incorporating a variety of other sustainable strategies. By using fewer resources, LEED certified buildings save money; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community.   Port of Oakland Board President Victor Uno praised former Port Commissioners who, in 2000, put in motion the Port’s current culture of sustainability. He explained, “Their forward-thinking approach to environmental stewardship, economic vitality and social responsibility led us to where we are today, and will continue to shape our organization’s sustainability efforts for years to come.”    According to Port of Oakland Executive Director Omar Benjamin , “The Port of Oakland’s environmental leadership is exemplified through this prestigious award. Our investment in state-of-the-art green building practices will result in long-term savings of energy, water, and operating costs that will continue throughout the life of Terminal 2. Additionally, our community is benefitting as we are reducing the airport’s operational impact on the environment.”   “Achieving LEED Silver Certification was not an easy process, as it took many years of planning and follow-up by a team of Port employees, tenants and partners. The fact that Oakland International Airport has the first passenger terminal to receive the Silver level of recognition is a testament to this,” said the Port’s Acting Director of Aviation Deborah Ale Flint. “It takes a minimum of 33 credits to achieve LEED Silver Certification, and we earned every one of these through a committed team of people who were intentionally focused and driven by their motivation to protect the environment,” she continued.   "The Port of Oakland ’s LEED Silver certification for its Terminal 2 Project at Oakland International Airport is an accomplishment that the entire community can be proud of, and an outstanding example of how green building practices make the most sense economically and environmentally," said Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO & Founding Chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "By carrying the commitments made in the Port's sustainability policies to the design and construction of Terminal 2, the project team has delivered a building that will yield benefits to the environment, the local community, and the Port's bottom line over the life of the facility."   LEED Silver Certification of OAK’s Terminal 2 extension and renovation was based on a number of green design and construction features that positively impact the project itself and the broader community. These features include:   Q  Energy efficiency measures that exceed California energy standards by 25% and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 211 tons per year. Q  Diversion from landfills of more than 80% of jobsite waste, by recycling or reusing scrap drywall, metal, plywood, carpet, and other materials. Q  Water conservation measures yielding 24% less water use than in a similar conventional building. Q  Selection of paint, carpet, glue, cabinetry, and plywood products that emit few or no volatile organic compounds, or VOCs--the stuff that gives paint that strong smell--and are therefore better for the environment and our traveling public than conventional products. Q  An advanced stormwater treatment system that channels runoff into plant-filled ditches, or swales, providing a natural filtering system that removes pollutants before the water reaches the San Francisco Bay . Q  Innovations such as a “Green Housekeeping” program to reduce environmental and health impacts of cleaning products and chemicals used in the terminals.   OAK’s Terminal 2 project, completed in spring 2007, added 108,000 square feet on two levels, including a new seven-gate concourse (net five boarding gates); expanded ticketing and passenger screening areas; centralized food, beverage and retail shopping areas; a new airport operations dispatch center; and a state-of-the-art mechanical building. Additionally, a new 27,000 square feet baggage claim building, and an in-line explosive detection baggage screening building were opened in summer 2006.   Southwest Airlines, OAK’s largest air carrier, operates exclusively from Terminal 2. Turner Construction, the largest builder of green buildings in the nation, was the prime builder for Terminal 2.   Port of Oakland/Oakland International Airport The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S. ; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport and fourth largest airport in California , offering over 140 daily flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland . Visit portofoakland.com and oaklandairport.com.   U.S. Green Building Council The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With community comprising 78 local affiliates, more than 20,000 member companies and organizations, and more than 100,000 LEED Accredited Professionals, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to soar to $60 billion by 2010. The USGBC leads a diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39% of CO 2 emissions, 40% of energy consumption, 13% water consumption and 15% of GDP per year, making green building a source of significant economic and environmental opportunity. Greater building efficiency can meet 85% of future U.S. demand for energy, and a national commitment to green building has the potential to generate 2.5 million American jobs.   LEED The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED green building certification system is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings.  35,000 projects are currently participating in the LEED system, comprising over 5.6 billion square feet of construction space in all 50 states and 91 countries. By using less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to a healthier environment for residents, workers and the larger community. Visit usgbc.org.   ... View more

Southwest Airlines Celebrates 25 Years of 'LUV' in Chicago DALLAS, March 17, 2010 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Southwest Airlines today is celebrating the carrier's 25th Anniversary of service at Chicago Midway International Airport. To commemorate the occasion, Southwest is celebrating with its Employees and Customers at the Chicago Midway International Airport, complete with the Pipes and Drums of the Chicago Police Department band, decorations, games, prizes, and a media event. Media Event Details: When: Wednesday, March 17 at 11 a.m. CDT Where: Southwest Airlines Ticket Counter, Chicago Midway International Airport What: Officials from Southwest Airlines and Chicago Midway International Airport will give remarks, followed by a presentation from Southwest to the Airport.   "Southwest Airlines has been bringing our wonderful brand of low fares and legendary Customer Service to the Windy City for 25 years," said Southwest's Chicago Midway Station Leader James Story. "We have a lot of people to thank for that, including our hard-working local Employees, our loyal Customers, the city of Chicago, and our friends at the Chicago Midway International Airport who have all been excellent partners and very supportive of our growth and service over the years." "We are pleased to celebrate a 25-year partnership between Southwest Airlines and Midway International Airport," said Rosemarie S. Andolino, Commissioner for the Chicago Department of Aviation. "Midway's success as the premier point-to-point, mid-size airport in the country would not be possible without Southwest's commitment to the City of Chicago and its passengers." Southwest Employees are also celebrating the 25th Anniversary in Chicago by becoming "blanketeers" for the day and creating dozens of blankets to donate to Project Linus, a nonprofit organization "that provides love, a sense of security, warmth and comfort to children who are seriously ill, traumatized, or otherwise in need through the gifts of new, handmade blankets and afghans." The airline's Employees proudly Share the Spirit through volunteering in the communities where they work and live. Southwest Airlines launched service at Chicago Midway on March 17, 1985, with eight daily nonstop flights to St. Louis, which is also celebrating its 25th Anniversary today. Southwest is the largest carrier at Chicago Midway, and the third largest carrier in Chicago, with 198 daily flights to 50 nonstop destinations, as of March 2010. Chicago was the 21st city to join Southwest's system, and is now the second busiest city in the airline's 68-city network. Southwest is the Low-Fare Leader out of Chicago with an average one-way fare of $115 (as of the third quarter of 2009). After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience, with all leather seats, and all Boeing 737 jets. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded, currently serving 68 cities in 35 states (Southwest will begin service to Panama City Beach, Florida, on May 23). Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com SOURCE Southwest Airlines ... View more