Southwest Airlines Community

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES RESPONDS TO LOSS OF PRESSURIZATION EVENT ON FLIGHT FROM PHOENIX TO SACRAMENTO DALLAS--April 1, 2011--Southwest Airlines Flight 812, the scheduled 3:25 pm departure from Phoenix to Sacramento today, diverted to Yuma, Ariz due to loss of pressurization in the cabin. Upon safely landing in Yuma, the flight crew discovered a hole in the top of the aircraft. There are no reported Customer injuries. One of the Flight Attendants, however, received a minor injury upon descent. A Southwest aircraft with maintenance, ground crew, and Customer Service agents onboard, is on its way from Phoenix to Yuma to assess the damaged aircraft and support the 118 Customers onboard. They are expected to arrive in Sacramento later tonight. Southwest will work with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) as they investigate this event. ... View more

I'm talkin' birthdays, Lent, All-New Rapid Rewards, and top places to eat around the System in this sass-less (yeah, right) sixth edition of the SWA Stew! ... View more

We got a WHOLE lotta LUV for this week's episode. Learn about one of our great community outreach initiatives, hear from Captain Joe who gets adopted, and get a glimpse at our newest schedule opening. ... View more

If you were dreaming of a white Christmas, you were certainly in luck if you were traveling to or lived on the east coast this weekend.   The northeast portion of the country was pummeled by Snowmageddon 2010.  When Mother Nature hands us a storm of this size and proportion, we do our best to predict what the weather will do, anticipate staffing needs, and get our aircraft positioned so that we can accommodate Customers as soon as the weather permits.  We also have some tools that are available for Customers who were impacted by the wintery weather: Southwest.com is continually updated with information for each city impacted by the storms.  We are offering reaccomodations for folks that were unable to make it to their destination due to the weather conditions.  The complete list of cities affected is here. Customers that were attempting to travel to any of the impacted cities and used ticketless travel can rebook online here. Sign up for alerts!  We can send you text, email, or phone notifications if your flight status changes.  Sign up here. Use our southwest.com mobile app (for iPhone, Blackberry, or Android) to view flight schedules and stay in touch with your flight status on the go. We’ll continue to monitor the storm as it moves off the East Coast.  In the meanwhile, hang in there with us and maybe go make some snow angels! ... View more

During the final weeks of the 2010 holiday travel season, the Dallas Love Field Airport will continue to assist passengers as they navigate through the airport.    The ongoing construction of the Airport, known as the Love Field Modernization Program (LFMP), is not expected to delay travel schedules; however, high-fly travel days during the holiday will continue through Monday, December 27.  For travelers not familiar with the Love Field’s reconfiguration, be aware that:  Love Field now has a Terminal 1 and Terminal 2  Terminal 1 now serves Delta and Continental/United Airlines, accommodating all passenger activity, including ticketing, baggage check in and baggage claim. Garage B is the most convenient parking for Terminal 1. Terminal 2 continues to serve Southwest Airlines, including curbside check in, ticketing, baggage check in and baggage claim. Garages A and B are still convenient parking for Terminal 2.   Signs have been posted in Garages A and B and the airport on how to travel between Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. Customers should also use the Garage Pedestrian Bridge. For people picking up passengers, park and wait in the Cell Phone Lot located on the east side of Cedar Spring Road, north of the long-term parking shuttle and the Hertz Rental Car Facility. This site holds 45 vehicles and is free parking. Please remember it is against Airport regulations to be on the phone while driving.  If you’re flying with Southwest Airlines (Terminal 2) you will notice that the interior construction lobby wall has been updated to include floor-to-ceiling signage promoting the New Love Field Airport. As well, four monitors were installed on the lobby wall and play the official LFMP video about the history of Love Field and previews of the new facility. So if you’re in line and waiting to board with Southwest, steal a look at the video and get to know more about LFMP. This video can also be viewed at www.loveevolution.info. Travelers are encouraged to follow these holiday travel tips:  Arrive at least 120 minutes before your flight to allow enough time for check-in, baggage check, security and any unplanned event. Check with your airline for flight departure/arrival status.  Travelers are not allowed to bring wrapped holiday gifts. All holiday gifts must be unwrapped. To minimize unnecessary congestion, do not park curbside to wait for arriving passengers. Use the Cell Phone parking lot or the parking garage. Garage parking is free if parked for less than 30 minutes. LUV Helpers, volunteers in Red Vests, can direct you to your terminal and answer questions regarding construction and relocation. When arriving to the airport, tune in to Love Radio 1580 AM for information on traffic and updates related to Love Field. More information about the Love Field Modernization Program can be found on the website at www.loveevolution.info     ... View more

Travelers using Dallas Love Field Airport this Thanksgiving to fly out or pick up passengers should make note of recent changes to ensure a safe and pleasant experience.  We recommend that you visit www.loveevolution.info for more information on construction, terminal relocation, parking and travel tips that will help you navigate Love Field Airport. ... View more

It’s hard to believe that a year has gone by since we announced that we would serve Panama City Beach (ECP)!  Since then I’ve made several trips back to the Northwest Florida area for events, speeches, and our grand opening in May. The past few months have been very difficult for the Northwest Florida area.  For a community that thrives on  tourism, one bad summer can really shake up the local economy.  When the BP oil spill made headlines across the nation, everyone was on edge, anticipating which way the oil would move.  Clean-up efforts were massive, and the community banded together posting live web cams on the beaches to show that the beaches of Northwest Florida were still as beautiful as ever.  I’m here witnessing firsthand the shimmering white sand and the crystal blue water.  As I’m writing this post, it’s 9 a.m., and people are already flocking to the beach to spend their day in the sun (hopefully they are wearing plenty of SPF!).   If you had any doubts about your fall vacation to the beach, I’m here to tell you—come on down—it’s beautiful! Fall is one of the best times to visit the Northwest Florida area.  The weather stays about a solid 80 degrees, the sun is out, and the crowd is relaxed!  Also, it’s super easy to get from the brand new (and beautiful) new airport to the beach.  The next time you are thinking about an easy weekend getaway, try ECP, I promise, you’ll LUV it! ... View more

Southwest responds to Flight 2294 NTSB findings, a Nashville to Baltimore Washington-bound Southwest Airlines flight that diverted and landed safely in Charleston, West Va., with 126 passengers onboard in July 2009.       We are in full compliance with all new Safety regulations developed by Boeing and the FAA and we thank the NTSB for its thorough investigation. We worked closely with investigators throughout this process and we concur with their conclusions. We've taken aggressive measures to incorporate additional maintenance inspections, additive to existing programs, in response to what was learned from flight 2294. Immediately after the accident, we increased our ongoing maintenance inspections in the impacted area to include recurring detailed visual inspections and non-destructive tests (NDT) – with a goal to not only meet but exceed known Safety standards.   At Southwest Airlines, everything is secondary to Safety, which is the core of our operation. Southwest continues to improve its maintenance program for the continued Safety of U.S. air travel and our own excellent Safety record. ... View more

You may have seen headlines regarding the actions of some of our Customers and Crew Members on a recent Southwest flight.  On Monday, August 16, a family dispute occurred on Flight 879 from Dallas to Albuquerque. Our Flight Attendant came to the aid of a couple onboard the flight who were involved in a verbal dispute. That couple had a small child who was upset, so our Flight Attendant offered to hold the child. Out of an abundance of caution, our Crew asked the authorities to meet the flight and talk with the family. The couple was cleared to take a later flight to their final destination. The safety and wellbeing of our Customers and Employees is our highest priority. Our Flight Attendants do their very best to maintain a comfortable environment onboard every Southwest Airlines flight. ... View more

Airfarewatchdog™ recently announced the results of its 2010 survey of more than 2,100 savvy flyers.  Respondents answered that they want the "good old days" back -- and the requests they're making are for formerly standard, free amenities: Snacks, non-alcoholic drinks, clean cabins, pillows, and blankets.  They are willing to pay for some amenities, such as alcohol and Internet, and said that airfare price tops airline brand when booking a flight.  Southwest Airlines scored top marks over other airlines, getting "Best Bang for Your Buck" and "Friendliest Flight Attendants." Read the full results of the survey here   ... View more

You may have seen recent media reports referencing a Cargo Shipment containing human specimens that was refused by Southwest Airlines in Little Rock on June 9.  Although it is common to transport human specimens for medical purposes, a longstanding Southwest Cargo Customer attempted to transport a shipment without following policies  in relation to labeling, packaging, and properly declaring the contents. Southwest Employees immediately alerted all relevant parties to investigate the shipment and ultimately, refused to transport the items. Given the contents of the shipment, the local authorities were notified and assumed control over the shipment.  ... View more

Today, we celebrated our new service at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) with a beach theme that included plenty of beach balls and local music.  Hundreds of Customers and Employees were onhand as Gary Kelly joined ECP Airport Authority Vice Chairman Bill Cramer and St. Joe CEO Britt Greene in a morning news conference.  “Southwest Airlines promises to bring low fares, great Customer Service, and a strong community commitment to the great folks of Northwest Florida,” Gary said.  “Serving this region has been on our wish list for quite some time, and it’s a proud day for Southwest Airlines to finally begin flying to the beautiful Emerald Coast.”   We now offer a better way to the beach with a total of eight daily nonstops: • ECP to/from Nashville--two daily nonstops • ECP to/from Houston Hobby--two daily nonstops • ECP to/from Baltimore/Washington--two daily nonstops • ECP to/from Orlando-–two daily nonstops In addition to the eight daily nonstops, we will offer direct (with a stop but no change of planes) or connecting service to more than 58 destinations from ECP, including Dallas and Chicago Midway.  We will operate from Gate 3 at the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport with approximately 30-35 Employees who will call the region home. This morning’s press conference capped a weekend full of festivities celebrating the inaugural flights (We officially launched service yesterday, Sunday, May 23).  We kicked off the weekend by landing the first commercial aircraft at the first U.S. airport to be built in more than a decade.  Our plane was met by a water cannon salute and local Southwest fans and Employees.   On Saturday evening, we hosted the “Tootsies Tweetup,” giving local Customers a chance to mix and mingle with us and a chance to win roundtrip tickets, at Tootsies, a local establishment.  The first Southwest Customers on Sunday morning were serenaded by local band, Todd Sparks and The Shrimpboat Cowboys, and were treated to coffee, a southern breakfast, and beach balls in our gate area. Our Employees also celebrated the official first day of service by donating volunteer hours with the Florida Trail Association, where they cleared hiking trails and built bridges in Florida Trail’s East Pine Log Trail in Pine Log State Forest. This section of the Florida Trail is about four miles northwest of the northern boundary of the new airport. Welcome to the Family, ECP! ... View more

The big day is almost here!  We open our newest city, Panama City Beach, this Sunday, May 23!  We have all sorts of fun activities lined up to celebrate this weekend!  We will officially kick off the weekend on Saturday afternoon when we land the first commercial aircraft at the first U.S. airport to be built in more than a decade.  On Saturday evening, we will host the “Tootsies Tweetup,” giving local Customers a chance to mix and mingle with our Employees, at the local bar Tootsies.  The first Southwest Customers on Sunday morning will be serenaded by local band, Todd Sparks and The Shrimpboat Cowboys, and will be treated to coffee, a southern breakfast, and beach balls in the Southwest Airlines gate area. Southwest Employees will also spend the official first day of service donating volunteer hours with the Florida Trail Association, where we will clear hiking trails and build bridges in Florida Trail’s East Pine Log Trail in Pine Log State Forest.   We will also hold an “official” press conference on Monday, featuring the big guy, Mr. Gary Kelly! It should be a very fun and eventful weekend!  Follow us on Twitter (www.twitter.com/southwestair) to get live coverage of entire weekend!  Now…where are those flip flops and sunglasses…. ... View more

Carrier Selects Charleston and Greenville-Spartanburg--No Subsidies Required   May 11, 2010--Southwest Airlines today announced its intent to serve the state of South Carolina—without subsidies—through the cities of Charleston (CHS) and Greenville-Spartanburg (GSP) in 2011. Southwest will release details regarding start dates, destinations and fares, and number of departures at a later date.  The airline’s service will not be dependent on pending legislation to provide air service subsidies. For more information about Southwest Airlines, click here.   “We look forward to serving the Palmetto State with Southwest Airlines’ unique brand of genuine hospitality, great value, a robust and reliable flight network, and our terrific Employees who deliver excellent Customer Service,” said Dave Ridley, Southwest’s senior vice president of marketing and revenue management.   Southwest reported a profitable start to the year with its First Quarter 2010 financial results last month. At that time, Southwest said overall demand for its Low Fares and high quality Customer Service remained strong, resulting in a record first quarter performance for load factor, passenger yield, operating unit revenue, and passenger revenues.  Southwest attributed the notable performance to its network optimization and revenue management efforts, which also have allowed it to grow in destinations without growing its fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft. The carrier intends to continue that growth strategy in 2011, keeping its capacity relatively flat with 2010.       After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier where bags fly free, continues to stand above other airlines—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 premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) currently serves 68 cities in 35 states and is the largest U.S. carrier, based on domestic passengers carried. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.   www.southwest.com ... View more

Many of you reached out to us via Twitter last night and today regarding a situation a Customer Twittered about that occurred on a Southwest flight.  It is not our customary method of Customer Relations to be so public in how we work through these situations, but with so many people involved in the occurrence, you also should be involved in the solution. First and foremost, to Mr. Smith; we would like to echo our Tweets and again offer our heartfelt apologies to you.   We are sincerely sorry for your travel experience on Southwest Airlines.  As soon as we saw the first Tweet from Mr. Smith, we contacted him personally to apologize for his experience and to address his concerns on both Twitter and with a personal phone call. Since the situation has received a lot of public attention, we'd like to take the opportunity to address a few of the specifics here as well. Mr. Smith originally purchased two Southwest seats on a flight from Oakland to Burbank – as he’s been known to do when traveling on Southwest.  He decided to change his plans and board an earlier flight to Burbank, which technically means flying standby. As you may know, airlines are not able to clear standby passengers until all Customers are boarded. When the time came to board Mr. Smith, we had only a single seat available for him to occupy. We are responsible for the Safety and comfort of all Customers on the aircraft and therefore, we made a judgment call that Mr. Smith needed more than one seat to complete his flight. Our Employees explained why the decision was made, accommodated Mr. Smith on a later flight, and issued him a $100 Southwest travel voucher for his inconvenience. You've read about these situations before. Southwest instituted our Customer of Size policy more than 25 years ago. The policy requires passengers that can not fit safely and comfortably in one seat to purchase an additional seat while traveling. This policy is not unique to Southwest Airlines and it is not a revenue generator. Most, if not all, carriers have similar policies, but unique to Southwest is the refunding of the second seat purchased (if the flight does not oversell) which is greater than any revenue made (full policy can be found here). The spirit of this policy is based solely on Customer comfort and Safety. As a Company committed to serving our Customers in Safety and comfort, we feel the definitive boundary between seats is the armrest. If a Customer cannot comfortably lower the armrest and infringes on a portion of another seat, a Customer seated adjacent would be very uncomfortable and a timely exit from the aircraft in the event of an emergency might be compromised if we allow a cramped, restricted seating arrangement. ... View more

Wow…I’ve been watching our Twitter followers grow each day, anxiously anticipating the day we would hit one million followers.  That day is here! To celebrate this milestone today and tomorrow only*, Customers who book on southwest.com can use the promo code TWITTERLUV to receive $10 off a roundtrip Anytime, Business Select, or Wanna Get Away Fares purchase – pretty cool, huh? Another important ingredient in our Twitter Success Soup has been our awesome Employees that have gone above and beyond to share our Southwest Airlines story online.  These folks retweeted, answered questions, gave great feedback, and stayed highly engaged in what our Customers are doing online…on their own time!  These ten individuals will be awarded a round trip “Above and Beyond” ticket.  Congrats yall, and thanks for all that you have done! (I also recommend following these individuals, as they truly live the SOUTHWEST SPIRIT): • @FlyingPhotog: Paul Thompson, our resident Flickr guru and championship plane spotter.  He’s also great for conversations about So You Think You Can Dance. • @SWA_Captain: Southwest Airlines Captain, Kenneth Wells, keeps us updated on weather, events, and irregular operations across the Southwest system.  • @MightyMeri: Meri Glavin works in our crew scheduling department, she is major Alabama fan and will never miss a Follow Friday opportunity. • @HarrisonEarl: this nonrev champion has an obsession (it seems) with flying all over the country to have lunch with old buddies, take pictures of cool planes, and crack us up with aviation humor.  Harrison Earl works in our Marketing Planning department. • @Brandy_King: Brandy is technically my boss, and we all know the boss never gets appreciated ; )  Just kidding, Brandy has stepped up to the Twitterplate on several occasions to debunk rumors, answer questions, and provide much needed vacation relief! Brandy is a Senior Public Relations Manager…and of course, World’s Best Boss. • @MimiFace: Mimi could easily be mistaken for a celebrity gossip columnist, but actually she’s a Southwest Flight Attendant based in Chicago.  Mimi’s tweets are so fun, she always let’s us in on what the celebs are saying about Southwest Airlines (and sometimes the other guys)! • @ChanceB737: Chance (not Chase) is a Southwest Airlines Captain from Chicago.  He also keeps us updated on conditions throughout the Southwest system, and is a major cycling fanatic! • @Um_Hi_Isaiah: This Houston-based Ramper claims his Twitter location as “the belly of a 737.”  He is also known for holding impromptu Tweetups with Customers and Employees! • @SWABikeDude: James Goodman works as a Customer Service Training Supervisor in Chicago.  This guy updates us on what is going on in one of our busiest stations, loves Disney stuff, and had cameos on the show Airline….he’s still a star in my book! • @SWALesa: Leslie is a Corporate Recruiter for Southwest Airlines.  Follow her to know anything about working at Southwest Airlines and get the scoop on what jobs are open *Terms & Conditions $5 each way ($10 roundtrip) discount valid for use at southwest.com off the total amount of any  Anytime, Business Select fares, and Wanna Get Away purchase before taxes and fees. Purchase must be made by 1/13/2010 by 11:59 pm Pacific Time for travel 1/21/2010 through  3/1/2010. The discount is only valid with the provided Promotion Code and is not combinable with other  Promotion Codes or fares available exclusively through the web tool DING!.  One-way or roundtrip purchase allowed. Changes made to the itinerary after purchase may eliminate qualifications for this promotion.  ... View more

Did anyone else see the news today about a competitor who wants you to pay more than $249 a year for your bags to fly?  Did anyone else think it was an Onion article headline? This one really made us want to ask, why do they hate your bags?  At Southwest, we STILL have no fee for your first or second checked bag.   We love you and your bag friends.  So bring them all along – your Dora the Explorer roller bag, your golf bag, your purpley polka dot bag….they’re all welcome on Southwest!  Read our full baggage policy here.   Maybe you can tell us, why do they hate your bag?  Talk amongst yourselves! ... View more