08-05-2010
09:12 AM
3 Loves
Hi Bob-Thanks for the followup. Just to give you a little background, there are very, very few drink coupons with old expiration dates in circulation since those were printed for a short period of time. We're working on an additional memo to let our Flight Attendants know to also accept these (although they'll be few and far between), which will be shared shortly. Again, thanks for reaching out for clarification!
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This is the sixth of a series of posts about our new 2009 Southwest One Report™—a single report on our triple bottomline of Performance, People, and Planet adhering to Global Reporting Initiative standards. Mmm…a cold soft drink on a hot summer day can hit the spot, but be sure to toss that aluminum can in a recycling bin rather than the trash. Why’s that so important? It’s possible that archaeologists could stumble across your drink can in a dig since it can take 400 years for an aluminum can to break down naturally. What??!! That’s right. Think about that the next time you finish up your favorite beverage in a can. At Southwest Airlines, we know the right thing to do is to reduce, reuse, and recycle. In the 2009 Southwest One Report™, you may have read that in November of last year we launched a more robust co-mingled onboard recycling program that builds on the success of our already established recycling program at our facilities. Our Customers played a role in this initiative by telling our Customer Relations and Customer Support & Services Teams that they wanted us to recycle more than just aluminum cans. We definitely listened and decided to partner with Republic Services, Inc. since they allow for the collection of co-mingled waste (paper, aluminum, and plastic). Even though a co-mingled waste stream (versus aluminum alone) can reduce potential rebates, it has given us the opportunity to increase the total volume of material collected for recycling onboard. And, the numbers speak for themselves. Our waste diversion percentage doubled just one month after our November 2009 launch. We know that environmental decisions can also make good business sense and this is just an example. By diverting waste from the waste stream into the recycling stream, we save real costs to our bottomline, because we pay for each trash pickup. Thanks to the Southwest Airlines Green Team, Facilities Maintenance, Inflight Department, and Provisioning Department along with our partner Republic who have helped us make our recycling efforts even better. But this is just the beginning. The second phase of this initiative is to provide more recycling opportunities at all of our 69 locations. Some of our airport stations are already rockin’ and rollin’, Chicago Midway (MDW) and Sacramento (SMF) just to name a few. Currently, the majority of our locations that offer the opportunity to recycle are equipped with open-top containers. The containers have as-needed haul service, which is typically once a week. Well, hang on to your seat because MDW had 17 hauls in May and 19 hauls in June. SMF has averaged approximately 10 to 12 hauls per month. What does this mean? It means they are diverting massive amounts of recyclable materials from the waste stream and, because of this tremendous success, these two Stations will soon be converted to compactors, which will allow the more efficient collection of recyclables. It’s amazing to see how our recycling programs continue to gain efficiencies. Bottomline, our goal is to reduce waste pickups not only for the economic benefit (Southwest pays millions of dollars every year for waste pickup) but because it’s the right thing to do to continue to protect our environment for future generations. To date we have saved more than 37,000 trees, more than one million gallons of oil, and more than 15 million gallons of water. We don’t want it to stop there. Environmental Stewardship is a responsibility Southwest takes seriously, and we remain committed to continue finding ways to minimize waste and protect the Earth.
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Hi Tom-
Thanks for sharing your feedback here--sorry that you've been frustrated that your partner has had to save a seat for you in order to be able to sit together. The intent is to limit the number of Customers that qualify for reserved boarding that way it is still a benefit for those who qualify. I understand where you're coming from, and I'll share your feedback with the appropriate folks. Thanks again for your comment!
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08-03-2010
10:03 PM
3 Loves
Hi Bob,
Sorry for any confusion here. Yes, we'll accept all of the old coupons (whether they have expiration dates or not) until August 31, 2011. We'll honor the expiration dates on the new coupons being printed. These changes have been shared with the appropriate work groups to ensure that our Employees can answer Customer questions on this. Hope that helps!
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08-03-2010
09:32 PM
9 Loves
Hi Brian,
I'm checking with our Spirit contact on this for you. I'll let you know when I hear something!
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08-03-2010
09:19 PM
1 Love
We haven't announced fares/flights for GSP and CHS yet, but stay tuned, because we'll share that info right here!
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Thanks to everyone for the additional feedback on how we can improve the technology behind our boarding passes. I'll be sharing this info with the appropriate Southwest Teams! And, yes, we did thank this Customer, Jerome, for sharing this tip with us. We always love to hear ideas from our Customers! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts here!
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Hi Anon-Thanks--I'll share that feedback about our itinerary page with our Marketing Solutions Team!
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We’re always looking for tips on how our Customers and Employees live and work Green, so our Green Team was delightfully surprised to receive an e-mail from a Customer who frequents our 737s twice a week. Valued Rapid Rewards Member Jerome read our 2009 Southwest Airlines One Report™, and realized he had a pointer for us to add to next year’s report. Every time Jerome printed his boarding pass, it would print two pages—the boarding pass on the first page and nothing on the second page. Wait a minute—this sounds like a lot of ink and extra paper. With Green at the forefront of Jerome’s mind, the blank page made its way into the recycling bin on the times when he forgot to tell his printer to only print the first page. Jerome even did the math for us, which really hits the point home. He flies twice a week, so that’s 104 pieces of paper a year going to waste. Multiply this by the more than 100 million Customers we serve every year, and you get the idea. Jerome—we heard you, and Green Team Member Terri shared this information with our Central Support Desk. In turn, this Team tested the problem on several different browsers and confirmed that a second blank page was in fact being printed. With the additional help of our Marketing Solutions and southwest.com Teams, the defect has now been corrected. Our Customer Relations Team got wind of this and responded to Jerome not only thanking him for bringing the issue to our attention but for allowing us to improve one of our processes that impacts our Customers and the environment. We want to continue to contribute to preserving our natural resources and the environment, so let us know your ideas on living and working Green. DING! You are now free to be Green.
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Thanks for all of the great comments about the Going Green series of posts, but more exciting, thanks for the great tips you’ve posted on how you live and work Green. There were a lot to choose from, but with gardening in full swing during the summer months, Janet from Omaha had a great reminder about composting. COMPOST whatever you can. Don't want to compost or don't have a place? Bury those veggie & fruit scraps in the garden. Despite what you may have heard, composting is actually very easy. No high-priced compost bins or tumblers required. If you have some kind of enclosure and the right organic ingredients, you’ve just discovered the recipe to compost, or what gardeners affectionately like to call “black gold”, since it’s full of nutrients. First, you need a bin that “breathes” so your organic material can break down into compost. If you want to build one, I’d suggest buying five wooden (or steel) posts to build a round bin or eight posts to build a square bin. You’ll also need about five feet of high wire to enclose the bin, flexible wire or twist ties to secure the wire to posts, wire cutters, pliers, and a hammer. Or, if you’re not feeling handy, I’ve seen some compost bins for sale on eBay for as low as $50. Now that you’ve got your bin, what do you put in it? Easy. Here’s a few organic materials you can throw in just to get you started: leaves, grass clippings, kitchen scraps like onion and potato peels, coffee grounds and filters, and egg shells. Now to the no-list—whatever you do, don’t drop these in your compost bin: meat, dairy products, dead plants, fish, or dog/cat droppings. You’ve added all the ingredients to make black gold, but how long does it take to make compost? That depends. If you want to see faster results, you’ll want to shred everything you add so it breaks down quicker. Also, don’t forget to turn your compost pile with a garden fork or an aerator tool—I’d suggest two times during the summer months. If you follow these steps, you could be on your way to seeing the fruits of your first black gold in three to four weeks. Speaking of how easy this is, a group of Southwest Employees have turned a grassy area near our Dallas Headquarters into a garden that not only benefits Mother Earth but local non-profits too. Everything is being grown organically—no chemicals or pesticides. And, all of the vegetables harvested from this garden are donated to local Dallas-area food banks. Talk about volunteerism at its best! To top it all off, “The Landing” (the award-winning café located inside the Dallas Headquarters), operated by Eurest Dining Services, donates their organic wastes to the compost pile. Eurest also uses cuttings from onions and bell peppers to grow seedlings, which are then planted in the garden. If you’re composting, not only will your rose garden and azaleas love you, but Mother Earth will too. Composting reduces the amount of waste that ultimately ends up in our landfills. Doing your part by composting reduces the amount of energy it takes to send this waste to the dump. So, put your organic waste where it belongs—back into the soil! DING! You are now free to be Green. Let us know how you live and work Green by posting your comments below.
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07-11-2010
08:29 PM
7 Loves
Hi Anon-You can pack vacuum sealed bags, however, the TSA can open them for inspection if they find it necessary. No guarantees that they won't open it, but I think you'll be fine.
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Hi Anon-we don't accept bunnies in a carrier, just cats and small dogs are accepted in an approved carrier as part of our new P.A.W.S. policy.
Laurel
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Hi Chuck--It's about 110 miles to Tallahassee or a 2 hour drive, about 17 miles to PCB or a 25 minute drive, and 100 miles to Pensacola or a 2 hour drive. Hope that helps!
Laurel
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Hi Connie--Thanks for sharing your thoughts on our Unaccompanied Minor (UM) fee, and I'm sorry that this has been a source of frustration for you. Even though our UM fee is still among the lowest in the industry, we increased the fee to transport UMs because we could not otherwise afford to provide such a level of service to children traveling alone. This service is different than what we provide to Customers with disabilities. We don't stay with Customers with disabilities in the gate area or escort the Customer to a specific party or check said party’s ID (we are not required by law to provide custodial care to Customers with disabilities). However, we will do those things for UMs. I understand where you're coming from, and I've shared your feedback. Again, we're sorry that we've disappointed you.
Laurel
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Anon--since we have open-seating, we can't guarantee that your entire group will sit together. If you do have problems finding seats together, you can always ask one of our Flight Attendants to help you locate adjacent seating. Another option would be to purchase EarlyBird, which automatically saves you the best available boarding number after Business Select and Rapid Rewards A-List Members. Hope that helps!
Laurel
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Hi Julie-
Thanks so much for sharing your kind words about our Crew yesterday. So glad they made your flight so enjoyable! I'll certainly let them and their Leaders know how much you appreciated their service!
Laurel
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Hi LV--EarlyBird Check-in should reserve consecutive boarding passes for you and your family. Since you'll be some of the first to board after Business Select and our Rapid Rewards A-List Members, you shouldn't have any problems finding seats together.
Laurel
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07-07-2010
10:54 AM
7 Loves
A Parent---Here are some helpful web sites on the fear of flying (www.fearofflying.com and www.thisisyourcaptainspeaking.com) or you may call 1-800-FEAR-FLY. We've heard from other Customers that these resources are very helpful. And yes, she can watch movies on your laptop above 10,000 feet (after takeoff and before landing). Also, if you have any problems finding seats together, please let one of our Flight Attendants know so they can help you sit together. Last, we do serve complimentary sodas, juice, coffee, and water on our flights. There's a beverage menu in the seatback pocket. Hope this info helps, and have a wonderful trip!
Laurel
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Hi Judy,
We hope it brings some relief for you to know that all cabin air on our planes is filtered through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters two to three times per minute once the aircraft doors are closed and the system is activated. The likelihood of bacteria, dust, skin, and other fibers circulating throughout the aircraft is quite small as this system is designed to catch 99.97 percent of the particles and live agents. However, we understand that some Customers require certain accommodations, which is why we have always had procedures in place to accommodate our Customers when situations arise. Additionally, our Employees are trained to handle all circumstances with the Safety and comfort of our Customers in mind. If you have upcoming travel with us and require certain accommodations, please give Customer Support a call at 1-800-IFLYSWA for assistance. Thanks for sharing your perspective, and hope this info helps!
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Hi Mary Kay! We don't fly into Harrisburg, PA, but the closest airport we fly into would be Baltimore/Washington (BWI). We haven't announced destinations from CHS yet, but stay tuned!
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Mirror, mirror on the wall... Beginning today and running for two weeks, Southwest Airlines is partnering with Benefit Cosmetics for a summer Beauty on the Fly giveaway to help you stay comfortable and fresh-looking in flight. You know that Bags Fly Free on Southwest, so let us help you stuff your bags with Benefit Cosmetics swag! Here's what's going on: Starting today through July 4, four lucky Customers (this could be you!) will have the chance to win roundtrip tickets on Southwest and Benefit Cosmetics gift certificates. All you have to do is complete an online entry form here and check out the Beauty on the Fly web site starring our very own Flight Attendants. Plus, just for entering, you’ll receive an exclusive offer from Benefit Cosmetics. So, don't miss out on getting your beauty on the fly while traveling on your and your bags’ favorite airline--Southwest. Read up on the rules and regulations, and don't pass up your chance to win fabulous prizes this summer!
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06-21-2010
12:19 PM
1 Love
Hi Donna! Please give Customer Support a call at 1-800-IFLYSWA, and they can take down your information in case your digital camera is found. Fingers crossed that it's located!
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Hi Deborah! We don't fly into Sarasota, but we do fly into Tampa, which is about an hour drive to Sarasota. Hope that helps!
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I'm so sorry to hear about the problems you encountered when you recently traveled with us. Please give our Customer Relations Team a call whenever you have the chance so they can address of all your concerns regarding this experience. Their number is 214-792-4223 (business hours are Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). Hopefully they can attempt to restore your confidence in us!
Laurel
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Oops! Thanks for the heads up Richard--just changed it to Vila. 😉
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06-16-2010
09:46 PM
13 Loves
Hi Carlos! You can book your flight and hotel on southwest.com. If you need any help, please give us a call at 1-800-IFLYSWA. Happy booking!
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What a great message of what it means to just "be there." Thanks for such a heartfelt and inspiring story!
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Hi latina4justice,
So sorry that you encountered one problem after the other trying to book your flights with us yesterday. It's especially disappointing to know that your experience led you to book with another carrier. I'd love to forward your comments to our Customer Relations Team so they can quickly address your concerns and come to a resolution for you. If you'd like to send me your contact information, I'll pass it along so we can have someone contact you. I'm hoping that we can restore your confidence in us.
Laurel
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Everything should be back up and running again on southwest.com. So sorry for the frustration this caused everyone this morning!
Laurel
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Hi Holly! So sorry that you've ran into problems booking your ideal flights this morning. Our Marketing Solutions Team is aware and is trying to fix the problems as quickly as possible. Hang in there--it should be back to normal soon!
Laurel
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