Southwest Airlines Community

This will be a BIG weekend at Southwest.  This Sunday we begin service to the third in our trifecta of March new Station openings--we add Newark Liberty International Airport, as the 72nd airport in our growing network!   We're bringing our new Southwest service at Newark service in two waves.  The first wave—starting Sunday—will start with six nonstop roundtrips each weekday to/from Chicago Midway, and two to/from St. Louis.  When you add in connecting and through service, this will tie Newark together with 54 Southwest cities! Wave two begins on June 5th, when we add three daily roundtrips to Baltimore/Washington; three to Denver; two to Houston; and two to Phoenix.  That'll give us a total of 18 flights to and from Liberty each weekday, with access between Newark and a whopping 67 other Southwest airports! Why is this BIG for Southwest?  Many reasons.  Newark will be the third Southwest airport in the metropolitan New York City area (we began service to Long Island in 1999, and New York's LaGuardia Airport two years ago in 2009).   And the opportunity to add some LUV in the NYC—the largest air travel market in the Western Hemisphere, that generates more than 66 million passengers paying over $13 BILLION dollars in airfare each year—isn’t just BIG.  It's HUGE!  And why is this BIG for our new Customers flying to or from Newark/Liberty? Simple.  SOUTHWEST IS NOW ON THE SCENE!  Low fares.  No baggage or change fees.  And the best Employees giving the most outrageous Customer Service in the skies!  Flying between Newark and Austin or San Antonio?  Low-cost airline service available.  Newark to Reno/Tahoe?  Excellent connections, now wearing the Southwest brand.  St. Louis to Newark?  Welcome aboard our nonstop flight…would you like some FREE snacks or a FREE soft drink?  Plus, Newark/Liberty International Airport offers arguably the quickest train access into Manhattan, and the location directly adjacent to the New Jersey Turnpike/I-95 gives incredible access to all of the Garden State...and the Empire State...and, ultimately, the entire Tri-State Area.  So this Sunday at Newark you'll find the Southwest Team partying BIG in Terminal A, gates 14 and 15, celebrating the opening with our Employees, our Customers, and anyone else that comes along.  Other Southwest Employees will be celebrating our Newark arrival by cleaning up the South 17 th St. School in Newark (as usual, Southwest will become an active partner in the community).  And after the partying?  You’ll find that low fare, high-quality, SOUTHWEST service has arrived at Newark.  And the marketplace will change, BIG-time, as Southwest gives Liberty the FREEDOM TO FLY! ... View more

Southwest Airlines placed fourth on Fortune's World's Most Admired Companies list, and one of the criteria that companies are judged on is innovation.  Network Planning has always been all about innovation—planning the most efficient, creative way to use our fleet of “red-bellied warbirds” to serve the best interest of our Company.  Many of you have heard about our incredibly unique schedule optimizer, and how it came to be.  It’s an amazing story of Southwest entrepreneurialism and ingenuity at its best; if you don’t know the story, you can click here to read a blog piece I did about it back in 2007.  The Optimizer gives us enormous flexibility to innovate within the schedule, whether it’s “harvesting” available aircraft time on the West Coast and applying it for new service on the East Coast; better aligning arrivals and departures at some of our large stations to improve connectivity; or just putting our flights at better departure or arrival times.   But there is a lot more innovation involved in writing a schedule than meets the eye.  A lot of the art of schedule writing boils down to where to “put” time.  Realistically, time is a zero-sum game—flights can only leave so early, and can only get in so late, from a Customer-desirability perspective (for example, very few people would want to leave Dallas Love Field for Houston  Hobby at 3:00 a.m., even if what might be the most efficient way to schedule the airplanes).  In general, we know that a Customer demand-based operating day means that we can’t have our airplanes start before 6:00 a.m. or finish much after 10:00 p.m.  So, given that finite amount of time, the innovation comes in what you do with that time.  Do you increase block times at the expense of turn times?  Do you increase turn times and shave block times?  Depending on how you do the math, you could get either answer.  The art of innovation comes in the formulas of the arithmetic and the historical analysis that’s done so that you don’t just get an answer,  you get the right answer.   There are lots of other behind-the-scenes innovations that are baked into our schedules.  Things designed to improve operating efficiency, like devising ways to avoid assigning similar-sounding flight numbers to airplanes operating at airports at roughly the same time.  Things like finding ways to rapidly offer the Customer more choices to get them where they want to go during peak-demand times (with a little help from our friends in Revenue Management!).  And things that are entirely behind-the-scenes, like finding innovative forums to enable better collaboration and communication between the operating Departments within Southwest, like our Integrated Planning effort.   This continual innovation, both of our schedule product and of the processes we use to create it, takes a group with extremely varied talents.  The 50 Southwest Employees in the Network Planning departments have backgrounds and educations that range from mathematics and operations research to geography to psychology.  And each one of us have just one goal in mind—writing the most efficient, safest, and most profitable schedule in the airline industry.  We’ve been schedule innovators for 40 years now….and here’s to 40 more! ... View more

Good morning, everyone!  (And for those of you on Spring Break this week…enjoy, you’ve earned it!)  Today we extended our open-for-sale date all the way out to the "just before we finally get back the hour we lost yesterday morning" when we “fall back” on November 6 th !   Overall, our October Base Schedule represents only a slight increase in flights—just 44 more weekday flights than the August/September schedule.  We bring a couple old favorite roundtrip markets back on a seasonal basis—Nashville-Providence, and Kansas City-Ft. Lauderdale—while we reshuffle the deck in our Manchester-West service by redirecting our Manchester-Phoenix service to operate Manchester-Denver nonstop.  In all, we’re changing the frequencies in 48 roundtrip markets.   Of course, this schedule is independently optimized, so make sure you look to see if your “favorite” flight will be shifting departure/arrival times come October!  Full details of all the frequency “tweaks” we’re implementing in our October schedule are in the attached .PDF file.  As always, if you have questions, please post a comment—I’ll be watching.  Happy Fall travel planning—happy Spring Break—happy Daylight Savings Time (ugh….)—and thanks for your business! ... View more

Southwest’s schedule is really “out there!” Today we’re putting our schedule out for sale from August 13th through September 30th which (obviously!) includes the Labor Day Holiday period. This schedule’s design reflects the annual, seasonal shift from what we expect to be a really busy spring and a WAY busy summer into a slightly more normal ‘bucolic’ fall. Compared to the summer ’11 schedule, we’re going from a June/July peak of 3,484 daily departures to a slightly lower 3,310 daily nonstops. We’re following the expected seasonal softening of demand by reducing 91 roundtrip flights spread throughout the network. Our flying fleet remains essentially flat, and we end seasonal nonstops in three roundtrip markets—Baltimore/Washington-Seattle/Tacoma, Nashville-Providence, and Kansas City-Ft. Lauderdale. Besides those three markets, we’ll slightly reduce frequency in 83 other roundtrip markets, with no markets experiencing a reduction of more than 2 roundtrip nonstops. The good news is that we’re adding a brand new nonstop market, Denver-Burbank, with two weekday nonstops! This marks the fifth of our Southern California airports that we’ve linked with nonstop service to our Mile High Powerhouse. We’re also shifting one of our eight weekday Denver-LAX flights to Orange County, which will give us four daily John Wayne-Denver roundtrips. At Chicago/Midway we’re also adding a seventh roundtrip between Chicago/Midway and Philadelphia. All the nitty-gritty details are in the attached .PDF file, and I will be watching to respond to comments. Happy booking, folksl There are fun, cool, and interesting things in the future! ... View more

WOO-HOO! Now we all know which two teams are playing in The Big Game XLV—it’s Green Bay vs. Pittsburgh! And y’all are coming to *MY* home—the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex—for the Big Game. Southwest is making it easier for you folks to come cheer your teams on to victory in “JerryWorld”—the new, amazing, billion-dollar stadium that is the host to this year’s game. (Seriously folks, this place is incredible!) We’ve added extra service from both Milwaukee and Pittsburgh to our home-base, Dallas Love Field, before the game, and then back home after the champion is crowned. Extra sections and itineraries are now bookable on http://www.southwest.com. Book ‘em now, folks! Come see Texas’ national sport played out in our official football Mecca! I could offer an entire travelogue of the Dallas area, but I won’t. Ask me for tips if you want! Just remember, folks—in the Metroplex, your iced tea can be sweet or un-sweet, your margaritas can be frozen or on-the-rocks, and your soda can be Dr. Pepper or Dr. Pepper. Happy travels—and enjoy my hometown, folks! And go [insert favorite team here]! ... View more

Recently, a friend of mine and his family buried their 21-year-old daughter.  She died, alone, of blunt-force trauma in a horrific one-car accident on Interstate 35-E in Dallas.  At a high rate of speed, her vehicle ran off the freeway and hit a concrete pole.  What was the cause of death?  It wasn't a blown tire.  It wasn't a mechanical problem She was texting while driving. The tragedy of this beautiful young woman's passing is overwhelming because of its senselessness.  But since her death, I've become more aware of my own phone use while behind the wheel.  I'm not a big texter, but I've opened, read, replied to, and even written e-mails while driving.  It's no different than texting.  Dialing a phone call?  No different than texting.  Clicking or touching to check voice mail?  No different than texting.  And surfing the web from your phone while driving?  WORSE than texting! So Friday night, on the way home from work, I heard the "ding" that indicated I'd gotten an e-mail, so I glanced at my iPhone to check it.  I didn't have my eye off the road for more than a single second but when I looked up, some schmuck had cut in front of me when I wasn't paying attention, and I had to slam on my brakes and veer onto the median to keep from hitting the idiot.  Cola sprayed all over the car, contents of my briefcase flew all over the back seat, and I was in a wordless frenzy trying to assign blame--until my self-awareness finally kicked in, and I realized that it was my own d*&# fault because I had allowed myself to be distracted from being the "Pilot in command" of my car.  Just as that beautiful young woman had, as she drove down I-35 that dark night.  Only in her case, it was fatal; in mine, it was just a wake-up call, with some auto interior cleanup needed to reinforce the message. Some of you may have heard about Oprah Winfrey's "Take The Pledge" campaign to make the driver's seat of our cars a "No Phone Zone."  Folks--I'm taking the pledge.  And I hope all of you will take it as well.  As we move into this wonderful Holiday Season of parties, shopping, and general craziness, please spare yourselves, your friends, and families from the pain and sorrow of senseless loss due to stupidity behind the wheel.  Come on.  Take the pledge.  Join me and thousands of others! I am asking each of you to please follow this link--fill the form out--and then live by it.  And if you agree with and join Oprah's "movement" to end distracted driving--please post a comment to me here on this blog.  Each of you are important to so many people, and (of course) to us here at Southwest Airlines.  And Southwest has so much planned for 2011 and beyond, you're all going to want to be here to enjoy it!  🙂 Thanks, Oprah, for teaching us to be better. (and, by the way, I’ll miss you!)  And thanks, y'all, for joining me in making our roads safer.  Happy Holidays everyone!  Bill ... View more

Today, we put our Summer, 2011 schedule out for sale.  We're now accepting reservations all the way out until August 12, 2011--nearly 270 days of bookable inventory.  That's the most we've EVER had available for sale!!! This schedule is very much reflective of the very busy summer we're expecting next year.  For a change, *NO* markets are discontinued.  We'll be adding 54 flights a day to our network, including nonstops in three brand new markets:  Denver to Jacksonville, Denver to Pittsburgh, and Denver and Columbus.  This will bring us up to 150 weekday departures from the Mile-High City!  Network-wide, this schedule has 3,464 weekday flights, making for some really, really busy 737s!    Next summer will be special for another reason:  Southwest turns 40 next June!  On June 18, 1971, we started flying three airplanes between three cities, but with a single mission:  to give Texas the Freedom to Fly.  Four decades later, we'll be in 72 airports, we're the biggest airline in America (in terms of domestic passengers carried), but our mission is still the same--only now, we're spreading LUV from sea to shining sea!  I'm sure you'll be hearing lots more about our corporate birthday as the date gets closer.  But for now, start planning to celebrate our 40th the best way I know how--by flying somewhere (on Southwest of course)!  ... View more

Southwest will bring our brand of Freedom, Low Fares, and GREAT service to Newark/Liberty International Airport beginning March 27!  Initially, we’ll offer six weekday roundtrips between Newark and Chicago and two daily roundtrips between Newark and St. Louis, with connecting service beyond Chicago and St. Louis to 48 other Southwest destinations.  Later in the year, we’ll be adding even more flights, fully utilizing the 18 pairs of slots we recently acquired—so be on the lookout for more info coming soon! You’ll find Southwest in Terminal A, where we’ll operate out of A10, A14, and A15.  From Liberty International Airport, it’s super easy to get into Manhattan, with NJ Transit providing frequent, quick, and inexpensive train service from the airport straight into Penn Station in Manhattan.  It’s also right on the New Jersey Turnpike (Man A:  "I'm from New Jersey."  Man B:  "Yeah?  What exit?") so whether you’re heading to the Garden State or the Empire State, Newark will be a great choice!  As always, you can find out more about “The Situation” (ahem…) as well as schedules and fares at southwest.com. ... View more

Effective November 12, you’ll be able to buy tickets to, from, and within Mexico at southwest.com!  We’re partnering with Volaris, Mexico’s second-largest airline, in order to offer our Customers connections between cities in the Western part of our network and five of Volaris’ Mexican destinations—Cancun, Guadalajara, Morelia, Toluca/Mexico City, and Zacatecas—connecting via Los Angeles, Oakland, and San Jose.  This will bring up to 85 new roundtrip markets onto the Southwest grid, which will be phased in through November and December!  (See below for a list of international connect markets.) And if your travels take you between cities inside Los Estados Unidos de Mexico, Volaris can take you between 23 Mexican airports, from Tijuana and La Paz in the West to Cancun in the East and Oaxaca in the South.   As interesting as the “what,” is the “how.”  You guys may remember a couple of years back when we announced plans to enter into codeshare agreements, including Volaris.  However, as we started building the list of requirements and changes we’d need in order to handle international operations—either codeshare or even online with our own aircraft—we realized we just don’t have the technology in our current reservations system to make international travel possible.  So we’re now busily working to replace our reservations system, which will take at least a couple of years.  But because Southwest is so eager to tap the Mexican market, we partnered with Volaris to develop International Connect, an “under-the-hood” process that stitches our two networks together now!  Booking international reservations will look and feel almost exactly like any other booking on southwest.com, but behind the scenes, the International Connect portal is conducting two separate transactions—one with Southwest’s reservations system and one with Volaris’—and tying the two reservations together with messages that enable through-checking of luggage and ensuring that our schedules remain in sync.   International Connect is an awesome interim step—true Southwest innovation at its best.  It's a convenient, easy way to give our Customers access to, from, and within Mexico.  So plan a trip "south of the border, down Mexico way" with Southwest and our new partner, Volaris beginning November 12, via southwest.com.  Vamonos, y’all!   ... View more

HELLO, PALMETTO STATE!  We’re Southwest Airlines—and we’re coming to serve you beginning on March 13, 2011!  We’ll begin operations at our 70 th and 71 st airports, Greenville/Spartanburg (GSP) and Charleston (CHS), with seven weekday departures from each airport.  At GSP, we’ll be flying  one nonstop roundtrip to Nashville, two to Baltimore/Washington, one to Houston Hobby, one to Orlando, and two to Chicago Midway.  At CHS, we’re starting with one roundtrip to Nashville, three to Baltimore/Washington, two to Chicago Midway, and one to Houston.  Including  direct and connecting service, We’re going to be offering  service between Charleston and 65 Southwest cities, and between Greenville/Spartanburg and 68 SWA airports! We’re positive our two newest destinations are going to be a big hit.  If you’re going to S.C., it’s got a GREAT business environment.  The scenery is amazing, from the beaches of the Low Country to the Piedmont hills Upstate.  Food?  Unique and fantastic.  Famous Carolina Barbeque and Low Country seafood will keep you coming back for more.  And what are the folks in South Carolina going to LUV about Southwest Airlines?  LOTS.  Full-sized jets—and only full-sized jets  (Boeing all the way, friends!).  Low fares and great value (three words: BAGS FLY FREE!).  And, most of all, they’re going to LUV the People of Southwest Airlines—with smiles as big as Texas. You’ll find all of our schedules, as well as some AWESOME introductory fares, available at southwest.com.  One new Southwest state, and two new Southwest airports.   Both Greenville/Spartanburg and Charleston will be great additions to our network.  But no matter which one you’re going to use, come fly Southwest in the Southeast.  Welcome to the Southwest Family, South Carolina! For more info, check out our video.   ... View more

This is London.  Okay, I'm no Edward R. Murrow, and the blitz is long over.  But I *was* in London recently, to attend (and report on) the annual Low Cost Carrier Conference.  To say that the conference was fascinating is a huge understatement, but it was also very apparent that all low-cost carriers are facing many of the same issues.  And one--Southwest--is facing those issues in a very different way. Carriers from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia were in attendance, as were dozens of consultancies, vendors, and members of the media.  The three of us from Southwest were the only attendees from a U.S. low-cost carrier.  The agenda was a mixture of keynote speeches from heads of carriers and industry pundits, panel discussions about industry hotpoints by airline and airport leaders, and case studies on specific topics related to low-cost carriers worldwide.  Day one, first out of the chute, a panel discussion on "Competition, Consolidation, and Business Model Innovation" moderated by CNN's Richard Quest ... and the panel included our Vice President of Network Planning (the head of my Department, and my friend!), Pete McGlade.  And the first thing Mr. Quest brought up (calling it "the elephant in the living room") was the Southwest/AirTran announcement as proof that the winds of change were brewing in the LCC world.  However, Quest proved to be a very astute observer of the airline industry--Pete called him "a real airline geek" later, to which he heartily agreed!.  The points covered were almost all of those addressed in www.lowfaresfarther.com as they're pretty much all any Southwest Leader can address without giving a "no comment."  But Pete did so in his own unique, mentoring style.  And he was a definite crowd pleaser!  Other panelists on the dais with Pete included senior leaders from Brazil's GOL, the UAE's Air Arabia, Norwegian Shuttle, Malaysia's Air Asia X, and Latvia's airBaltic.  Sr. Pereira of GOL said that Brazilian airlines currently can access less than 20% of the potential air market in Brazil because of traditional high airfares, and that their main competition is the country's inter-city bus network (sounds a LOT like the scene when Southwest was born in 1971, doesn't it?).   Much of the panel's discussion centered around how LCC's can continue to compete as the lines between service levels and Customer expectations blur compared to the legacy carriers. After that, the day split into numerous concurrent panel discussions and presentations.  One of the highlights of my day was attending a presentation co-hosted by an old friend of this blog, Paula Berg, who did a MAGNIFICENT job explaining by using thorough case studies why airline participation in social media is SO worth it!  Our once and forever Blog Queen is doing well and living in Denver, and she sends her best to all of our friends here at "Nuts!" The LCC Conference was also the scene of the "Budgie Awards" in which LCC's from around the globe were nominated for various awards.  Southwest was nominated for several, and while we didn't win this year, it really is an honor to be nominated (kind of like the Academy Awards and the Emmys!). After two days of listening to the panels, discussions, and presentations, I found myself getting lots of information but little wisdom.  Even though, for the most part, we all shared the same problems, most of the potential strategies and solutions that every other airline espoused just didn't feel right for Southwest.  I was certain I was right, but couldn't put my finger on just why.  And then it hit me.  All of the other airlines strategies were focused on minimizing cost/maximizing revenue at the expense of people.  There was no mention of the human factor--whether it was the Customer and their experience, or their own Employees and their Corporate Culture, all of which are huge drivers of Southwest's model (and great factors in our success).  I engaged in several discussions in which other LCC workers expressed disbelief that we don't charge for bags ("paying for bags is a good thing--airlines should charge more for it!" was one direct quote I wrote down by an unnamed European LCC colleague).  They simply couldn't believe that core to Southwest's principles are such simple concepts as The Golden Rule and "doing the right thing."  They are missing the fact that simply treating people right and not behaving as if they're just a number in either the debit or the credit column of the balance sheet can create lasting success.  So, I flew nearly 5,000 miles to network and to hear about industry issues, problems, and trends, just find out one very comforting fact:  nearly 40 years into the game, the other low-cost carriers--many of which used Southwest as their model--still just don't "get" what differentiates Southwest from the rest.  It's our heart.  It's our Culture. It's the way we treat each other. It's the way we treat our Customers.  As Southwest moves into even more incredibly exciting times, knowing that no other airline has yet to figure out our "Secret Sauce" makes me feel even more confident about our future. So since I started this blog post quoting Murrow--and since I'm finishing it at about 11:45 p.m. on a Saturday night, I'll end it by paraphrasing another of Murrow's signature lines.  Good night, Southwest Airlines, and good luck!                 ... View more

This morning we're opening our schedule for reservations out through June 3, 2011.  Time to go see Mumsey for Mother's Day--or celebrate the unofficial start of summer by scheduling a Memorial Day weekend jaunt!  Either way, schedules are now available, and (of course) we have a few changes to tell you about. First, let's talk about what's *not* in this Schedule.  Earlier this year, Southwest announced our plans to begin service in the first quarter of 2011 at two airports in the Palmetto State, Greenville/Spartanburg and Charleston, and we're still on track to do so.  We're just not quite finished with the schedules as of yet.  Believe me, you'll read it from me here on "Nuts!" just as soon as those schedules are released--so check back often for updates! As for the changes that *are* in this schedule, it's a mixed bag of plusses and minuses.  We're not quite as busy in late April and in May as we are in March, so this schedule overall contains slightly less flying, a net decrease (for now!) of 22 flights.  Three leisure markets are seasonally eliminated (between Ft. Myers and both Islip and Nashville, and between Hartford and West Palm Beach).  On the plus side, we're bringing back some of our seasonal summer markets--roundtrip nonstops between Seattle and Baltimore/Washington, Kansas City, and Nashville, nonstops between Nashville and Providence, and nonstop Norfolk-Las Vegas service.  None of these tweaks, either up or down, are huge.  You can get all of the details in the attached .pdf file! And for a final little sidebar....remember a couple of years ago when I blogged about how we manage inventory by putting little "chunks" out at a time?  You guys flamed me SO badly for Network Planning letting the amount of bookable inventory get down to under 100 days for the Summer Travel season (the piece received nearly 300 responses, most of them mad at me!), that I subsequently posted that we would do our best to put more and more inventory out for you to book.  Well, this schedule takes us out to 239 days of inventory--the most we've ever had!  The overarching reason we've made this change (admittedly, in baby steps, but good things take time!) is because you, our Customers, have told us that's what you wanted.  So that's what we've done! Happy booking, everyone.  And remember to check back here often.  As you've seen over the past week, we're just full of surprises here at Southwest these days!  Have an awesome weekend.    ... View more

Good morning Blogosphere!  There is a LOT going on here in the "Puzzle Palace" (a hopefully affectionate nickname bestowed on our Love Field Headquarters campus)!  This morning we opened for your purchasing pleasure our initial March 12 through April 25, 2011 schedule.  That includes Easter 2011 (which falls on April 24th, according to the incredibly helpful website www.apples4theteacher.com) as well as Spring Break.  Something tells me our new service to Panama City Beach--the closest airport to Destin--will be hopping next March, as will as all of our many beach destinations.  Sign up now to see who plays the 2011 version of Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello! We're upping the bar a bit on utilization for the busy March/April time period, and as you'll see on the attached list of weekday flight changes there are far more "plusses" than "minuses" for once!  Even though we're holding our fleet count flat, we're able to put more flying into this schedule to accommodate the expected demand through the seasonal block time decreases.  As we "fly" out of winter it takes less time to get between airports due to improving weather and decreasing headwinds, and we'll certainly take advantage of it! As for what's in this schedule--we're adding service in DOZENS of markets.  We're also doing a bit of re-engineering our schedules at Boise and Spokane.  We're *finally* linking Boise and Spokane with new nonstop service to Phoenix!  This follows the very successful intrduction of service between both Boise and Spokane and our "Powerhouse in the Rockies," Denver.  In order to make this happen, we're eliminating Spokane-Salt Lake City nonstop service, and reducing one trip each between Spokane and both Boise and Seattle.  We're pretty sure the trade-off will be worth it!  Other changes are the seasonal introduction of nonstop service between Hartford and West Palm Beach (BOCA, BABY!!!).  Also, we're eliminating nonstop service between Cleveland and St. Louis, although (of course!) we'll retain lots of quick connections via Chicago Midway.  Also, on Saturdays, we're adding nonstop service in four markets--Cleveland and Detroit to Orlando, Manchester to Ft. Lauderdale, and our old friend Norfolk-Las Vegas.  See the attached pdf files for all the details. Coming up, we'll be opening the April 26 through June 3 time frame in just over a week, so I'll be back on here to give ya'll the "scoop" on that schedule, as well as any other schedule surprises we have in store.  With that, plus my on-the-scene report planned for this Friday from the World Low-Cost Carrier Conference in London, as well as a "Day In The Life Of A Network Planner" post coming up soon, you guys are going to be getting a big dose of Bill over the next couple of weeks!  Have a GREAT Tuesday, everyone, and thanks for flying Southwest! ... View more

On Labor Day, we are proud to present this post about the remarkable friendship between two Southwest Airlines Employees.   It's incredible that it's been five years since the tragedy that started with Hurricane Katrina began to unfold on the Gulf Coast.  America has endured catasrophic storms before, but something like that had never happened to Southwest Airlines (and we hope it never happens again!). I'm not going to focus on the death and destruction that the storm and the levee breeches caused.  You've seen the recent anniversary coverage on t.v. and, if you're like me, you haven't forgotten about it yet anyway.  Instead, I'd like to tell you the story of one Southwest Airlines Employee....and her long road home.  (And a long blog piece follows, just to let you know!) Patti Lannon was, in 2005, a Customer Service Agent for Southwest Airlines in New Orleans.  A longtime airline Employee, she had started her aviation career with a now-defunct airline in the Northeast and transferred to the Crescent City, where she met her husband.  She joined Southwest in 2001, right around the time of that other never-before-and-never-again event, 9/11.  Patti, her husband, two daughters and one of two sons live in the New Orleans suburb of Metairie, just two blocks from Lake Pontchartrain.  The day before the storm hit, they, like the rest of the city, were under evacuation orders, so Patti and the kids bought tickets on Southwest to Nashville to stay with their eldest son (also a Southwest Employee) in his one-bedroom apartment.  Papa John (Patti's husband) drove with the animals to ride out the storm in Baton Rouge and joined them as soon as the winds died down. While they were gone....Katrina almost destroyed their home.  What the wind didn't damage, the water did. Of course, like millions of other evacuated Gulf Coast residents, they had no idea what was happening at home, other than what the t.v. coverage showed--and I can't imagine the kind of fear and uncertainty they endured.  However, as soon as he was allowed back into the city, John left Nashville and headed back to Metairie to assess the damage, leaving Mama Hen Patticakes to keep the family together and calm.  John's reports from Metairie were both horrifying and heartbreaking.  His uncle, who also lived in New Orleans, was lost in the disaster.  John was living in the single inhabitable room, no power, no running water, and no family.   Like much of New Orleans--rebuilding was going to take a long, long time. And the hits just kept on coming.  Still in Nashville, only a DAY after the storm Patti was in a broadside car crash. The wreck totalled her friend's car, so while nursing bumps, cuts and bruises, Patti had to remain in "Mom" mode to keep her family calm.  But it soon became evident that the situation in Nashville for 14-year-old Julia and 21-year-old Michael (who has special needs) were not suitable.  They decided that the best solution for everyone, with particular attention on Michael, was for Patti to take the a leave of absence from work and to move in with family in Salem, Ohio.  The schools there were very good, safe, and had an excellent special needs program that seemed perfect for Michael.  The oldest daughter—who before the storm had been a student at University of New Orleans—would return to New Orleans to help her dad go through debris and begin rebuilding, as well as do volunteer work (as a sidenote, UNO cancelled their fall, 2005 semester because of the storm and flood damage).  And so off they went--Patti, Julia, and Michael moving to Ohio without dad, without big brother and big sister, and without their Soutwest Family. At about this time, Southwest was realizing that the New Orleans human diaspora was going to be a long-term situation--most certainly longer-term than anything else in SWA history.  Our Executive Office's Internal Customer Care group, under the direction of then-President Colleen Barrett, began to quietly match up displaced New Orleans SWA Employees with various SWA HDQ Departments.  Schedule Planning was "assigned" the Lannon clan (and I will thank God from now on for becoming linked to this family!).  The first time I called Patti to introduce myself she was SO excited to hear from me--and honestly, after hearing her recount everything that had happened, I honestly was nearly speechless (which those of you who know me realize is a VERY difficult thing to do!) .  Her story sure made my life seem less chaotic...and made me even more determined to "be there" for her and to help the whole family as much as I could. Over the next several months, Patti and I talked frequently and she remained in amazingly good cheer--although as time went on more often than not she sounded dead-dog-tired.  Over and over she told me that, as a mother, her first priority was to make sure her kids were emotionally and physically secure.  So, she persevered, for no other reason than because she had to.  And things remained difficult for her family in Ohio.  Structure and routine is very, very important for son Michael, and all of the disruption, movement, and changes had been extremely taxing on him.  Although they were with family in Salem, Michael’s emotional and behavioral health began to deteriorate significantly.  Yet Patti remained Michael's, and indeed her whole family's, rock. Patti and I became very close, phoning each other several times each week.  To this day, I don't know whether I was her "vent-a-hood" or whether she had become my soap opera.  So as the Lannons moved slowly towards their first cold Ohio winter, Schedule Planning raffled passes within HDQ to raise funds to help the family buy winter clothing  (certainly not what they'd wear for a winter in New Orleans!).  One of our group even had a “gently worn” winter coat that was Patti’s size.  We sent them the coat and the raffle proceeds in late October, before the first snow fell.  Patti says that the first time she wore the “gently used” winter coat was on their first visit to the new family psychologist, who helped them all deal with post-traumatic-stress disorder—and the receptionist at the doctor’s office mentioned how much she liked Patti's coat, and asked her where she got it.  Patti says she just laughed--and told her it was a “gift from friends."  She was absolutely correct! Time passed.  We helped them get home for Thanksgiving, the first time that Patti, Julia, and Michael had seen their nearly destroyed home.  They were devastated, but at the same time ecstatic to be together again.  They were cramped but they were a family...if only for a week.  But after returning to Ohio, I could hear the depression in my Patticake's voice.  Even  though Ohio had embraced the family with arms wide open, it had nearly broken her heart to leave her New Orleans again.  Because we're a Department of Planners, my Colleagues and I immediately began to work to get the family back together for Christmas.  We made certain we would help make this a memorable Holiday Season (although, after all they'd been through in 2005, it could have been nothing else!).  Again, Schedule Planning provided transportation so that the family--the *whole* family, including the son in Nashville--could be "home for the holidays."  And for a week--the Lannons were again together. This time, it was easier for Patti, Julia and Michael to return to Ohio.  The depression, not as deep, and Salem, more familiar.  Both kids were doing very well, and the family had become well known in Salem as "that Katrina family."   The local paper did a story on them, in which Patti was quick to sing the praises of Southwest Airlines.  During a drive to the psychologist's office in Youngstown, Patti called her favorite radio talk program just to tell them how much she was enjoying the show--and when she mentioned she was a Katrina evacuee, they kept her on the air for over 30 minutes asking about her experience, the rebuilding, and her situation.  She says she was able to plug Southwest Airlines at least nine times.  At the end of the call, the hosts invited Patti and her family to a Northeastern Ohio Food Fair that the station was sponsoring on March 26th—as the guests of honor! Still, although that Ohio house was acquiring a slight patina of "normalcy," it wasn't home, and things weren't normal.  Julia was doing well in school and making friends--but at home in New Orleans, her dad had lost his job.  Michael was improving and enjoying the stability, but Patti still couldn't return to work (the nearest Southwest Station with openings was two hours away, making the commute competely impractical).  And Patti was finding the strangest things would remind her that things were not normal.  Odd things, like commercials for Zatarain, the line of New Orleans-style prepared foods, would "set her off."   Listening to Patti describe that kind of longing--her yearning for her life from before the storm--was like listening to a best friend grieve for what was happenening and what was lost.  And I grieved with her. But our phone calls with each other were anything but depressing.  We would laugh like CRAZY.  I kept her posted on the goings on at Southwest, the bizarreness of my life, told her about our slow rebuilding of our service pattern at MSY, exchanged BAD jokes, and we just talked about life.  Patti taught me, too.  She taught me that there are times when it doesn't matter how you feel--as a parent and as a Leader of a Family, your feelings go out the window and you just do it.  Take charge.  (My friend Sandy, a former SWA Flight Attendant, calls this going into "evacuate the airplane" mode.)  And my Patticakes did it magnificently. By the end of the school year in June of 2006, things were good enough in New Orleans for Patti, Julia, and Michael to pack up and head back...to move, finally, back home.  I rejoiced with them.  But they found it wasn't home, at least not the home and the life they so fondly remembered.  Their house, and their city, was still in ruins.  And Southwest's very cautious rebuilding of service in New Orleans meant that there wasn't a spot for Patti to return to as a Customer Service Agent, at least, not yet.  But she had MORE than enough to do.  Dealing with the insurance companies, the State of Louisiana, the paperwork, and rebuilding the house was a fulltime job itself.  And although it wasn't the return to her pre-storm life Patti would have preferred, that wouldn't have been real.  And the family was together again.  Home was different--but it was home. But soon, a difficult decision again loomed for Patti.  Her job "protection" was about to run out.  We talked several times about what her options were  But she began to tell me she was changing her mind on holding out for her old job as a Customer Service Agent.  At the time, Southwest was hiring Flight Attendants.  LOTS of Flight Attendants.  Patti decided that walking across the sky was the job for her!  Life was certainly not back to normal in New Orleans but her family had settled back in for the long term.  Patti felt her time away from home would be good for them--and good for her. She applied.  And got the job.  And EXCELLED in training.  She put on her wings and instantly loved her new career.  The first time I talked about her after her first trip she sounded happier, and more enthusiastic, than ever.  After graduation, she kept telling me she couldn't believe that Southwest hadn't just cast her off and that this new opportunity was made available to her.  It wasn't given to her--she did the paperwork, aced the interview, and passed the training.  Patti was grateful.  And once again, from Patti's wisdom, I learned that opportunities may be given.  Successes, like Patti's, are earned. After Patti "went Inflight," we weren't able to talk nearly as much.  We spoke sporadically, but it was difficult because Patti flew.  A LOT.  And I worked.  A LOT.  So our schedules were difficult to synch-up.  But still, like good friends always do, when we caught up it was like we'd just talked a day earlier.  She kept me updated on how having the ability to pick up extra flying was helping in the renovation efforts, and on how those renovation efforts were going (in a word:  slow).  I thanked her for teaching me what it means to be strong and take care of a family.  I put that knowledge to good use when I lost my dear Mother in December of 2007. Fast-forward to this week--the five-year anniversary of Katrina.  Patti and I chatted for the first time in quite a while earlier this week, and, again, the hits just keep on coming for the Lannon family.  Patti was just about to have orthoscopic knee surgery, fixing a problem that's been brewing for years.  And the kicker:  husband John was diagnosed last week with Stage IV Colon Cancer.  But, in keeping with her nature--what details were Patti eager to talk about?  How wonderful Southwest was being about her current disasters.  She'd already received cards and food baskets from our HDQ Executive Office Team, and her Supervisor at our Orlando Inflight Base has started a prayer chain for both John and Patti.  Almost as a side-note, she told me that John's doctors have given him a great post-treatment prognosis, and that her knee doctor had told her she'd be back at work in week to ten days. So once again, my once and future Patticakes is a bubbling spring of optimism, thankfullness, and positivity.  For the umpteenth time, during our one brief conversation this week, she taught me something:  no situation is too dire to justify pessimism.  And an "attitude of gratitude" attracts success, just like Patti attracted Southwest Airlines.  (and yes, I meant that exactly the way I wrote it.) Now, if you've read this far, congratulations.  But you might be wondering:  why have I written, at this length, about the Lannon's and their experience?  Simple.  One: tens of thousands of families (including many Southwest Airlines ones) affected by Hurricane Katrina had similar experiences, and continue to struggle.  The story of the Lannon Family is just one of those.  I hope you will think about that, redouble your appreciation of your life, and do what you can to help the rebuilding efforts along the Gulf.  Two: to talk about how Southwest Airlines does what we can to help our fellow Employees in crisis.  We can't completely eliminate the chaos--but at the very least we, as colleagues, are there for each other. And three.  I wanted you to know about the amazing nature, and indomitable spirit, of one Mrs. Patti Lannon.  Love you, Patticakes.  You, John, and the kids are in my prayers, the prayers of your co-workers--and hopefully, the prayers of the Blogosphere. Breathe peace, folks.  Thanks for reading "Nuts About Southwest!"   ... View more

Good HOT morning, everyone!  Today we're putting our January and February, 2011 schedules out for sale.  There are LOTS of changes but they're mostly subtle, soft and subdued....kind of like the sound of a snowfall.  So get your "zen" on and let's dive in! So what's *NOT* in these schedules?  New cities, for starters.  No, we're not announcing the introduction of our South Carolina service....not yet!  (Patience, young grasshoppers!  Snatch the new city from my hand....)  What *is* in this schedule is a shuffling of frequencies that reflects the seasonal traffic ebb and flow.  Once again, we're publishing different schedules for January and February--meaning that they're optimized separately, so you'll see a lot of departure time changes between the two. As for specifics, effective January 9th, we're eliminating (only!) one market--our nonstop Kansas City-Seattle service (although in all likelihood it will return in Summer 2011). On the "Up" side, starting on February 13th, we're bringing back nonstop Islip-Ft. Myers flights, as well as adding new, nonstop Nashville-Ft. Myers service!  MANY markets have frequency changes.  Details are in the attached .PDF file. On a more macro, departure-city level, the changes are fairly minor.  Comparing our November schedule to February, PHX is the largest gainer, picking up 10 departures per day, bringing Sky Harbor back up to 183 weekday departures. At the number two gainer spot, adding eight weekday departures is Orlando, former home of McCoy Air Force Base (hence its airport code MCO).  And retaining the "top dog" title as the busiest SWA Station remains La$ Vega$ with 213 weekday departures. So for now, sit back, chill, peruse our shiny new Winter 2011 Schedule, and book something!  ... View more

Happy Tuesday, everyone!  Today we're announcing service effective November 7th in four markets--two brand newbies, one returning after a brief vacation, and one that we just can't bear to drop. First-time Southwest nonstops will take wing between Phoenix and Ft. Lauderdale with one daily roundtrip as well as double-daily roundtrips between Austin and San Jose, CA (yes--our very own "Nerd Bird!").  Phoenix-Ft. Lauderdale is a natural for us, and is timed to perfectly complement our existing service between Las Vegas and Lauderdale.  The new Austin-San Jose service (obviously) connects two of the biggest high-tech centers in the world, but also connects two important centers of higher education--so while it's the Google-Dell connection, it's also the Stanford-UT hook-up! Returning after a short hiatus is nonstop service between St. Louis and Seattle.   This has been a *strong* performer this summer, and for the winter season it will be a perfect connector between Seattle and Florida. And the market we just can't get rid of--we're "un-cancelling" our nonstop Baltimore-Los Angeles service...again!  We (of course) follow market demand, the demand for this market continues--and so will the flight. All of this service is now available at southwest.com and the other usual places where you can buy seats on Southwest.  So what're you waiting for?  Fly somewhere, dang it!  Have a great week, everyone.     ... View more

Today we opened for sale our November, December, and early January (2011) schedules for sale.  This includes Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  Let the holiday booking frenzy begin! Oh no, ho-ho-ho, c'mon, kids, let's pack and go! We have numerous frequency changes in this schedule (many of which are seasonal).  They're reflective of the softened demand we experience in the Fall.  (See attached PDF file)  We've also optimized a separate "peak-schedule" schedule--adding back flights on the days that we know will be busier than the norm, like the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving.  In fact, we're using that schedule on 13 days through this schedule period, which means this schedule development effort was almost like two schedules within one!  And of course we're scheduling everything we can on those "bigger-'n-big" days--the Sundays after Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's--which are our busiest days of the whole year! This is a complicated schedule change--and a big shout-out to all the Schedule Teams that pieced this amazingly complicated puzzle together!    Let me know if y'all have questions....and happy booking!    ... View more

Two of our bloggers, Harrison Earl and Bill Owen, were invited (by different groups, no less) to the recent shuttle launch, and their stories are so good, we are excited to share them both with you.   Last week, I had the incredible good fortune to be in the observation stands on the banks of the Banana River to watch the lift-off of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on its final mission--STS-132.   Our friends at the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) partnered with NASA and some of their other colleagues in the Central Florida tourism industry to put together a whirlwind trip for invited airline Schedule Planners to show us what's new in Orlando, culminating with seats in the stands at the Kennedy Space Center's Saturn V Center watching one of the final three launches in the Space Shuttle program. Now, let me first frame for you how much of a Big Deal this was for me.  I've been watching NASA rockets blast off on TV since the Mercury program.  When I was in school, a Gemini or an Apollo launch warranted the rolling into my classroom of a portable black-and-white set so we could watch the grainy image of the blast-off.  Moon landings, Apollo 13, and splashdowns are vivid childhood memories, all delivered via the television.  I remember how excited I was to watch my first blast-off on a color TV.  I clearly remember where I was and who was in the room with me when Challenger exploded in 1986.  I'll never forget walking out into my back yard that cold, clear Sunday morning in 2003 when the Space Shuttle Columbia came directly over the Dallas area in flaming, shattered pieces.  So make no mistake:  I'm a huge fan of NASA's space program, and have celebrated their victories and mourned their losses right along with the agency itself.  Yet after 32 years of having flight benefits I've never even been in the State of Florida when a rocket went up.  So to be permitted (let alone invited!) to attend one of the last launches of the world's first re-usable space vehicle was just HUGE for me. So Friday morning, May 14th, the group of airline planners and GOAA staff boarded a bus from the beautiful Hyatt Regency inside the Orlando International Airport at 9:30 a.m. for what under normal circumstances would be a 45-minute commute to the Kennedy Space Center, leaving us ample time to view the 2:20 p.m. launch.  Or so we thought.  We were warned that traffic would be heavy.   None of us ever expected how heavy!  We arrived at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex after three hours in bumper-to-bumper traffic.  After clearing security, we (literally) ran to board one of the last busses to the Saturn V Center and viewing area.  We got to the center with less than an hour to spare.  After a quick run through the Gift Shop we walked into the cavernous display area.  An entire Saturn V rocket is suspended above the display area--all 363 feet of it.  Absolutely amazing. Heading out to the stands, we got our first glimpse across the Banana River to Pad 39, where Atlantis was ready for "immediate departure."  The departure clock is at T-minus-20 in a pre-planned hold, but even the NASA commentators on the loud speakers are amazed at what a "clean" countdown process this had been.  It looks like the launch is actually going to happen as scheduled (which seldom happens!).   Once the countdown resumes the level of excitement among the crowd really cranks up.  Sitting there, baking in the hot Florida sun, the crowd gets quieter and quieter as the numbers on the countdown clock grow smaller, listening to the NASA countdown audio. Ten. Get the camera out.  Is it set right?  Oh, I don't want to blow it! Nine. Put the camera back up.  They told us it was a better idea to use the pics that would be posted on the NASA web site and just experience the launch unencumbered. Eight. Please, oh please, don't let them scrub this launch! Seven. Please, oh please, let the astronauts--Commander Ham, Pilot Antonelli, and Specialists Bowen, Good, Sellers, and Reisman--be safe! Six. Go for main engine start. Five. OMG this is actually going to happen! Four. Ridiculous amounts of white smoke begins to pour out of the base of Launch Pad 39. Three. Go for SRB ignition. Two. The first blast of pure white noise hits our ears in the viewing stands. One. Here we go...... ZERO. BLAST OFF!  Launch of Atlantis on Mission STS-132 to install the last modules of the International Space Station! And at that instant the Shuttle literally leaps from the launch pad.  And I got the first glimpse of "rocket's glare."  It's not red--it's yellow.  And it's bright.  Really bright.  Amazingly bright.  Looking-into-the-sun bright.  As the shuttle accelerates (zero to 100 in just eight seconds!) it begins its rotation to a head-down attitude and turns just a little to our left.  Getting higher.  And higher.  And smaller.  All the while assaulting our ears with triple-digit-decible noise.  After just 60 seconds the vehicle is already travelling at over 1,000 mph and, despite being 40 miles away from the launch pad is still clearly, brightly visible.  Two minutes after launch, the two solid-rocket boosters fall away--I can see them separate from the shuttle and its main fuel tank. And within a few more seconds....it's over.  Out of view.  The crowd goes wild with applause, and then it's time to make one last trip through the Gift Shop (the only way into or out of the complex!) to board our busses back to the Visitor Center. Now the logistics of getting more than 3,000 people bussed back to the Center, quickly, must be daunting.  To expedite the process NASA had borrowed busses from nearby UCF as well as contracted other bus firms--and the process was surprisingly efficient. All of us were back to the Visitor Complex by 3:30.  Which, given the severity of the inbound traffic, was about when we needed start our return trip (several of us had flights at 6:15 or so).  So yet another breakneck dash back to our bus and "on the road again" back to Orlando International Airport. So what were my takeaways from from my launch experience?  Three words:  QUICK.  LOUD.  BRIGHT.  Four T-shirts.  Some amazing NASA-donated souvenirs.  Determination to go back for at least one more launch with my family before the program concludes and we allow the Russians to become our gatekeepers to space, at least for a while.  New ambition to become a launch "evangelist"--GO SEE ONE IN PERSON!  And memories that will last for the rest of my life! Huge, MAJOR thanks to Vicki and Lissa with Orlando International Airport, to NASA for extending us the invitation and taking care of us so well, to all of the civic leaders that we met at breakfast on Friday morning, and to the major tourism destination that gave us an incredible treat on Thursday night.  But I can't talk about that.  Yet.  Standby for another blog post after I'm "cleared" to share details!                  ... View more

Okay.  Let's be honest here.  Who, besides me, is a complete and devoted fan of Fox TV's new musical mega-hit, "Glee!"?  C'mon, raise your hands.  Those of you that will admit to the addiction are called "Gleeks."  I mean, it's probably something you want to admit in neither the locker nor the board rooms--but oh, sweet ghosts of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein, this is one great TV show!!!!   To illustrate how much I love this show...I'm sitting here tip-tapping this on my laptop on a Saturday morning, watching (again) the DVR of last week's episode, singing along to "A House Is Not A Home," "Fire," and "One Less Bell To Answer" and looking forward to next Tuesday's new show.  Yes, I have things to do, yet I'm listening and singing while I'm blogging to extol this show's incredibleness!  And while the music is phenomenal (and add whatever superlative you want here--the singing is worth it!), the story is equally addictive.  No murders or aliens here.  It's all about folks realizing that it's okay to be just exactly who you are, whether you're gay, fat, a minority, in a wheelchair, or just a geek.  And it's equally about what's not okay--being deceitful, hurtful, or exclusive.  And the cheerleading coach, Sue, just may be the most incredibly comic villain of all time.   So other than the opportunity to talk about something other than schedules....why am I sharing my borderline obsession over this amazing show with you guys?  Simple--I think this show is a parable of the story of Southwest Airlines!  The underdog succeeding?  That's our history!  Treating people well and fairly?  That's our mission.  Thinking outside the box to achieve success?  That's our reality.  And longterm outlook?  It's an unknown, both for Southwest as well as "New Directions" (the name of the Glee! show choir).  But I'll tell you right now--there is such energy to find new ways to succeed, both the fictional McKinley High School as well as at the oh-so-real Southwest Airlines--we're both going to wind up with blue ribbons!   Hope everyone is having a great Spring....WATCH GLEE!!!!...and thanks for reading "Nuts About Southwest"! ... View more

A quick schedule surprise--we're adding service beginning at summer's end!  One seasonal market that's being extended ... and two brand new routes that tie two of our newest markets to one of our oldest and most successful ones. When we announced the seasonal resumption of nonstop Baltimore/Washington(BWI)-Los Angeles(LAX) service starting on May 9, we planned to end it again on August 13.  But WOW!  Our bookings have been so strong that we're going to continue with one roundtrip, nonstop BWI-LAX flight that will continue on through at least October 30.   After that?  We'll see! Out in Phoenix (PHX), we're adding new nonstop service to Minneapolis/St. Paul (two roundtrip nonstops begin effective August 15th) as well as between PHX and Boston/Logan (one daily roundtrip nonstop starts September 7th).  Both new markets will provide GREAT connectivity to/from the West Coast for our Customers in the Twin Cities and Boston, but both are large nonstop markets in and of themselves.  These new markets are available for sale right now at southwest.com.  Happy booking, guys--and have a great week!     ... View more

Here at Southwest Airline's Headquarters Campus in Dallas, my Department--Network Planning--is celebrating Earth Day 2010 in a new and exciting way.  You could say that something new is "coming up!" Like potatoes.  And onions.  And soon, tomatoes, peppers, and who knows what else.  Embracing the growing Urban Gardening movement, an ever-increasing number of SWA Employees have turned an otherwise-ignored grassy area between HDQ and Technical Services into the sweetest little garden plot this side of heaven.  Everything is being grown entirely organically, without chemicals or pesticides.  All of the vegetables harvested from this garden will be donated to local Dallas-area food banks.  And the coolest thing (and definitely the most important thing to Gary!) is that this entire project was done without one red cent of SWA's money.  It's a completely volunteer effort, from the labor, to the materials, to the time it took to help the Earth do what it does best--feed us, organically, healthily, and deliciously! "Jaime's Garden" is the brainchild of my longtime colleague (and friend!) Network Architect Jaime Ibarra.  Jaime has long been an urban gardening pioneer, over the years inundating his Coworkers with the freshest eggs, most flavorful tomatoes, and other fresh produce grown right in his backyard.  However, for a couple of years now he’s wanted to start a garden here on our HDQ campus, and with the help of fellow gardener John Jamotta (Senior Director, Network Planning) they took the first steps in June 2009 by starting to compost in preparation for the first planting in early 2010.  At first, all of the compost was provided by the Network Planning group, using lunch leftovers as well as bringing compost material from home (I haven't stopped up my sink with onion skins or potato peels in over six months!!). (John and Jaime with the first potatoes harvested) But here's where the effort becomes collaboration.  Jaime and John thought to see if Eurest, the corporation that operates “The Landing” (our award-winning campus eatery) would donate their organic wastes to the compost pile.  They jumped at the opportunity!  Eurest employees Laura Gigl and Edward Ramirez co-opted their staff and within days were providing more compost material than John or Jaime could have hoped.  And in the few months since the effort started, Eurest has even begun to use cuttings from onions and bell peppers to grow seedlings which are then planted in the garden. And the collaboration keeps expanding.  There are now over a dozen Employees digging, planting, and keeping Jaime’s Garden growing.  One afternoon after work while they were tending their crops, another Southwest Employee walked over from the Technical Support building and mentioned that his wife was a gardener, and asked if he could tell her about the garden?  “Of course!” they replied.  Little did they know at the time that the Employee’s wife, Lynn Oxendine, is a Master Gardener.  Lynn has put “Team Jaime” in touch with her associates at the Agri-LIFE Extension of the Texas A&M System, and they’re adding an energy that no one involved with this project ever expected.  They’re talking about helping them expand Jaime’s Garden and using it as a teaching opportunity, offering classes to Southwest Employees on how to make the most out of backyard gardens.  There’s even talk about having Jaime and John share their story on local radio! So soon…Southwest Employees at HDQ will have the opportunity to learn more about urban gardening, the land on which our HDQ Campus sits will have new purpose, and local food banks will have the unusual luxury of fresh, organic vegetables--all thanks to an idea that one Southwest Employee had, and ran with.  Thanks, Jaime, for your Southwest Spirit, and for your “Garden-LUVing Attitude.”  And Happy Earth Day, everyone!   ... View more