Southwest Airlines Community

Want to Get Away - Eh? Southwest Airlines to Offer International Service via Pact With Canadian Carrier WestJet, Service Scheduled for Late 2009 Southwest Airlines and WestJet Take First Step Toward Codeshare Partnership, Opening a New Gateway Between United States and Canada   DALLAS, July 8-- Southwest Airlines today announced its intention to build a codeshare partnership with Canadian carrier WestJet. The two airlines have completed the first step in creating a relationship that will eventually allow the carriers to offer Customers a seamless travel experience to a wide array of destinations. This initial agreement puts the two airlines on a path toward bringing more low fares and a better Customer experience across the U.S./Canadian border. The airlines plan to announce codeshare flight schedules and additional features regarding the partnership by late 2009. Certain details of the codeshare and elements of the partnership are subject to approvals by both the U.S. and Canadian governments. "A company's dedication to Culture and Customer Service are very high on our priority list when considering a relationship of any kind," said Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly. "We are confident that we've found a perfect fit with WestJet, and we are excited to work toward opening our expansive U.S. network to include Canadian destinations." WestJet was founded in 1996 as a western Canadian regional carrier with three aircraft flying to five cities. Today, WestJet is Canada's leading high-value, low-fare airline, offering scheduled service to 49 destinations in Canada, the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The airline operates a fleet of 75 Boeing Next-Generation 737-series aircraft. "This is a defining moment for WestJet. Clearly, we are delivering on our strategic plan with this announcement today. It marks an important step forward for our guests and their ability to fly to more destinations in the United States conveniently and cost effectively," said WestJet President and CEO Sean Durfy. "When you examine our network in Canada and Southwest's network in the United States, and the potential to significantly improve both organization's market access, this is indeed a great day." The airlines are not ready to announce routes, schedules, or fares at this point, but the agreement will eventually allow each carrier to check both Customers and baggage to a passenger's final destination. The codeshare partnership is intended to provide convenient, viable connecting schedules. In addition, southwest.com will soon become a distribution channel for WestJet's existing Canadian and transborder flights, providing Customers the opportunity to purchase WestJet's existing flights via southwest.com (this option will be online before actual connecting codeshare flights are available for purchase). Other items that are on the list of things to consider include an integration of each carrier's frequent flier program, ground handling opportunities, and a possible extension of the carriers' cargo products. "We are quickly moving forward with our plans to enter the international market with WestJet, an airline partner that we hold in high esteem," Kelly said. "We have a very talented group of Employees who will continue to work diligently over the next year to develop and deliver a superior international codeshare product into the marketplace." "It is an honour to partner with one of the great airline success stories of the world," Durfy said. "The effort put forth by Gary Kelly and his management team to negotiate this relationship is most appreciated and I look forward to building a great bond with Southwest. Together we will demonstrate that low- cost, high-value airlines represent the future success of air travel." About Southwest Airlines After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, 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 recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines  even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3, 400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. About WestJet WestJet is Canada's leading high-value low-cost airline offering scheduled service throughout its 49-city North American (including Hawaii), Mexico and Caribbean network. Named Canada's most admired corporate culture in 2005, 2006, and 2007, WestJet pioneered low-cost flying in Canada. WestJet offers increased legroom and leather seats on its modern fleet of 75 Boeing Next-Generation 737 aircraft, and live seatback television provided by Bell ExpressVu. With future confirmed deliveries for an additional 46 aircraft, bringing its fleet to 121 by 2013, WestJet strives to be the number one choice for travellers. This news release contains forward-looking statements related to Southwest's intention to offer international service through an alliance with WestJet. Specific statements relate to the anticipated impact of such alliance on Southwest's routes, fares, and Customer experience. These forward-looking statements are based on Southwest's current intent, beliefs, and expectations and are not guarantees of future results. These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them. Factors include, among others, (i) the companies' ability to negotiate mutually agreeable codeshare terms and their receipt of necessary governmental approvals, (ii) consumer interest in, and demand for, the combined offering; (iii) the impact of competitive offerings; and (iv) economic and related uncertainties that could impact the ability of the two companies to fully implement all of the initiatives currently contemplated by their alliance. http://www.southwest.com   ... View more

Southwest Airlnes was named Brand Champions of the Day on Rex Whisman's Brand Champion's Blog.   Thanks, so much, Rex!   Brand Champions of the Day- Southwest Airlines For those of you who know me, or who have seen me present, you know I often cite Southwest Airlines as a case study. If I am not mistaken, they are the only US carrier to experience a profit each quarter since 9/11. They are also one of the only US carriers that still have relatively affordable airline ticket prices, and are not in the process of eliminating routes.   To read more, visit:  http://www.brandchampionsblog.com/my_weblog/2008/07/brand-champions-of-the-day--southwest-airlines.html         ... View more

  Travel Expert Terry Trippler offers the following video on the subject of "back-to-back" and "hidden city" ticketing.  Guess what? Southwest Airlines is the ONLY airline that doesn't prohibit either practice. There is a great deal of speculation that with "Saturday night stay" requirements coming back into play, business travelers will once again engage with the legacy carriers in booking "back -to-back" tickets to get around that restriction and the higher priced tickets. Just one more way we don't nickel and dime our Customers!!! To view the video, visit: http://www.ourtakeonnews.com/ ... View more

  The Wall Street Journal published an article today with the headline “Airline Cuts Hit Fliers Who Planned Early.”  You can read the article by visiting: http://online.wsj.com/public/article_print/SB121494566858520581.html .   The story, in  a way, validates our long-standing strategy of offering a shorter booking window, which has been eloquently explained by Southwest Schedule Planner and Star Blogger Bill Owen in several earlier posts on this blog (WHY CAN'T I MAKE RESERVATIONS FURTHER IN ADVANCE?, I BLOGGED. YOU FLAMED. WE CHANGED., and READY...SET....BOOK!)   ... View more

          DALLAS, TEXAS – July 2, 2008-- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.9 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in June 2008, a 0.7 percent increase from the 6.8 billion RPMs flown in June 2007.  Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 5.7 percent to 8.8 billion from the June 2007 level of 8.3 billion.  The load factor for the month was 78.2 percent, compared to 82.1 percent for the same period last year.             For the second quarter 2008, Southwest flew 19.8 billion RPMs, compared to the 19.0 billion RPMs recorded for the same period of 2007, an increase of 4.2 percent.  Available seat miles increased 5.4 percent to 26.3 billion from the second quarter 2007 level of 25.0 billion.  The second quarter 2008 load factor was 75.2 percent, compared to 76.1 percent for the same period last year.             For the first half of 2008, Southwest flew 37.4 billion RPMs, compared to the 35.1 billion RPMs recorded for the same period in 2007, an increase of 6.5 percent.  Available seat miles increased 5.9 percent to 51.5 billion from the 2007 level of 48.7 billion.  The year-to-date load factor was 72.6 percent, compared to 72.2 percent for the same period last year.             This release, as well as past news releases on Southwest, are available online at southwest.com. ... View more

  Carrier Uses New Optimization Model to Grow in Denver and Tweak Flight Schedule DALLAS – June 26, 2008 – Bucking the current industry trend to reduce capacity and flights, Southwest Airlines announced today that the carrier will utilize a brand new optimization model to add service in select markets and tweak its schedule.  Through the elimination of 31 existing roundtrip flights from its current flight schedule, Southwest has added 40 new roundtrip flights in key growth cities such as Denver and Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood.  To view a complete chart of the schedule changes in each city, click here: http://ma-devl-test/swamedia/media_home.html.  To view a blog post from Schedule Development Lead Planner, Bill Owen, explaining the airline’s optimization efforts, click here: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/winter-is-now-for-sale.  To book flights, click here: http://www.southwest.com/?src=PRPRPRNDENV000000080626.    “We are trimming our flight schedule, frequently and continually, of unproductive flights, while we continue to grow in cities like Denver,” Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said.  ”We have a much different story to tell today than our competitors.  We are well prepared financially, we are the nation’s Leading Low Fare Airline, we are still growing, and our People provide outstanding Customer Service.  Best of all, we don’t nickel and dime our Customers with added fees.”     The Company will be accommodating this new service with two aircraft that it previously planned to retire, bringing this year’s net aircraft growth to 15.  The Company’s 2008 year-over-year available seat mile (ASM) capacity growth is still expected to be in the four percent range.   Several markets will be gaining new nonstop service, including:   BEGINNING NOV. 2, 2008: • Three new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Orange County.  • Two new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Tulsa.  • One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Las Vegas. • One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Kansas City. • One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Albany.  • One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Ft. Myers and St. Louis.    To celebrate the new nonstop service, Southwest is offering a $69 one-way advance purchase fare between Denver and Tulsa and a $79 one-way advance purchase fare between Denver and Orange County.  Southwest is offering an $89 one-way advance purchase fare between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Kansas City and Albany and a $149 one-way advance purchase fare between Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood and Las Vegas.  The carrier will offer a $69 one-way advance purchase fare between Ft. Myers and St. Louis.  These 14-day advance purchase fares are available for purchase today at southwest.com for travel beginning on Nov. 2, 2008, through the end of the schedule, currently Jan. 9, 2009.   NEW SERVICE FARE RULES Fares are available for purchase today through the end of the schedule, currently Jan. 9, 2009.  Fares are for nonstop flights only and do not require an overnight stay. All tickets must be purchased 14-days in advance. When combining fares, all ticketing restrictions apply. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by day of travel and will not be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3.50 per takeoff and landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 one-way and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fees of $5.00 one-way.  Fares are subject to change until ticketed.  Tickets are nonrefundable but, if unused, may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines.  Fares are valid on Southwest-operated published, scheduled service only and are not available through the Group Desk.   Southwest is the only U.S. airline to remain consistently profitable this decade, and enjoys an unprecedented string of 35 consecutive years of profitability.  Southwest has among the lowest cost structures, a strong balance sheet, and the most comprehensive fuel hedge of any major U.S. airline.  At Southwest Airlines, fees don’t fly with us.  You can check your first two bags for free, there are no change fees, no fees for a window or aisle seat, and, as always, snacks, sodas, and smiles are all complimentary! After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier, continues to differentiate itself from 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.  Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all Boeing 737 fleet.  Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com ... View more

Aviation Week & Space Technology 06/23/2008 , page 10 Robert P. Mark Evanston, Ill. Tom Triola’s letter “Solution for Labor Shortage” (AW&ST June 9, p. 10) says performance should be a priority over demands for pay. But the need to urge local employees to take the pride in their work needed to produce the performance ignores one important element: leadership, or the lack of it. People in the aviation industry will work hard if they think they are all headed in the same direction as their leaders. There is little evidence of anything resembling leadership in the airline industry or FAA; management possibly, but not leadership. A Southwest Airlines employee offered an insight into why that airline is so successful. Southwest leaders don’t try to control every element of the airline’s operation. The company believes there is substantial value to empowering first-line employees to make decisions. And the company backs them up. ... View more

BY LEWIS LAZARE llazare@suntimes.com    While every legacy airline in America is slipping and sliding, Southwest Airlines is preparing to use this dark moment in aviation history to cement its position as the pre-eminent domestic carrier -- one that may soon have wireless Internet onboard and several international codeshare airline partners.     I n an impressive talk before a large crowd at a Greater North Michigan Avenue Association luncheon at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, Southwest Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly laid out how Southwest plans to keep soaring while other airlines struggle just to stay aloft.        To read more, visit: http://www.suntimes.com/business/lazare/1015690,CST-FIN-Southweb20.article ... View more

Southwest's fuel bets score 4:27 CEO Gary Kelly talks about how his airline is able to turn a profit while other carriers suffer big losses from rising fuel prices. http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/2008/06/18/news.harlow.southwest.ceo1.cnnmoney ***If you have trouble linking to the video, enter "Southwest's fuel bets score" into the video search field on the right hand side of the CNN site about half way down the page.      ... View more

  Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly says the company is finding success by reinvesting in its service and employees. http://money.cnn.com/video/#/video/news/2008/06/19/news.harlow.061808.southwestservice.cnnmoney ***If you have trouble linking to the video, enter "Southwest CEO: Service is key" into the video search field on the right hand side of the CNN site about half way down the page.    ... View more

Required Navigation Performance Procedures Reduce Aircraft Emissions, Congestion, and Fuel Costs DALLAS, June 19 -- Southwest Airlines Senior Director of Flight Operations Jeff Martin spoke today about the benefits of RNP (Required Navigation Performance) and Southwest's progression on RNP implementation fleet-wide at the Eco-Aviation Conference in Washington, D.C. -- follow this link to view the complete presentation: http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/rnp.pdf. RNP is one of the cornerstones for the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) Next Generation Air Traffic Control System, bringing together the accuracy of GPS (Global Positioning System), the capabilities of advanced aircraft avionics, and new flight procedures. "RNP allows the aircraft to fly more precise, direct, and accurate paths, allowing more 'lanes' to be built into the same limited airspace," said Southwest Airlines Executive Vice President and Chief of Operations Mike Van de Ven. "We applaud the FAA's forward thinking, and we are grateful to work in conjunction with the agency to revolutionize our nation's airspace." In support of the FAA's Roadmap for Performance-Based Navigation, Southwest has made a commitment to invest $175 million over the next six years to implement RNP procedures at all 64 airports the airline serves. The initial investment will provide longterm benefits to industry congestion and aircraft efficiencies. For a single minute of time saved on each flight, the annual savings quickly add up to 156,000 metric tons of reduction in emissions per year (by 2015), and $25 million in fuel savings per year. "Southwest Airlines is thrilled to enhance our green efforts," Martin said. "Another obvious benefit in this environment of escalating energy prices is the ability to save on fuel burn." To help develop its RNP program, Southwest Airlines has partnered with Naverus, the worldwide leader in RNP development. Since May 2007, Southwest, Naverus, and the FAA have been working together to gain Air Traffic Control support of RNP to train the airline's pilots on RNP, equip the airline's entire fleet to be RNP capable, and produce RNP charted procedures. "A Southwest, FAA, and Naverus partnership is necessary to ensure our technical and economic success," Martin said. "The FAA cleared the path, and Naverus continues to share its RNP experience and expertise in supporting our RNP program." "Implementing RNP offers the single greatest opportunity to make near-term gains in reducing harmful emissions, improving fuel efficiency, increasing airspace capacity, and maximizing flight safety," said Dan Gerrity, CEO of Naverus. "By embracing RNP across all its routes, Southwest is once again demonstrating the leadership for which it is so well known." Southwest's Boeing 737-700 aircraft provide a wonderful RNP platform and are currently equipped and capable of operating these new procedures. Additionally, the airline has made investments to update its Classic fleet and have already begun to incorporate these new processes into its Flight Operations training. The next milestone will be choosing the airport(s) to kick off the integration of these new procedures. "Our goal is to begin flying RNP procedures in fall 2009, with a ramp up through 2013 as our classic aircrafts are modified," Martin said. "We are currently exploring the benefits of several airports for RNP implementation, including a few in our own backyard."     BENEFITS OF RNP     -- Increased airspace capacity     -- Operational efficiency     -- Environmentally friendly     -- Noise reduction / avoidance     -- Lower environmental emissions (By 2015 we anticipate reducing emissions        by nearly 156,000 metric tons per year, which is the equivalent of more        than 100,000 mid-sized cars driving roundtrip from Dallas to Washington        DC, or generating electricity at 69,000 U.S. households for one year.)         -- Reduced track miles -- conservative estimates of reducing flying            routes by three nautical miles can equate to a $25 million dollar            annualized fuel savings         -- More efficient aircraft operation         -- Continuous descent arrivals         -- Aircraft can fly more directly and remain higher for longer which            reduces noise impact on the ground.     -- Increased Safety     -- Paths engineered to avoid obstacles About Southwest After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to differentiate itself from 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. Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. http://www.southwest.com About Naverus Naverus is the worldwide Required Navigation Performance leader having created the overwhelming majority of active RNP procedures worldwide. Uniquely combining expertise in avionics, aircraft operations, and procedure design, Naverus works with airlines and air navigation service providers to find optimal solutions to their specific routes and challenges. Airlines seek Naverus RNP flight paths to save fuel, reduce carbon emissions, reduce miles flown, reduce block times, and help air traffic systems to gain new efficiencies. The company's customers include Airbus, Air China, Air New Zealand, Boeing, CAAC, COPA, IATA, jetBlue, Jetstar, SkyEurope, Southwest, Qantas, Virgin Blue, and WestJet and others. Naverus Inc. is a privately-held Seattle company founded in 2003. http://www.naverus.com   ... View more

      Southwest Airlines Adds Avis as New Preferred Partner to Frequent Flyer Program   DALLAS – June 19, 2008 - Southwest Airlines announced today that the carrier’s award-winning frequent flyer program, Rapid Rewards, has added Avis Rent A Car as a new Preferred Partner.  The Avis alliance will allow the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards’ program to acquire new Members from Avis and build additional brand loyalty with co-branded promotions.  Rapid Rewards Members will save up to 25 percent on Avis rentals and will earn Rapid Rewards credit when renting from Avis.             To celebrate the kickoff, now through August 15, 2008, Members can receive triple credit on a weekly rental of five or more days.  To receive the bonus credits, Members must visit southwest.com and include code K024700 in the Corporate ID/Rate field.  For more information, including terms and conditions, visit www.southwest.com.             “We are excited about the tremendous opportunities that our new alliance with Avis will bring to our Customers,” said Ryan Green, Southwest Airlines’ Director of Customer Loyalty.  “We are constantly looking at ways to improve our Rapid Rewards program, and teaming up with Avis will bring more value and benefits to the traveling experience.”                “We’re pleased to share the great benefits found at Avis Rent A Car with Rapid Rewards Members as they move about the country,” said Kaye Ceille, Senior Vice President of Worldwide Travel and Partnership Sales for Avis Budget Group, Inc., parent company of Avis.  “We look forward to offering their Members Avis’ world-renowned ‘We Try Harder’ service and the convenience of our industry-leading latest technology.”             It is fast and easy to earn free travel through Rapid Rewards.  Rapid Rewards Members earn credits by flying or using the program’s Preferred Partners, like Avis.  It takes just eight roundtrips to qualify for an Award, but Members can accelerate their earnings by using the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Visa Signature Card, doing business with any of the airline’s other Preferred Partners, or by purchasing Southwest’s Business Select fares when flying.  Plus, once it’s earned, Southwest Airlines allows the Member to transfer the Award to anyone.  The Award is free but subject to the U.S. government September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 roundtrip.          About Southwest Airlines After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience.  Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest convenient and simple.  Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. About Avis             Avis Rent A Car System, LLC and its subsidiaries operate one of the world's leading car rental brands, providing business and leisure customers with a wide range of services at more than 2,100 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the Latin American / Caribbean region. Avis is one of the world's top brands for customer loyalty, as ranked in the 2008 Brand Keys ® Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.  The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NYSE: CAR).  For more information, visit www.avis.com. www.southwest.com ... View more

    Listen for the DING! As Southwest Airlines Celebrates 37 years of FUN On Wednesday, June 18th, Southwest Airlines celebrates 37 years of flying by offering great DING! fares. Southwest will offer rates as low as $37 one-way (not available in all markets), for 37 minutes. Final offers will end before 7:37 p.m. These super-low fares will be offered five times throughout the day. Subscribers will receive details on the promotion today via DING! Flights will be available for travel August 11 through October 30. Roundtrip airfare is not required to book flights. Listen for the DING! throughout the day for exciting low fares! Using DING! is as easy as 1-2-3. 1. Visit www.southwest.com, download the DING! application, and an icon representing the Southwest Airlines plane tail will display in the system tray – the lower right hand corner of the screen, where the network connection and time icons are located. 2. Once installed, DING! will automatically inform subscribers when super-low fares are available with the sound of a bell chime and the appearance of a small envelope above the DING! icon. 3. When subscribers hear the chime or see the envelope, they can click the DING! icon to find super-low fares available only to DING! subscribers. ... View more

THE BEST TRADER IN THE BUSINESS:  Southwest Airlines Aggressively Hedging Against Fuel Costs Southwest hedged more than 70% of its fuel needs this year at relatively low cost which helped the airline remain profitable, explains CEO Gary Kelly. We’ve been hedging for decades and we’re prepared for difficult times, he adds. Next year we’re about 55% hedged at $51 a barrel and we’ve got a decent position started for 2010 through 2012. But no one can predict what energy prices will be. It’s an insurance program and it’s helping see us through. And that’s just one component (of our business model), Kelly adds. We continue to have the lower-fare advantage and that’s huge. Low-fares attract more business. (Consequently) we’re able to grow when everyone else is shrinking. Traders what do you think? Gary Kelly is a great CEO and I think Southwest is best of breed but I just can’t recommend this stock, says Jeff Macke. Right now airlines are trading vehicles, adds Guy Adami. Play the volatile ones not Southwest. To view Southwest’s CEO Gary Kelly’s Interview on Fast Money, visit:  http://www.cnbc.com/id/24858373  (scroll to the bottom of the page for the video player)  ... View more

By George Anders, Wall Street Journal  With oil near $130 a barrel, why does Southwest Airlines stand alone in the airline industry in its aggressive use of hedging to keep fuel costs under control? Southwest has locked in more than 70% of its jet-fuel requirements this year at a price equivalent to $51 a barrel for crude oil. By contrast, other big carriers have hedged 30% or less of their fuel needs this year. Those carriers generally expect to pay the equivalent of $85 to $100 per barrel of oil under their hedging programs. For Southwest, the payoff has been huge. Low-cost fuel has helped it stay profitable in the past year, even though its core airline business otherwise would have operated in the red in some recent quarters. Meanwhile, other airlines are posting losses, jacking up airfares and resorting to hefty baggage- check surcharges in an effort to cover escalating fuel costs. To read more, visit:  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121192242646723961.html  (SUBSCRIPTION NEEDED)  ... View more

  DALLAS, May 22, 2008 -- Today's New York Times story on American Airlines' plan to charge for all checked luggage included a reference to Southwest Airlines that said, "Other major American airlines, including Southwest Airlines, said Wednesday that they were considering matching the fee." That is not true. The next line quotes a Southwest spokesperson saying, "We're doing everything we can do to boost revenue, but it's not our goal to nickel and dime our customers." That is true. We want to assure you that Southwest Airlines still allows you to check up to two free bags when you travel with us, and has no plans to change that. You can still count on Southwest Airlines to provide high quality air travel at a low fare, without a lot of extra fees. We look forward to seeing you onboard very soon. (And bring your luggage!) ... View more

Herb Kelleher discusses our Culture, high fuel prices, and airine fees on MSNBC. To view, visit:    http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=750335270&play=1   ... View more

Executive Changes Announced After Annual Shareholders’ Meeting DALLAS—May 21, 2008—Today, Southwest Airlines Board of Directors elected Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chief Executive Officer, as its Chairman of the Board.  The airline announced that Kelly will also assume the title of President when Colleen Barrett’s employment contract expires on July 15, 2008 making Kelly CEO, Chairman, and President at that time.  Additionally, the Board of Directors elected Executive Vice President Ron Ricks to fill Barrett’s vacated position of Corporate Secretary.  “The awesome task before us is to ensure the continued prosperity of Southwest Airlines—one of the greatest success stories in American business,” Kelly said.  “We all pledge to continue to keep the LUV alive and the Warrior Spirit strong that Herb and Colleen inspire in all 34,000 Southwest Employees.”   Herb Kelleher ceremoniously passed the gavel to Kelly at Southwest Airlines’ annual Shareholders’ meeting today at the Company’s headquarters.  More than 300 Shareholders attended the meeting where Kelleher and Barrett were honored for their more than 40 years of service to the airline.  Both Kelleher and Barrett will remain full-time Southwest Airlines Employees through July 2013. To view a tribute video click here: http://gallery.swamedia.com/videos/value=open/type=video Or, for an online version click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEssvKeDKGQ Additionally, the airline redefined the roles of its three Executive Vice Presidents.  Bob Jordan, Executive Vice President Strategy and Planning; is responsible for strategic planning, technology, airport security, facilities, and schedule planning.  Ron Ricks, Executive Vice President Corporate Services and Corporate Secretary; is responsible for legal, labor and Employee relations, political and public affairs, and properties.  Mike Van de Ven, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer; is responsible for all operations, maintenance, Customer Services, safety, security, and environmental services.             "Southwest Airlines has a depth of management talent and Leadership capability within our Officers that has been put in place to best enable a successful future for Southwest Airlines."  Kelly said.  “Southwest Airlines is prepared for this as succession transition planning has been a priority of our Board of Directors for a number of years.” After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers an excellent traveling experience.  Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with premium all leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all-Boeing 737 fleet.  Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide.             www.southwest.com ... View more

Texas Monthly's Evan Smith sat down with the legendary Herb Kelleher recently to talk about FAA Inspections, competition, fuel costs, and how Southwest has changed over the last 37 years.  Q:  Tell me about the big lessons you’ve learned in the years you’ve been in this business. A:  You want to create an environment in which people can be themselves—to be effective in business you don’t have to look like a brick. You can make anything complex if you want to, and you can spend innumerable hours debating things that are of no consequence, so you have to prioritize. Fight hierarchy and bureaucracy as hard as you possibly can. Don’t ever let it become the master; always remember it’s the servant. And quickness is important, particularly in the airline business, because your principal capital assets travel at more than five hundred miles an hour. They’re not shoe factories. If a shoe factory closes in Seattle, you can’t move it to San Antonio and have it competing there within a couple of hours, but with airplanes you can. I’ve always said that I want us to strike with the speed and alacrity of a puma. For the full text, visit: http://www.texasmonthly.com/2008-06-01/talks.php ... View more

Southwest Airlines Adding Six New Nonstop Flights and Two New Destinations               DALLAS —May 20, 2008—Southwest Airlines announced today an expansion of its Denver service with six new nonstop flights and two new destinations.  The additional service includes new nonstop flights between Denver and San Francisco and Denver and Omaha .  Flights are available for booking today for travel beginning on Sept. 2, 2008.  To take advantage of these new Southwest Airlines flights, visit: http://www.southwest.com/?src=PR_NS%20DEN_052008. “We will continue to grow in Denver as it is a major focal point for us, and the market is responding exceptionally well to our service,” said Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly.  The Company will be accommodating this new service with two aircraft that it previously planned to retire, bringing this year's net aircraft growth to 13.  With today's announcement, Southwest’s 2008 year-over-year available seat mile capacity growth is expected to be in the four percent range.       BEGINNING SEPT. 2, 2008:   Three new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and San Francisco .    Three new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Omaha .      To celebrate the new nonstop service, Southwest is offering a $59 one-way advance purchase fare between Denver and Omaha and a $79 one-way advance purchase fare between Denver and San Francisco .  These 14-day advance purchase fares are available for purchase today at southwest.com for travel beginning on Sept. 2, 2008, through the end of the schedule, currently Oct. 30, 2008. Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on Jan. 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations.  The airline currently operates 79 daily nonstop flights from the Mile High city, making Denver the fastest growing city in the Company’s history.  With previously announced service, Southwest will operate 95 nonstop flights from Denver to 30 cities when these flights commence on Sept. 2, 2008.  More than 150 Southwest Airlines Employees call Denver home.          NEW SERVICE FARE RULES Fares are available for purchase today through June 4, 2008. Fares are for nonstop flights only. All tickets must be purchased 14-days in advance. When combining fares, all ticketing restrictions apply. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination and day of travel and will not be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3.40 per takeoff and landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 one-way and U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fees of $5.00 one-way.  Fares are subject to change until ticketed.  Tickets are nonrefundable but, if unused, may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines.  Fares are valid on Southwest-operated published, scheduled service only and are not available through the Group Desk.     After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines, the nation’s leading low-fare carrier, continues to differentiate itself from 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.  Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young, all-Boeing 737 fleet.  Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest even more convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas , Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide.   ... View more

By Meghan E. Moravcik - The Arizona Republic Fifth-graders at Legend Springs Elementary in Glendale tracked Southwest Airlines pilot Mike Carter's flying for a month, adding the mileage and doing research on the history and weather of the places he flew to. He was one of three Southwest Airlines pilots who met weekly for four weeks with fifth-graders in an Adopt-A-Pilot program aimed at getting kids excited about school and their future careers. Across the country, 600 Southwest Airlines pilots volunteer in 620 schools for the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Carter taught the students about the science of flying and did experiments with them. "The whole idea is to get them interested . . . in (different) careers," said Carter, who also had the students interview adults who have careers they thought were interesting. He has participated in the program for six years. To read more, visit: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2008/05/18/20080518edpilot0518.html ... View more

By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA-TV An on-time departure happened this week at the helm of Southwest Airlines leadership. Seventy-seven-year-old Herb Kelleher, who is arguably the father of low-fare flying around the world, is stepping down, but not moving out. Kelleher is dropping back to a five day work week, which means more time with his nine grand kids.  To read more and see Brad's interview with Herb, visit:  www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/wfaa080518_mo_kelleher.8770d3f.html   ... View more

    Herb Kelleher, the legendary founder of Southwest Airlines, proponent of low fares, and friend of deregulation, delivered the Charles A. Lindbergh Memorial Lecture tonight at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He reflected on his long career in aviation, on the fundamentals of Southwest, and offered a few comments about the future of the airline industry. As usual, Kelleher’s lecture was full of humor — most of it pointed at himself.   To read more, visit Evan's Blog at http://evansparks.wordpress.com/2008/05/13/southwests-kelleher-gives-lindbergh-lecture/.   ... View more

  We found this nice piece writen by FCfree over on FlyerTak outlining 19 reasons why Southwest is better than the other carriers.  You can check it out at   http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=821431.  We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.  -Paula     via FlyerTalk Forums by FCfree on 5/7/08   Being a former 2P and 1P at United Airlines, I still read and post over on that FT Board. However, the more I read and post there, the more I realize how much better Southwest is than United. I used to think it was mostly about the price, and, no doubt, Southwest blows United away. I priced one flight June 15-20, LAS-DEN-LAS on Southwest at $198. For comparable flight times, United was $272. But, honestly, that is only the beginning of how Southwest is better. I thought it would be fun to list all the ways that Southwest is better. And, if there is a way that some legacy has some minor advantage, its ok to list that too. For example: Change fees. None at Southwest. Just raised to $150 at United. Lack of change fees means you can book early and cancel if you need to -- a hidden cost savings at Southwest. United, you play the "wait-and-see" game until you are pretty sure you really need to go from A-to-B. By then, you are paying closer to the middle or upper end of the equivilent of the "wanna-get-away" fare.   Ticketless Travel Funds: Southwest invented it. United rarely needs it, the change fees cause almost no remaining value. You can't look it up on the Internet, but keep your ticket number (the long one) and you can access it on the phone with an agent. Phone booking: Southwest: Free. United $15. This helped me out a lot one time when I couldn't get to a computer and I wanted to make a change. ***Visit http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=821431 to read the next 16 things on FCfree’s list.        ... View more

Southwest Airlines Adding Five New Nonstop Flights and Three New Destinations DALLAS, May 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines announced today an expansion of its service in Denver with five new nonstop flights and three new destinations. The additional service includes new nonstop flights between Denver and Sacramento, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, and New Orleans. The Company also announced it will add one additional daily nonstop flight between Denver and Phoenix (for a total of seven). Flights are available for booking today for travel beginning on Aug. 4, 2008. To take advantage of these new Southwest Airlines flights, visit: http://www.southwest.com/?src=PR_NS DEN_050708. "Denver's strategic location fits nicely into our network, and we are delighted by the response we have seen to our service and growth in the Mile High city," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly said. "We have been able to consistently grow according to our plans in the two plus years since we returned to Denver, which is typical of how we enter a market this size." BEGINNING AUG. 4, 2008: Two new daily nonstop roundtrips between Denver and Sacramento. One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Denver and Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood. One new daily nonstop roundtrip between Denver and New Orleans. One additional daily nonstop roundtrip between Denver and Phoenix (for a total of seven). Southwest Airlines began service to Denver on Jan. 3, 2006, with 13 daily nonstop departures to three destinations. The airline currently operates 61 daily nonstop flights from the Mile High city, making Denver the fastest growing city in the Company's history. More than 150 Southwest Airlines Employees call Denver home. After 37 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers-offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience. Southwest offers a very comfortable ride with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom with a young all Boeing 737 fleet. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest convenient and simple. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 34,000 Employees systemwide. http://www.southwest.com SOURCE Southwest Airlines CONTACT: Public Relations of Southwest Airlines, +1-214-792-4847 ... View more

 By JEFF BAILEY Published: May 6, 2008 The big cities that Southwest Airlines has invaded in recent years — San Francisco, Denver, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Washington by way of Dulles International Airport — all happen to be air travel markets that were dominated by either United Airlines or US Airways… To read the remainder of this article, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/06/business/06air.html?partner=rssnyt&emc=rss ... View more

  In honor of Cinco De Mayo, our friends over at Gadling.com are hosting a contest with a chance to win two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines.  Simply leave a comment with the city you'd most like to visit if you win, and they will randomly draw one winner by this Friday.   To enter, or for more information, visit Gadling.com. ... View more