Southwest Airlines Community

Lincoln National Corporation ( NYSE: LNC) announced today that Gary C. Kelly has been elected to the company's board of directors, effective November 4, 2009, for a term expiring in 2011. Kelly currently serves as chairman, president and CEO of the nation's fifth largest airline, Southwest Airlines. A 22-year Southwest veteran, Kelly began his career as controller, moving up to chief financial officer and vice president finance, then executive vice president and CFO, before being promoted to vice chairman and CEO in 2004. Kelly assumed the role of chairman and president in 2008. Kelly is a member of the Financial Executives Institute and the Texas Society of CPAs, and he serves on the McCombs School Accounting Advisory Board and the Advisory Council at the University of Texas at Austin. "We are extremely pleased to welcome Gary to Lincoln's board of directors," said William H. Cunningham, chairman of Lincoln National. "His strong financial background and leadership skills are reflected in the success of Southwest Airlines and he will be very valuable addition to Lincoln's board." Lincoln Financial Group is the marketing name for Lincoln National Corporation (NYSE: LNC) and its affiliates. With headquarters in the Philadelphia region, the operating companies of Lincoln Financial Group had assets under management of $137 billion as of September 30, 2009. Through its affiliated companies, Lincoln Financial Group offers: annuities; life, group life and disability insurance; 401(k) and 403(b) plans; savings plans; mutual funds; managed accounts; institutional investments; and comprehensive financial planning and advisory services. Affiliates also include: Delaware Investments, the marketing name for Delaware Management Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information, including a copy of our most recent SEC reports containing our balance sheets, please visit www.LincolnFinancial.com. SOURCE Lincoln Financial Group /CONTACT: Jim Sjoreen, Investor Relations, +1-484-583-1420, Investorrelations@LFG.com, or Laurel O'Brien, Media Relations, +1-484-583-1735, mediarelations@LFG.com ... View more

Johansen didn’t nominate a best commercial in history, so let me suggest a campaign that is currently running that I categorize as a winner on all counts. I’ll call it the best TV campaign for a Texas company, and one of the best campaigns on the air for any company, the Southwest Airlines Bags Fly Free spots. Watch them here: to read more, visit: http://iduniversity.wordpress.com/2009/11/10/best-and-worst-tv-commercials-by-texas-companies/ ... View more

Good news for office drones sick their midday Pret A Manger: A winterized Southwest Porch, the ‘wichcraft pop-up cafe that unfurled its yellow umbrellas in Bryant Park last June, will reopen for the season on November 19. Read more: http://www3.timeoutny.com/newyork/the-feed-blog/restaurants-bars/2009/11/southwest-porch-reopens-for-the-winter/#ixzz0Wfx6b1Ze ... View more

In response to a call for help feeding Denver's poor and homeless population during the holidays and beyond, Southwest Airlines today announced a $50,000 donation to the Denver Rescue Mission, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing food, shelter, clothing, and rehabilitation services to the estimated 11,000 homeless people in Denver. The donation is the largest turkey donation in the Denver Rescue Mission's history, and the food will be distributed to families at this year's Thanksgiving Banquet-in-a-Box and be served at this year's Great Thanksgiving Banquet. Additional turkeys will be distributed to families in need through churches and other non-profits across the Denver Metro area. "Southwest Airlines is committed to Denver, and our commitment includes helping the less fortunate. In these challenging economic times, we're grateful for the opportunity to step forward to support the Denver Rescue Mission," said Dave LaPorte, Southwest's Station Manager in Denver. "By supporting something so close to the hearts and minds of our Denver Customers and local Employees, we're making an investment to help strengthen our community." The Denver Rescue Mission will serve the turkeys purchased by Southwest and other donors beginning on Wednesday, Nov. 25, during the Great Thanksgiving Banquet, an annual event hosted by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. Additional items needed for the Thanksgiving food boxes include canned fruit, canned vegetables, canned pumpkin, boxed stuffing, canned cranberries, and canned yams. Donations can be dropped off at the Denver Rescue Mission's Lawrence Street Shelter at the corner of Park Avenue and Lawrence Street. "By stepping up to the plate with the largest turkey donation in the Denver Rescue Mission's history, at a time when other local companies have been forced to cut back, Southwest Airlines has demonstrated a strong commitment to the Denver community," said Brad Meuli, president and CEO of the Denver Rescue Mission. "When Southwest Airlines says they care about Denver, they're not talking turkey. We are extremely grateful for the significant commitment of cash and volunteer time from Southwest Employees, just when we needed it most." To read a guest blog post from Meuli talking about what the donation means to the Denver Rescue Mission, visit: www.nutsaboutsouthwest.com. Southwest Airlines Employees from Denver also will volunteer at the Denver Rescue Mission to help prepare for this year's Great Thanksgiving Banquet. Southwest encourages its Employees to get involved in the communities they serve through its Share the Spirit program, which helps the airline's Employees make a difference in cities across the U.S. ... View more

from Upgrade: Travel Better by Mark Ashley Our Google overlords have spoken, and there shall be free wi-fi in airports for the holiday season. to read more, visit: http://www.upgradetravelbetter.com/2009/11/10/free-airport-wi-fi-for-the-holidays-courtesy-of-google/ ... View more

Today's flight from Chicago Midway to Salt Lake International via Southwest Airlines offered a pleasant diversion -- Wi-Fi (for a price) above 10,000 feet. While there are no electrical outlets, those with charged batteries are sure to have access for at least an hour or so. This might justify the purchase of additional battery packs for business class laptop users. During the test period, the costs range from $2 to $12. The signal was a strong 5 bars most of the time. The login screen was simple and quick with industry standard secure server credit card processing. to read more, visit:  http://blog.dearmyrtle.com/2009/11/wi-fi-on-southwest-airlines.html ... View more

Southwest Airlines is proud to support our men and women in uniform, and we give thanks every day for their sacrifices and the freedoms they have fought so hard to protect.  But today, Veterans Day, we have a number of special initiatives underway to show our gratitude to Veterans for their service, past and present.   For today, all servicemen and servicewomen with a military ID may board their flights immediately following our Business Select Customers; may deplane their flights before anyone else; and may receive a complimentary beverage onboard their Southwest Airlines flights.   As the official airline of the Honor Flight Network, Southwest flies Veterans from various Southwest destinations around the country to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., throughout the year, free of charge.  Today, on Veterans Day, Southwest salutes 25 World War II Veterans with a patriotic sendoff to the nation’s capital from LAX.  At the event, Employees and Customers will wave American flags while a Southwest Employee sings the National Anthem. As the Veterans board the flight, Employees and Customers will cheer and salute the men and women who gave so much to preserve our country’s freedoms.  The Veterans will arrive in Washington, D.C., this afternoon and then visit the WWII Memorial.   Southwest has a long history of supporting the men and women who fight for our nation’s freedoms.  We are proud to have more than 700 Employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserves.  We were recently named one of G.I. Jobs Top 100 Military Friendly Employers for 2010.  Southwest Airlines also was recognized by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) for our commitment and support of our National Guard and Reserve Employees. ... View more

The nonprofit, nonpartisan Consumer Travel Alliance, which promotes passenger rights on Capitol Hill, polled its blog readers to find out which airline they like most. The winner: Southwest Airlines, with 26.1 percent of the vote. to read more, visit: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/fea/travel/thisweek/stories/DN-notesouthwest_1108tra.State.Edition1.4b94049.html ... View more

Everyone loves SkyMall, the ridiculous shopper's catalog found on flights around the world. We're not sure anyone would actually buy anything featured on these pages but if you forgot your reading material, SkyMall will keep you highly entertained during take-off and landing. (For an analytical look at the products featured in SkyMall, we highly recommend perusing through Gadling's extensive SkyMall Monday posts.) Yet while we're accustomed to seeing ridiculous things inside the pages of SkyMall... to read more, visit: http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/11/9/162853/768/travel/Southwest+Gets+Its+Own+Special+Slanket+Skymall+Cover+Starring+Santa! ... View more

Southwest Airlines is offering even more ways to save on winter airfares! For Customers who missed the recent 72-hour sale, Southwest is offering fares starting as low as $59 one-way to select destinations. Fares must be purchased by Nov. 23, 2009. These fares require 14-day advance purchase for travel every day except Fridays and Sundays between Dec. 2, 2009, and Dec. 17, 2009, or between Jan. 5, 2010, and March 9, 2010. To get these special online-only fares, visit www.southwest.com. Just a few examples of the many low fares include (see Additional Fare Rules below): ·         $59 one-way between Phoenix and San Diego ·         $79 one-way between Pittsburg and Raleigh-Durham ·         $89 one-way between Boston Area (Manchester, Boston Logan, or Providence) and Chicago Midway ·         $109 one-way between St. Louis and Birmingham For travelers with flexible schedules, Southwest’s Low Fare Calendar tool will show the lowest price available for each day using a monthly calendar view.  Use the link: http://www.southwest.com/cgi-bin/lowFareFinderEntry to shop around for fare availability. After 38 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.  At Southwest Airlines, bags fly free. Customers can check their first two bags at no extra charge (size and weight limits apply). Southwest offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom.  Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 68 cities in 35 states.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,100 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. ADDITIONAL FARE RULES Southwest Airlines sale fares are available for purchase Nov. 10, 2009, through 11:59 p.m. PST on Nov. 23, 2009, and travel must take place between Dec. 2, 2009, and Dec. 17, 2009, or between Jan. 5, 2010, and March 9, 2010. Fares are available only on southwest.com with 14-day advance purchase required. Fares are not available for travel on Fridays and Sundays. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destinations, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods, such as President's Day. Fares do not include a federal excise tax of $3.60 for each flight segment. A flight segment is defined as a takeoff and a landing.  Fares do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9.00 and a U.S. government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 one-way. Travel to/from Washington Dulles excluded. Fares are available for one-way travel.  When combining fares, all rules and restrictions apply. Fares are nonrefundable but if unused, may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines.  Fares are not combinable with Senior Fares. Fares are not available through the Group Desk.  Any change in the itinerary may result in an increase in fare. Standby travel requires an upgrade to the Anytime fare. Fares are subject to change until ticketed. Offer applies to operated published, scheduled service only.    www.southwest.com Media Please Contact:   Southwest Airlines Public Relations at 214-792-4847 ... View more

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 6.3 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in October 2009, a 1.9 percent increase from the 6.2 billion RPMs flown in October 2008.  Available seat miles (ASMs) decreased 9.4 percent to 8.0 billion from the October 2008 level of 8.8 billion.  The load factor for the month was 79.2 percent, compared to 70.4 percent for the same period last year.  For October 2009, passenger revenue per ASM is estimated to have increased in the one percent range as compared to October 2008. For the ten months ended October 31, 2009, Southwest flew 62.6 billion RPMs, compared to 62.4 billion RPMs for the same period in 2008, an increase of 0.3 percent.  Available seat miles decreased 4.8 percent to 82.5 billion from the 2008 level of 86.6 billion.  The year-to-date load factor was 75.9 percent, compared to 72.1 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

Southwest Airlines, according to a new survey by Glassdoor, a company that conducts online salary surveys. Southwest workers called the company “amazing” and its CEO, Gary Kelly, “fantastic.” It was followed by online travel agency Hotwire, Continental Airlines and Marriott. to read more, visit: http://www.elliott.org/blog/which-travel-companys-ceo-is-rated-highest-by-its-own-employees-the-answer-is/ ... View more

From: LoneStarMike   Posted Mon Oct 26 2009 Here's something I don't think has ever been successfully posted before on a.net (although we've tried and come very close in the past.) It's the complete list of WN's history of opening new stations, including closure dates at airports that Southwest has exited.. Most of the info I got from swamedia.com City Start Dates A few cities like BPT, SFO 1.0 and DEN 1.0 weren't listed, but I was able to find/figure out those opening (and closing) dates elswhere. (BPT was the hardest one to find a start date for, not to mention trying to figure out exactly when it closed.) Cities grouped in bold were instances where WN opened 2 or more cities on the same day. to read more, visit: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4589519/ ... View more

When it comes to social media branding, Southwest Airlines has been the trendsetter for quite some time, and is looked upon by competition and even other industries. From their very successful blog, “Nuts about Southwest” to its over 700,000 followers on Twitter – they’ve got their act together. And behind these efforts is a very hardworking team led by Paula Berg. I had the pleasure of meeting Paula at the Inbound Marketing Summit in Boston, where she delivered a keynote on Southwest’s social media branding strategy and I led a session for airlines/airports in social media. to read more, visit: http://simpliflying.com/2009/southwest-airlines-success-secrets-on-social-media-revealed-by-paula-berg/ ... View more

Last week I had the pleasure of hearing Paula Berg, Manager of Emerging Media for Southweat Airlines, speak at a Nashville Chamber Small Business Breakfast as part of the Informed and Inspired series. Paula was terrific. She was engaging, honest, and approachable. But most importantly she was informed. I loved learning what she had to say about Southwest’s “wild ride” in the blogosphere. Here are just a few things that she shared that surprised me: to read more, visit: http://www.lindseynobles.com/2009/11/nuts-about-southwest/ ... View more

Southwest Airlines is pleased to announce that its Pilots represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA), voted to ratify the tentative, five-year contract both parties reached last month. The new contract is active through Aug. 31, 2011. The current Southwest Pilot contract became amendable on Aug. 31, 2006. SWAPA and Southwest Airlines began contract negotiations in September 2006.   “I applaud the negotiation teams and the members of SWAPA for voting for this new agreement,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO. “It goes without saying that this new contract was negotiated in good faith during a consistently challenging economic period for the airline industry. Our Pilots are the hardest working and most productive in the business and deserve a contract that reflects this, yet is still in keeping with the current uncertain economic outlook.” This new contract rewards SWAPA membership for the Company’s past two years of profitability, while making a critical move to tie the next two years' compensation to the Company’s financial performance. SWAPA is made up of more than 5,900 Pilots.   After 38 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.  At Southwest Airlines, bags fly free. Customers can check their first two bags at no extra charge (size and weight limits apply). Southwest offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom.  Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 68 cities in 35 states.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,100 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.   www.southwest.com   Southwest Airlines Media Contact: 214/792-4847   ... View more

It’s On, Wisconsin!  Southwest Airlines officially kicked off the carrier’s service from Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport at a news conference this morning, capping-off a weekend of events that underscore Southwest’s longterm investment in Southeast Wisconsin. “We want our relationship with Milwaukee to be about more than just our nonstop flights, low fares, and Customer Service—although those are important,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman, President, and CEO.  “Southwest Airlines is truly here as a member of this community and our weekend involvement with the Ronald McDonald House and our fabulous tailgate are just the beginning.” Kelly joined officials from Milwaukee County in kicking a ceremonial football filled with confetti to cap-off Southwest’s Touchdown in Milwaukee celebrations which featured a free tailgate watching party for a thousand Green Bay Packers fans on Sunday.  (Coverage of the event is at http://blogsouthwest.com) “Southwest is now a community partner in so many ways,” said Scott Walker, Milwaukee County Executive.  “Above all, these new flights and new markets clearly help fuel the economic engine of this entire region, Mitchell Airport.” “This added service will build on Mitchell’s reputation as one of the most competitive airports in the United States,” said Lee Holloway, Milwaukee County Board Chairman. “We look forward to working with Southwest Airlines in the coming years to help them grow their service even more.”   “I thank Airport Director Barry Bateman and the entire airport staff for bringing Southwest here to Milwaukee County,” said Supervisor Michael Mayo, Sr., Milwaukee County Board Transportation, Public Works, and Transit Committee Chairman.  “This truly is a win-win for both business and leisure travelers.  With this low-fare service to six cities, I am sure even more people from the entire region and beyond will choose Milwaukee for their travel needs.” As part of the airline’s inaugural festivities, local Employees celebrated Halloween with the families of critically ill and injured children at the Ronald McDonald House of Southeast Wisconsin.  Employees painted pumpkins, decorated cookies, and provided trick or treat bags to the families. Southwest Airlines new service from Milwaukee features 12 daily flights to six nonstop destinations (Baltimore/Washington, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, and Tampa Bay) with additional and connecting service to 54 cities. To book travel, visit:  www.southwest.com After 38 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, now serves 68 cities in 35 states.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com Media Please Contact: Southwest Airlines Public Relations at (214) 792-4847 ... View more

While most of you were trick-or-treating this Halloween weekend, Southwest Employees have been spreading their Positively Outrageous Service in "Beertown"--that is, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The ferry flight from Dallas took flight on Halloween day, and was greeted with that famous "Midwestern Nice" upon arrival in Milwaukee. From there our troop of fabulous volunteers went to the local Ronald McDonald House. Employees from our Dallas Headquarters, Milwaukee station, and even our Rapping Flight Attendant (David Holmes himself!) decorated pumpkin, cookies, and spread good cheer to one of Southwest's beloved charities. Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful in Milwaukee, so what better way to kick off one of the most anticipated games of the season than with a 1000+ of your closest friends? Southwest Employees, Customers, and social media fans were invited to an outdoor "tailgate" in McKinley Park to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings.  Although the game didn't go quite as our Customers would have liked (thanks, Brett Favre!), we still had quite a bash serving out brats, burgers, and (of course) beer! As our 68th city in our 35th state, "Beertown" greeted Southwest with open arms when we arrived. I know I speak for all of Southwest when I say we're so happy to finally call Milwaukee "home."   ... View more

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like..." Southwest on Halloween! Yup, Gary Kelly surprised us all when he showed up at our Headquarters in Dallas dressed as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz." Of course, you can't have Dorothy without the entire posse, so the Executive Office is represented by the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West, a flying monkey, and even a Munchkin! My favorite part had to be Toto in his specialty SWA-approved pet carrier. That's right, pets CAN NOW fly on Southwest, and what better way to get the word out about our new P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Welcome on Southwest) program? So click your ruby slippers, close your eyes, and follow the yellow brick road. Happy Halloween to all! The entire cast of "The Wizard of Oz." Dorothy/Gary smiles for the camera. Herb, dressed as a biker dude, is frightened by Toto. ... View more

from Things with Wings by Benet Wilson It's the day before Halloween and I just got the scare of my life -- Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly dressed up as Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.  OK, I kid (sort of).  So I did the calls to see who was dressed up as what this year. to read more, visit: http://tinyurl.com/y9urst8 ... View more

Southwest Airlines has a reputation as a company that marches to its own beat, even a little offbeat, in its sensibilities.  to read more, visit: http://www.dmagazine.com/Home/D_CEO/2009/November_December/Dallas_CEO_of... ... View more

Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) and its more than 50 Hartford Employees today are celebrating the airline's 10th year of service at Bradley International Airport (BDL). "Hartford is a great place to live and work. We are thrilled to be celebrating 10 years of service here in the Constitution State," said Grady Glover, Southwest Airlines' Hartford Station Leader. "Our Employees remain committed to continuing to serve the city and helping it flourish." Hartford (BDL) statistics:     --  Southwest began service in BDL on October 31, 1999, with 12 daily         nonstop departures to four cities including Baltimore/Washington,         Chicago Midway, Nashville, and Orlando     --  Southwest currently offers 16 daily nonstop departures to six cities:         Baltimore/Washington, Chicago Midway, Nashville, Orlando, Las Vegas, and         Tampa Bay     --  Southwest gives Customers the Freedom to Fly from Hartford to 48         destinations across the country on convenient nonstop, direct, or         connecting service.     --  Southwest operates three gates and has more than 50 Employees based at         BDL.     --  BDL was the 54th Station to open its doors in the Southwest Airlines         system     --  Last week, Southwest announced it will begin one new daily nonstop         roundtrip between Denver and Hartford. The new roundtrip service will         begin March 14, 2010. Additionally, Southwest Airlines will be celebrating with its Employees and Customers today at BDL. The carrier is hosting the celebration at its gates and ticket counter at BDL. Games and prizes will go on throughout the day; including "Gate Games" where Customers will have the chance to win prizes to include two round trip tickets to anywhere Southwest flies. Follow @SouthwestAir on Twitter to find out about the exciting events going on throughout the day! After 38 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. At Southwest Airlines, bags fly free. Customers can check their first two bags at no extra charge (size and weight limits apply). Southwest is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 67 cities (adding Milwaukee Nov. 1, 2009) in 34 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com SOURCE Southwest Airlines CONTACT: Public Relations of Southwest Airlines, +1-214-792-4847 Web site: http://www.southwest.com ... View more

By ANDREA AHLES  aahles@star-telegram.com Colleen Barrett thought Southwest Airline’s orange flight attendant uniforms "were hideous" and figures the airline industry has probably lost more money than it has earned over its existence. Barrett, president emeritus of the Dallas-based airline, shared these thoughts and others about employee relations during the 2009 Daimler Financial Services Women’s Conference on Wednesday at the Omni Fort Worth. She was an original employee when the company was founded in 1971and still goes to the office daily. The Star-Telegram asked a few questions. To read more, visit: http://www.star-telegram.com/business/story/1719376.html ... View more

By TERRY MAXON tmaxon@dallasnews.com Southwest Airlines Co., hoping to duplicate the success of a July promotion, launched another fare sale Tuesday with tickets as low as $25 each way. "The last time Southwest Airlines offered airfares as low as $25 one way was 13 years ago," said Tom Parsons, chief executive of BestFares.com. "This occurred during July 1996 for their 25th-anniversary sale." The July sale helped Southwest set monthly records for percentage of seats filled in August and September and probably will do so for October. In addition, while most competitors reported less revenue per seat mile flown in September, Southwest enjoyed a 3 percent increase in unit revenue despite the cheap fares. to read more, visit: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-faresale_28bus.ART.State.Edition1.3cf4634.html ... View more

Celtics Fans Who Enroll in Rapid Rewards Frequent Flyer Program Can Get Up to Eight Credits or 50% of the Way Towards a Free Flight! Southwest Airlines and the 17-time NBA Champion Boston Celtics are proud to announce their continued partnership for the 2009-2010 NBA season. With this announcement, Southwest Airlines celebrates a 14-year partnership with one the NBA's most storied franchises. This sponsorship includes in-arena signage and promotions during all Celtics home games at the TD Garden. To celebrate this announcement, Southwest Airlines is offering Celtics fans a special Rapid Rewards promotion*. Visit southwest.com/celticsrapidrewards to enroll in Rapid Rewards and get up to eight credits -- that's half way to your first free flight. Offer is valid for new Members only. Southwest is also pleased to announce that Boston Celtics player Brian Scalabrine, 6'9" forward, will serve as a Travel Ambassador for the carrier's newest online feature, the Southwest Airlines Travel Guide located at www.southwest.com. Scalabrine will create a profile on the new Travel Guide and, throughout the season, Brian will write about his travels across the country. Along with Scalabrine's entries, Customers can check out travel tips and recommendations posted by other Southwest travelers. In addition, when Celtics fans visit the team's website located at www.celtics.com, for each away game on the schedule fans can click on the Southwest icon to book low-fare trips to most away cities the Celtics visit this season! For more than 13 years, Southwest Airlines has operated out of the Boston area with service from Providence, RI; Manchester, NH; and most recently, Boston Logan. The airline currently operates 63 daily nonstop flights from the Boston area to nine cities. Last month, Southwest announced the carrier will also begin new nonstop service out of Boston Logan to Denver and St. Louis, and additional flights to Baltimore/Washington in early 2010. After 38 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. At Southwest Airlines, bags fly free. Customers can check their first two bags at no extra charge (size and weight limits apply). Southwest is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 67 cities (adding Milwaukee Nov. 1, 2009) in 34 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide. www.southwest.com The Rapid Rewards Award is free, but travel is subject to the government- imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $10 per roundtrip. Travel good on Southwest Airlines operated, published, scheduled service. All Rapid Rewards rules and regulations apply. SOURCE Southwest Airlines CONTACT: Southwest Airlines Media, +1-214-792-4847 Web site: http://www.southwest.com Web site: http://www.celtics.com ... View more