Southwest Airlines Community

How do you keep people trusting you at a time like this? Trust is essential in our lives, and it has been since the beginning of our country. Our dollar bills say In God We Trust. Yet today trust is all but vanishing, especially trust in our business leaders, whose greed and short-term selfishness seem to have been a major cause of our economic crisis. With negativity running amok, it is no small wonder that trust within the organizational context is slipping. To read more, visit: http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/23/trust-respect-employees-leadership-managing-blanchard.html ... View more

According to campusgrotto.com, Southwest ranked third in the list of Best College Internship Programs, just behind Google and Microsoft.  Southwest was chosen based on our combination of fun and freedom to travel, career development classes, and casual dress.  Other companies that made the list include: Apple, Genetech, Edward Jones, Nike, Pixar, Sun, and Exxon Mobile. To learn more, check out: http://www.southwest.com/careers/internships.html ... View more

Spring into Summer with Airfares Starting as Low as $49 One-Way     Southwest Airlines is offering Customers nationwide airfares starting as low as $49 one-way. Take advantage of these super low fares on southwest.com and start planning your spring or summer getaway today! Fares are available for travel Mondays through Thursdays or Saturdays when purchased by April 6, 2009. These fares are only available on southwest.com and require 14-day advance purchase for travel by Aug. 14, 2009. To get these special online fares, click here. Examples of fares include (see Additional Fare Rules below): ·         $49 one-way between Burbank and Sacramento ·         $69 one-way between Denver and Oakland ·         $79 one-way between Dallas Love Field and El Paso ·         $89 one-way between  Chicago Midway and Manchester ·         $99 one-way between Houston Hobby and Los Angeles After almost 38 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.  At Southwest Airlines, there are no hidden fees. Customers can check their first two bags for free (size and weight limits apply), no fees for a window or aisle seat, and, as always, snacks, sodas, and smiles are all complimentary! ... View more

Spring is in the air, and there's something about soggy lawns, blooming flowers, and mud on my shoes that gets me itching to travel. With 65 Southwest cities to choose from (including our newest: MSP as of March 8th!) it helps to have a special occasion to narrow it down. Say...a festival of some sorts? Food-based is preferable, but I'll settle for flower or art-related as well. The best place to start planning? Visit Southwest’s new Travel Guide, flip open a Spirit magazine or visit this handy-dandy online version of their event calendar: http://www.spiritmag.com/calendar/    They've already done the hard work for you: narrowing down a plethora of going-ons and hubbub to a select choice few. And you're in luck, as a nationwide ticket sale on southwest.com starts today. If you're feeling especially antsy in April, try combining the Virginia Arts Festival in Norfolk with the Improv Festival in Phoenix . Travel from  Phoenix to any destination in the east (including Norfolk , VA ) is on sale for $99 or less one way. Then head to the West Coast for the perfect pairing: strawberries and bubbly. With one way trips within California on sale for just $49 one way, you can fly to SFO for a jaunt in the wine country, then head down to LAX for the California Strawberry Festival.  To check out more red-hot deals, check out the link below. Also keep in mind these fares require a 14-day advance purchase.  http://travel.southwest.com/specialoffers/offerDetails.html?id=9312464&src=SITEBLGSALE000000090319 Additional taxes, fees, and exclusions apply.  As for choosing between BBQ ribs in Kansas City or funnel cake in Miami , well, you're on your own for that. Here are my top suggestions for spring field trips, courtesy of Spirit:     Apri 14th Norfolk, Virginia Virginia Arts Festival When the six-week Virginia Arts Festival starts in mid-April, you’ve got to move fast. How else will you fit in the more than 50 acts spread out over 10 cities in the region, all within a 60-minute drive? Pick from performances by Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, the Czech National Theatre Ballet, Ravi Shankar, Emmylou Harris, the Kronos Quartet, and the Tokyo String Quartet. Stick around through May, when more fun arrives in the form of the Virginia International Tattoo (honoring centuries-old military musical traditions) and the Panorama Caribbean Music Fest, held the first and second weekends of May, respectively. Both events occur in conjunction with the Arts Festival and a beer fest on April 25th featuring nearly three dozen domestic and international breweries. With all this to see, we suggest bringing an appreciation for the arts—and your running shoes.   April 16th Phoenix, AZ Phoenix Improv Festival Quick: You’re the captain of a ship, and your crew is planning a mutiny. No, wait: You’re Indiana Jones, and you’re trying to rescue your precious bullwhip from a pit of snakes. OK, now you’re at a restaurant, and you’ve just found out your blind date is actually Albert Einstein. Action! Those are just a few scenarios that you may find at the Phoenix Improv Festival, where players create entire performances on the spur of the moment. The art of improvisation lies in not being prepared at all, so the shows in this three-day festival remain unwritten, and will stay that way until showtime. Now in its eighth year, the Phoenix Improv Festival hosts performances by improvisational troupes from around the country, while workshops provide inspiration for improv actors-in-training. Previous years have featured performers like Jack McBrayer from NBC’s 30 Rock and a workshop with Dan Bakkedahl from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show. We’d tell you who’s going to be at this year’s festival, but we’re planning to make it up on the spot.   MAY 16th Oxnard, California California Strawberry Festival It’s the most wonderful time of the year. No, not that one: It’s strawberry season in Oxnard—located 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles—and therefore the perfect time for a Strawberry Festival. Fresh berries strewn across shortcake, dipped in chocolate, served in pie, skewered on kabobs, floating in beer—if you can dream it, this festival serves it. Strawberry purists, of course, can buy the fruit fresh from farmers on-site, as well as listen to live music and browse an arts and crafts show featuring more than 300 artists. If eating the berries isn’t enough, you can also stomp them, hunt for them, study how they’re grown, and in Strawberryland, let your kids play on rides resembling them. If you turn red and sprout a green top, don’t say we didn’t warn you.   May 22nd St. Louis, MO Rib America Festival Whether you hail from San Antonio or Kansas City, you know that barbecued ribs come in all styles and spices. That’s why we like Memorial Day weekend at the Rib America Festival in St. Louis, where you can try them all. For four days at Soldier’s Memorial in St. Louis, party in the shade of the Gateway Arch to the smells of smoked meat and the sounds of local bands. Sample ribs from vendors across the country, and rock out to live musical acts. Last year’s party featured KC and the Sunshine Band, Jonny Lang, and Cross Canadian Ragweed, plus seven teams serving award-winning barbecue ribs. Don’t skip out on the sides, either: roasted sweet corn, bratwurst, and onion blossoms, with funnel cakes and deep-fried Oreos for dessert. That’s our idea of a well-rounded meal. So don't delay, book your ticket today!   ... View more

Yet another one of our 21 Operation: Kick Tail $10,000 Winners!  To check out the local news clip, please visit: http://www.cbs6albany.com/video/?bcpid=1137806146&bclid=1143371293&bctid=14996172001 ... View more

Southwest Airlines today introduces priority security lane access for its Business Select and Rapid Reward A-List Customers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport .   The airline has already implemented the lanes branded “Fly By” at a number of its 64 airports, including: Baltimore/Washington International, Dallas Love Field, Phoenix Sky Harbor International, Orange County John Wayne, Denver International, San Francisco International, and Los Angeles International. Southwest plans to expand the priority security lane program to additional airports nationwide as needed. Please visit www.southwest.com/flyby for additional Fly By information.    Southwest Customers can take advantage of Southwest’s Fly By Security Lanes by presenting an A-List identification card or by presenting a Business Select boarding pass. Southwest’s Business Select fare provides the same flexibility as our current Refundable/Anytime Fares, and comes with other added perks, including priority boarding, bonus Rapid Rewards frequent flyer credit, and one complimentary adult beverage (for Customers of legal drinking age).  Business Select Fares are refundable and changeable. A-List status applies to Rapid Rewards Members who fly 16 qualifying roundtrips in 12 months. Rapid Rewards A-List Customers also receive priority boarding privileges and automatic checkin.  ... View more

by Sean Ludwig Twitter isn't just about finding out about plane crashes and what your best friend ate for lunch. Its uses are evolving, and big corporations are joining the fun. Some corporate accounts serve as a boring PR tool that spews press releases and follows everyone who tweets about their company. But others have found interesting, inventive ways to engage customers on Twitter. To read more, visit: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2341886,00.asp ... View more

Southwest Airlines announces today that the Company has reached a tentative agreement with Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 555, representing Ramp, Operations, Provisioning, and Freight Agents. The tentative agreement is for a new, three-year contract through June 30, 2011. The current contract became amendable on June 30, 2008. TWU Local 555 and Southwest Airlines began contract negotiations in January 2008.  “The negotiation process has been long and arduous – both negotiating committees have certainly worked diligently and in good faith,” said Gary Kelly , Southwest’s Chairman of the Board, President, and CEO. “We urge our Employees to give serious consideration to the tentative agreement, keeping in mind that in these uncertain economic times, our common goal should be to take needed steps to protect Employee jobs and to ensure the financial viability of our Company.” The TWU Executive Board has voted to submit the tentative agreement to all members of TWU 555 for review and a ratification vote. TWU Local 555 represents approximately 7,780 Southwest Airlines Employees. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 64 cities (will begin service to Minneapolis-St. Paul March 8, 2009, and service to Boston Logan in Fall 2009) in 32 states. Based in Dallas , Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide. ... View more

By Katie Hawkins (CNN) -- For some, it's chocolate. For others, it's coffee or cigarettes. But as this Easter approaches, some young and devout Christians are anxious to return to what they gave up for Lent: Internet sites Facebook and MySpace. Many users describe the popular social networking sites as addictive, which is why they say giving up these 21st-century temptations is a sincere sacrifice. Members on both sites create profiles and add each other as friends. They can also share messages, photos, videos and personal blogs. to read more, visit: http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/internet/03/29/no.facebook.lent/index.html ... View more

What do you get when you put an internationally known hotel chain, a comfy Southwest Airlines airplane, and great Customer Service together? A new Rapid Rewards partnership between Best Western Hotels and Southwest Airlines! The Rapid Rewards program has added “The World’s Largest Hotel Chain®” as the newest preferred hotel partner. Members are now able to earn Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards credits redeemable for free flights anywhere the airline flies. Best Western RewardsSM members have the option to earn half of one Rapid Rewards credit for each stay at any of the more than 4,000 Best Western hotels worldwide.  To book flights or hotel stays, visit: http://www.southwest.com/?src=PRPRPRNGENR000000080808 In celebration of this new partnership, Rapid Rewards Members who are also members of Best Western Rewards can earn double credit (one credit per stay instead of the standard 0.5 credit) when they register and stay two or more qualifying nights at any Best Western hotel between February 15 and April 5, 2009. Plus, Best Western is offering a sweepstakes for 1 million Best Western Rewards points (good for up to 125 free nights) and six Southwest Airlines roundtrip tickets from February 15 to April 5, 2009. Rapid Rewards Members are automatically entered in the sweepstakes with a stay at any Best Western property during the spring. “Earning credits towards free travel on Southwest Airlines by staying at Best Western hotels is an option we know our Members will appreciate,” said Kevin Krone, Vice President Marketing, Sales, and Distribution. “Whether they choose to earn points toward free room nights or credits toward a free flight, our guests can travel with confidence knowing Best Western and Southwest Airlines are helping stretch their budgets,” said Dorothy Dowling, senior vice president of marketing and sales for Best Western International. “This alliance is a tremendous opportunity for Best Western and Southwest Airlines to best serve our loyal travelers, as we have hotels in every U.S. city Southwest flies.”   ... View more

Christie Volkmer from Choctaw was thisclose to being eliminated on the Season 14 premiere episode of “The Amazing Race.” She and teammate Jodi Wincheski of Houston, both flight attendants for Southwest Airlines, started off strong, reaching the race’s first destination — Locarno, Switzlerland — in first place. To read more, visit: http://blog.newsok.com/television/2009/02/16/oklahoman-starts-the-amazing-race-strong-but/ ... View more

Who’s this category for? Bloggers who blog about one or more aspects of the industry Criteria: the Best Aviation-related Blog is awarded to the blog that was best able to demonstrate success in entering the discussions that happen in the blogosphere, had a strong track record in the use of all multimedia tools at their disposal and clear evidence of interaction with the blog’s readership and community. Judges: Jon Ostrower (FlightBlogger – Flightglobal), Adam Tinworth (Head of Blogging – Reed Business Information) to read more, visit: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/02/09/322224/webbies-2008-best-aviation-related-blog.html ... View more

To view, please visit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zuIzGQab5Q ... View more