Southwest Airlines Community

At Southwest, we are known for our unique Culture and Fun-LUVing Employees.  And believe me when I say that they are as interesting off the clock as they are when they are working!  In fact, we often spotlight Employees and their hobbies in our Employee magazine, LUVLines.  Meet Bruce! Bruce Lee Fulk Columbus Ramp Agent I have drawn off and on all my life, but have never taken an art class.  After a long hiatus, I rediscovered my art in 2013 and now find that it’s a fun and relaxing hobby—as long as it doesn't interfere with my fishing and hunting season.  I drew this self-portrait on an 11x14 piece of white art paper using a variety of mediums—charcoal, a mechanical pencil for most of the fine detail, a kneaded eraser, and blending stumps. ... View more

It’s that time of year for prices to fall even lower on Southwest Airlines! Today, Southwest is launching a three-day travel sale with fares starting as low as $49 one-way! For three days only, our Customers can purchase nonstop, one-way tickets for $49, $99, $129, or $149 to select destinations—spread the word! These low fares are available for purchase on southwest.com starting Tuesday, June 3 through Thursday, June 5, 2014, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city, for travel every day of the week except Fridays and Sundays, Aug. 25 through Dec. 17, 2014. Blackout dates include Sept. 1, and Nov. 21 through Dec. 2, 2014. Seats are limited. To see the list of available cities, prices, and to take advantage of these special fares, visit www.southwest.com.  Exclusions and restrictions apply.   SOUTHWEST AIRLINES FARE RULES Purchase from June 3 through June 5, 2014, 11:59 p.m. for the respective time zone of the originating city. Travel August 25 through December 17, 2014, excluding Fridays and Sundays. Travel DAL-BWI, DAL-DCA, DAL-DEN, DAL-LAS, DAL-LAX, DAL-MCO, and DAL-MDW available Oct. 13 through Dec. 17, 2014.  Travel DAL-ATL, DAL-BNA, DAL-FLL, DAL-LGA, DAL-PHX, DAL-SAN, DAL-TPA, ATL-PUJ, CUN-MDW, MBJ-MDW, SAT-MEX, and SNA-MEX available Nov. 3 through Dec. 17, 2014. Travel to Florida or Nevada is valid Sunday through Wednesday only.  Additionally, travel from Florida or Nevada valid Tuesday through Friday only.  Travel between Nevada and Florida is valid on Tuesdays and Wednesdays only.   Blackout Dates Apply: September 1 and November 21 - December 2, 2014.  Some flights operated by AirTran® Airways. Displayed prices include all U.S. and international government taxes and fees. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods.  Fares are available for one-way travel. Fares may be combined with other Southwest Airlines® combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines®, so long as you cancel your reservations at least ten minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight.  Failure to cancel prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the reservation.   Any change in 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 published, scheduled service only. ... View more

The DOT fine announced today is related to an October 2013 fare sale in the Atlanta market that was supported by television ads offering fares starting at $59 one-way. Unfortunately, the audio portion of the TV advertisement incorrectly stated three cities that were never intended to be a part of the $59 sale. As soon as we became aware of our mistake, we immediately pulled all incorrect advertisements off the air. Despite our unintentional error, the sale provided significant savings to consumers in Atlanta and across the country – collectively more than 300,000 consumers saved millions of dollars. Southwest provides Customers more discounted seats than any other airline in the U.S.  In fact, in 2013 the airline ran 63 separate fare sales - averaging more than one fare sale a week. We are proud of our low fare commitment to consumers and appreciate the business and support from our Customers. We will continue to provide exemplary Service at low fares. ... View more

We’re thankful to report that there were no injuries today at Sea-Tac International Airport following an issue with a passenger jetbridge related to flight 570 that arrived from Phoenix.  Roughly 60 Customers had deplaned when the jetbridge unexpectedly and slowly lowered by approximately six feet due to an apparent mechanical failure.  The remaining Southwest Airlines Customers deplaned from another door near the rear of the aircraft via airstairs.  We're working to accommodate our affected Customers as this aircraft remains out of service pending inspections. Our thanks go out to our Southwest Airlines Flight Crews and Ground Employees for their response during this event. ... View more

This post was authored by Communication and Outreach Intern Christine Cermak. Ever heard of the saying “April showers bring May flowers”?  We’ve had some rain in April, but drought is still present across most of the United States.  Check out these green gardening tips to be sure that your garden is environmentally friendly and helps to conserve water: Reuse water.  Use buckets or rain barrels to collect rain water.  Place the barrels under your gutters to maximize water collection and recycle the water back into your garden! Water early.  When using sprinklers, some of the water evaporates before it has the chance to hit the ground.  The best time to water your garden to reduce evaporation is early in the morning, between 4:00 and 9:00 a.m. Compost.  Instead of using chemical pesticides and fertilizers, make your own compost. Composting enriches the soil and helps to maintain moisture.  For more information on how to create your own compost, click here. Buy recycled.  Look for nurseries that recycle the plastic used to package each plant. Alternatively, opt to buy seeds instead of plants when possible. Join a community garden.  Community gardens beautify neighborhoods, supply low-cost produce, and educate people to grow resources locally. In addition to giving back to your local community, community gardens are also a way to connect with your neighbors! Do you have a green thumb, or any green gardening tips to share?  If so, comment below! ... View more

DALLAS, TEXAS - April 24, 2014 - Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV) (the “Company”) today reported its first quarter 2014 results: Record first quarter net income, excluding special items*, of $126 million, or $.18 per diluted share, compared to first quarter 2013 net income, excluding special items, of $53 million, or $.07 per diluted share.  This exceeded the First Call consensus estimate of $.16 per diluted share. Record first quarter net income of $152 million, or $.22 per diluted share, which included $26 million (net) of favorable special items, compared to net income of $59 million, or $.08 per diluted share, in first quarter 2013, which included $6 million (net) of favorable special items. Record first quarter operating income of $215 million; $242 million excluding special items. Return on invested capital*, before taxes and excluding special items (ROIC), for the 12 months ended March 31, 2014, of 14.2 percent, as compared to 8.3 percent for the 12 months ended March 31, 2013.   Gary C. Kelly, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer, stated, “I am delighted to report record first quarter earnings, which increased significantly year-over-year, despite the disruption caused by more than 7,500 of our flights canceled due to extreme weather conditions and the impact of the shift in timing of the Easter and Passover holidays.  This outstanding performance was driven by record first quarter operating revenues of $4.2 billion, and a 1.2 percent year-over-year decline in total operating costs, excluding special items, driven largely by lower fuel prices and our ongoing fleet modernization.  Our record first quarter operating income of $242 million, excluding special items, was very strong, especially considering an estimated $50 million unfavorable impact from winter storms.  Operationally, our Employees did an outstanding job in difficult conditions taking care of our Customers, and I thank them again for their efforts. "Our first quarter 2014 earnings performance is a superb start to the year and on plan to achieve a 15 percent pre-tax return on invested capital for the year, excluding special items.  Second quarter 2014, benefiting from the Easter and Passover holidays, also is off to a great start, with strong bookings, favorable revenue trends, and stable fuel prices. "Our balance sheet, liquidity, and cash flows remain strong.  We are actively managing our debt and total invested capital, while making strategic investments that have already contributed significantly to our record profitability.  We were pleased to return $371 million to Shareholders during first quarter 2014 through the payment of $56 million in dividends and the repurchase of $315 million in common stock.  Since August 2011, we have returned $1.6 billion to our Shareholders through share repurchases and dividend payments. "Our five strategic initiatives are on track and meeting or exceeding expectations.  In January, we deployed our international reservation system and began selling Southwest’s inaugural international service to Aruba, The Bahamas, and Jamaica, scheduled to begin July 1, 2014.  We quickly followed with selling Southwest service to Cancun and Los Cabos, scheduled to begin August 10, 2014.  By the end of this year, we intend to fully convert AirTran’s seven international markets, along with its remaining domestic markets, to the Southwest route network.  We have converted 21 of the 52 AirTran Boeing 737-700s to the Southwest Evolve configuration, and plan to convert the remaining 31 -700s this year.   This will complete the AirTran integration and retire the brand by the end of 2014. "We have a significant amount of fleet activity planned this year, as we wind down the AirTran brand and continue to modernize our fleet, resulting in a larger than normal number of aircraft out of scheduled service.  Accordingly, we expect relatively flat 2014 available seat miles, year-over-year. "Our network development and optimization results, to date, have been excellent.  We are excited about the opportunity to add new service to New York LaGuardia, Washington Reagan National, and Dallas Love Field this year, as well as to the international terminal under construction at Houston Hobby next year.  Looking ahead to 2015, while we have not finalized our fleet and capacity plans, we have been managing to a baseline of 695 aircraft, which was our combined fleet at the time of the AirTran acquisition.  We are planning year-over-year growth in our available seat miles derived from increased fleet utilization resulting from the completion of the AirTran integration and the increase in seats from the upgauging of our fleet.  Of course, this will drive significant unit cost benefits."   Financial Results and Outlook The Company's first quarter 2014 total operating revenues increased 2.0 percent, year-over-year, to $4.2 billion, despite an estimated $45 million reduction to revenues from weather-related cancellations.  Operating unit revenues increased 3.1 percent, on a 1.1 percent decrease in available seat miles and a 2.6 percent increase in average seats per trip, all as compared to first quarter 2013.  While the shift in the timing of the Easter and Passover holidays impacted March results, April bookings and revenue trends, thus far, are strong.  Based on April's trends and current bookings for the remainder of the second quarter, the Company expects another solid year-over-year increase in its second quarter 2014 operating unit revenues. Total operating expenses in first quarter 2014 decreased 1.6 percent to $4.0 billion, as compared to first quarter 2013.  First quarter 2014 total operating expenses included an estimated $5 million in net costs associated with winter storms.  The Company incurred costs (before profitsharing and taxes) associated with the acquisition and integration of AirTran, which are special items, of $18 million during first quarter 2014, compared to $13 million in first quarter 2013.  Cumulative costs associated with the acquisition and integration of AirTran, as of March 31, 2014, totaled $428 million (before profitsharing and taxes).  The Company expects total acquisition and integration costs to be no more than $550 million (before profitsharing and taxes).  Excluding special items in both periods, total operating expenses in first quarter 2014 decreased 1.2 percent to $3.9 billion, as compared to $4.0 billion in first quarter 2013. First quarter 2014 profitsharing expense was $29 million, compared to $15 million in first quarter 2013.  Profitsharing expense in first quarter 2014 was impacted by acquisition and integration costs incurred during that period.  In addition, in accordance with the Company's ProfitSharing Plan (the Plan), first quarter 2014 operating profit, as defined in the Plan, was reduced by a portion of the acquisition and integration costs incurred from April 1, 2011, through December 31, 2013, which will be amortized from January 1, 2014, through December 31, 2018. First quarter 2014 economic fuel costs were $3.08 per gallon, including $.06 per gallon in favorable cash settlements from fuel derivative contracts, compared to $3.29 per gallon in first quarter 2013, including $.05 per gallon in unfavorable cash settlements from fuel derivative contracts.  Based on the Company's fuel derivative contracts and market prices as of April 21, 2014, second quarter 2014 economic fuel costs are expected to be comparable to second quarter 2013's economic fuel costs of $3.06 per gallon.  As of April 21, 2014, the fair market value of the Company's hedge portfolio through 2017 was a net asset of approximately $252 million.  Additional information regarding the Company's fuel derivative contracts is included in the accompanying tables. Excluding economic fuel and oil expense, profitsharing, and special items in both periods, first quarter 2014 operating costs increased 2.4 percent from first quarter 2013, and increased 3.5 percent on a unit basis.  Based on current cost trends, the Company expects both second quarter 2014 and full year 2014 unit costs, excluding fuel and oil expense, profitsharing, and special items, to increase, year-over-year, in the two to three percent range. Operating income for first quarter 2014 was $215 million, compared to $70 million in first quarter 2013.  Excluding special items, operating income was $242 million in first quarter 2014, compared to $112 million in the same period last year. Other income in first quarter 2014 was $29 million, compared to $24 million in first quarter 2013.  The $5 million increase primarily resulted from $53 million in other gains recognized in first quarter 2014, compared to $46 million recognized in first quarter 2013.  In both periods, these gains primarily resulted from unrealized mark-to-market net gains associated with a portion of the Company's fuel hedging portfolio, which are special items.  Excluding these special items, first quarter 2014 had $16 million in other losses, compared to $5 million in first quarter 2013, primarily attributable to the premium costs associated with the Company's fuel derivative contracts.  Second quarter 2014 premium costs related to fuel derivative contracts are currently estimated to be in the $15 million to $20 million range, compared to $12 million in second quarter 2013.  Net interest expense in first quarter 2014 was $24 million, compared to $22 million in first quarter 2013.   Balance Sheet and Cash Flows As of April 23, 2014, the Company had approximately $3.5 billion in cash and short-term investments, and a fully available unsecured revolving credit line of $1 billion.  Net cash provided by operations during first quarter 2014 was $1.1 billion, and capital expenditures were $407 million, which included the payment for slots acquired at Washington's Reagan National Airport.  The Company repaid $46 million in debt and capital lease obligations during the first quarter 2014, and intends to repay approximately $500 million in debt and capital lease obligations during the remainder of 2014, which includes $35 million paid on April 1, 2014, associated with eight of the Company's Fixed-rate B717 Aircraft Notes due in 2017. During first quarter 2014, the Company generated free cash flow* of $712 million. The Company returned approximately $371 million to its Shareholders through the payment of $56 million in dividends and the repurchase of $315 million in common stock, or 12 million shares, under its share repurchase program, including $200 million under an accelerated share repurchase program with a third party financial institution.  In first quarter, pursuant to the accelerated share repurchase program, the Company advanced $200 million to the financial institution and received approximately seven million shares of the Company's common stock, representing an estimated 75 percent of the shares the Company expects to purchase under the accelerated share repurchase program.  The specific number of shares that the Company ultimately will repurchase under the accelerated share repurchase program will be determined generally based on a discount to the volume-weighted average price per share of the Company's common stock during a calculation period to be completed by May 9, 2014.  At settlement, under certain circumstances, the third party financial institution may be required to deliver additional shares of common stock to the Company, or under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to deliver shares of its common stock or may elect to make a cash payment to the third party financial institution.  Since August 2011, the Company has repurchased $1.48 billion in common stock, or 124 million shares, under its $1.5 billion share repurchase authorization.   Fleet During first quarter 2014, the Company's fleet was reduced by five to 676 aircraft at period end.  This reflects the first quarter 2014 delivery of two new Boeing 737-800s and six pre-owned Boeing 737-700s, as well as the retirement of one Boeing 737-300.  In addition, the Company removed 12 Boeing 717-200s from service during first quarter 2014 in preparation for transition.  Additional information regarding the Company's aircraft delivery schedule is included in the accompanying tables.   Awards and Recognitions Named to FORTUNE's 2014 list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 20 th consecutive year and notably, the only commercial airline to rank in the Top Ten Received the top recognition for best customer experience in the airline industry, according to the 2014 Temkin Experience Ratings Received the Diamond Award by Air Cargo World with high marks for great Customer Service, Performance, Value, and use of Information Technology Named Domestic Carrier of the Year by the Airforwarders Association for the fifth consecutive year Named Domestic Airline of the Year by Express Delivery & Logistics Association for the 14 th consecutive year Named to the BetterInvesting Top 200 companies   Conference Call Southwest will discuss its first quarter 2014 results on a conference call at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time today.  A live broadcast of the conference call also will be available at http://southwest.investorroom.com.   *Additional information regarding special items is included in the reconciliation tables that can be found at swamedia.com.  See Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures.   Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.  Specific forward-looking statements include, without limitation, statements related to (i) the Company’s financial outlook and projected results of operations; (ii) the Company’s strategic initiatives generally and its related financial and operational expectations;  (iii) the Company’s fleet plans, including its fleet modernization plans, and its related financial and operational goals and expectations; (iv) the Company’s expectations with respect to its integration of AirTran, including anticipated integration timeframes and the expected benefits and costs associated with the integration; (v) the Company’s growth plans, including its network and capacity plans, expectations, and opportunities; (vi) the Company's plans and expectations related to managing risk associated with changing jet fuel prices; and (vii) the Company's expectations with respect to liquidity (including its plans for the repayment of debt and capital lease obligations). These forward-looking statements are based on the Company's current intent, expectations, and projections and are not guarantees of future performance.  These statements involve risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and other factors that are difficult to predict and that could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by them.  Factors include, among others, (i) demand for the Company's services and the impact of economic conditions, fuel prices, and actions of competitors (including without limitation pricing, scheduling, and capacity decisions and consolidation and alliance activities) on the Company's business decisions, plans, and strategies; (ii) the Company's ability to timely and effectively implement, transition, and maintain the necessary information technology systems and infrastructure to support its operations and initiatives; (iii) the Company's ability to timely and effectively prioritize its strategic initiatives and related expenditures;  (iv) the Company's ability to effectively integrate AirTran and realize the expected benefits from the acquisition; (v) the Company's dependence on third parties, in particular with respect to its fleet plans; (vi) changes in fuel prices, the impact of hedge accounting, and any changes to the Company's fuel hedging strategies and positions; (vii) the impact of governmental regulations and other actions related to the Company's operations; and (viii) other factors, as described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the detailed factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2013. ... 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At Southwest, we are known for our unique Culture and Fun-LUVing Employees.  And believe me when I say that they are as interesting off the clock as they are when they are working!  In fact, we often spotlight Employees and their hobbies in our Employee magazine, LUVLines.  Meet Pam! Pam Graham Finance Business Process Consultant I have rescued greyhounds for a long time; fostering more than 100 dogs so far!  Kisa is a special rescue who I have trained to be a therapy dog.  Together we visit assisted living centers, hospitals, libraries, and other events, and the response to Kisa is always phenomenal.   This form of giving back to our community is rewarding, and it always warms my heart to see the affect Kisa has on everyone we encounter.   Interested in turning your four-legged companions into a therapy dog?   There are numerous groups that certify therapy dogs like our group Therapy Dogs International; however please know that to qualify as a therapy dog candidate your dog must love people and learn basic obedience skills. ... View more

This article by John Harrell, with photos by Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, was a special to Airchive.com that was published April 4, 2014. It’s still dark in Seattle at 5:00 a.m. as passengers check in for early-morning departures.  But one of Southwest Airlines’ most hardworking employees, about to begin a 14-hour workday, has already been waiting here at Sea-Tac Airport since the previous evening: the airplane itself. Tail number N446WN, a Boeing 737-700, arrived here last night from Sacramento.  And Chicago.  And Tampa.  And Rochester, N.Y.  And Orlando.  In one day, this single plane, now resting at gate B10, flew over 5,600 miles, carrying a total potential passenger load of 715 persons over 806,000 seat-miles—over three times the distance to the moon.  On a light day. Today’s plan for N446WN. GCMap.com This morning, the plane’s 6:00 a.m. scheduled departure from Sea-Tac Airport is its first on another five-leg day, bound ultimately for West Palm Beach, Fla., via four other cities.  Virginia Spears of Port Orchard, Wash., flying from Seattle to Chicago this morning, will not meet Stan and Marcia Treiman of Bohemia, N.Y., who are later flying from Tampa to Long Island—even though all three will fly on the same day on the same airplane. In order for the airplane to be on its way on time, flight attendant Mike Maldonado is due at the gate at 5:30, along with colleagues Carol Leone and Margie Nelson.  No later than twenty-five minutes from 5:30, the plane will also have been visually inspected, says Capt. Brad Dunham, who will be in charge of the plane today until Baltimore, three stops hence.  By 5:55 a.m., with the passengers boarded, the plane inspected, snacks and beverage cans in place, and the boarding door closed tail N446WN pushes from the gate as Southwest flight 1296.  Fourteen taxi-minutes later, it lifts off from runway 16L, turns eastward, and climbs up over the Cascade Mountains.   Passengers put bags away in overhead bins prior to departure, while flight attendant Carol Leone hands out drinks to passengers early in the morning. The cabin crew serves drinks as the sun comes up over Idaho some forty minutes later, the plane now flying at 569 miles per hour relative to the ground.  Sitting aft, company historian Richard West, along for today’s ride, examines the plane’s ACARS data on his tablet. ACARS, or the Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System, is a messaging service that connects the cockpit and the plane’s computers to Southwest’s dispatch facility in Dallas.  Throughout the day, the system will transmit takeoff, touchdown, and fueling data, along with messages between the pilots and dispatchers.  The plane automatically sent a message at the moment it lifted off from Sea-Tac at 6:09, says West, and later, a dispatcher uses the system to message the pilots, informing them that they’re the first Southwest plane over Helena, Mont., today. At about 11:30 a.m. under a sunny Chicago sky, Capt. Brad Dunham guides the plane through a final hard right-hand turn to land on runway 13C at Midway Airport.  The computer logs the landing-time of 11:33 a.m. for dispatchers, and the plane taxis to gate B10 and comes to rest. Damian Aguilar fills the galley with drinks for the next flight. Within moments, the aft-right door opens, and in steps Damian Aguilar, a provisioning agent tasked with re-stocking the galley for the next flight.  It’s not even noon, but for Aguilar, it’s late in the workday: this is the ninth airplane he’s restocked this morning, and there’s still one more to go after this.  Aguilar makes good time as he stashes armfuls of beer, ice, snacks, and soda into their assigned location. He says he can ready an aft galley in less than ten minutes, the smaller forward galley in less than five. Turning the plane around quickly—getting it back into the air with passengers—has long been part of the Southwest ethos, and it helps to explain why this particular airplane will make five hops today.  When the airline started flying in 1971, says company spokesman Dan Landson, “we found that . . . the more time the plane was on the ground, the less we were making money.”  In those days, he says, the airline strove for the “10-minute turn”—reducing the time between arrival and departure to only that many minutes. “That time has increased over the last forty years,” Landson explains.  “Obviously, there are more seats on the plane, more people are traveling, there’s more luggage that’s on, there’s more freight that’s loaded on.”  Turn-times now, he says, can be about twenty minutes—but that will likely change soon. Entering more congested air markets, like New York LaGuardia for example, has impacted the airline’s ability to get in and out quickly, he says. The introduction of the 737-800 to the fleet, which carries more passengers than a 700-series plane like N446WN, has also contributed to the uptick in time.  Now, to improve its on-time performance, Southwest is extending is typical ground-stop time and redoubling its efforts to make sure flights leave on-time at the beginning of the day.  “We’ve found that when the first flights of the day are behind schedule,” says Landson, “you never catch up throughout the rest of the day.” Captain Brad Dunham pre-checks the flight deck prior to departure for Tampa. Flight 1296 has, fortunately, arrived to Chicago well in advance of its scheduled arrival time. Yet even though the flight attendants will be switching planes, they need to remain onboard until they’re relieved by their successors not yet present.  Capt. Dunham, however, will be continuing in the cockpit all the way through to Baltimore, still two stops away.  During the transition, he performs a quick, pre-flight check of the flight deck controls—it takes this seasoned pro less than a minute, while the more extensive check comes just before pushing back—and examines a weather report in advance of the next leg into Tampa. Some rough weather stands between our current location and Florida.  Mentally picturing his anticipated route on the weather map, Capt. Dunham sees that it will mean turbulence on the way in.  He advises the passengers of the anticipated bumps before the plane lifts off, bound with a new cabin crew for the Sunshine State. A company 737 lands in Chicago as our plane awaits its turn for departure Sure enough, it is not long before the clear air beneath the cruising airplane gives way to cloud-cover as Flight 1296 begins its last segments into Tampa over the Gulf of Mexico.  It’s sunny on top and 72 degrees and raining hard on the ground, but between cruising altitude and final approach is a stratified series of parallel cloud formations stacked like pancakes, which means shakes, bumps, and seated flight attendants as the airplane passes its 2,800th domestic mile today, just over halfway through the planned 4,850 mile trip. Touchdown in Tampa is at 4:12 p.m.—twelve minutes past schedule—but the gate is occupied by another plane. The airliner’s second leg doesn’t come to an official end for another twenty minutes, left out to soak under a driving rain. Once it does, the turnaround process commences afresh: new snacks, drinks, a quick wipe-down, and other provisions by Tampa’s ground crew.  Forty-one minutes after parking, the plane—now as flight 1385—is on its way to Baltimore. In the air over Florida, Captain Dunham leads the airplane in a quick ascent through the still-turbulent cloudbank.  As before, there’s smooth air above the clouds, but the flight is expected to hit rough air again on the descent into Baltimore.  Several anticipatory warnings from the crew caution the passengers to finish their drinks early, and the pilots have asked the flight attendants for word that everyone’s seated so that the plane can start to descend through the chop. The warning proves worthwhile, as Dunham negotiates through several patches of rough air on approach to the DC area. It is dusk when the plane lands in Baltimore on runway 10 and parks at gate A2.  Long before the crowd clears out enough to let aft-seated passengers leave, the ground crew is at work again, servicing the galley for the plane’s next leg. There’s still Islip, N.Y., on the itinerary—and then the final, late-evening flight to West Palm Beach, Fla. As Capt. Dunham rolls his suitcase from the gate, having handed the reins to another pilot and crew for the 42-minute flight to Long Island, he does so having overseen the completion of over ten hours of passenger service in four separate markets.  As for the plane, when it arrives into West Palm Beach at about midnight, it will get to rest for about seven hours—and then take off for Atlanta, Denver, and six cities in California, including Los Angeles twice.  Just another day. Disclosure: Southwest Airlines Co. provided Airchive.com with airfare, lodging, and two meals during travel. Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren contributed to this report. ... 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DALLAS, TEXAS – April 8, 2014 – Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced today that the Company flew 9.6 billion revenue passenger miles (RPMs) in March 2014, a 1.6 percent increase from the 9.4 billion RPMs flown in March 2013.  Available seat miles (ASMs) increased 0.8 percent to 11.6 billion from the March 2013 level of 11.5 billion.  The March 2014 load factor was 82.7 percent, compared to 82.0 percent in March 2013.  For March 2014, passenger revenue per ASM (PRASM) is estimated to have increased approximately one percent compared to March 2013. For the first quarter of 2014, the Company flew 24.2 billion RPMs, compared to 23.8 billion RPMs flown for the same period in 2013, an increase of 1.7 percent. Year-to-date ASMs decreased 1.1 percent to 30.5 billion from 30.8 billion for the same period in 2013.  The year-to-date load factor was 79.3 percent, compared to 77.1 percent for the same period in 2013. This release, as well as past news releases about Southwest Airlines Co., is available online at southwest.com. Southwest Airlines Co. Preliminary Comparative Traffic Statistics MARCH 2014 2013 Change Revenue passengers carried 9,806,609 9,892,713 (0.9)% Enplaned passengers 12,000,553 12,038,645 (0.3)% Revenue passenger miles (000s) 9,596,470 9,442,734 1.6% Available seat miles (000s) 11,604,778 11,512,196 0.8% Load factor 82.7% 82.0% 0.7 pts. Average length of haul 979 955 2.5% Trips flown 111,138 116,393 (4.5)% YEAR-TO-DATE 2014 2013 Change Revenue passengers carried 25,055,809 25,203,934 (0.6)% Enplaned passengers 30,656,581 30,712,625 (0.2)% Revenue passenger miles (000s) 24,155,286 23,756,743 1.7% Available seat miles (000s) 30,474,546 30,801,424 (1.1)% Load factor 79.3% 77.1% 2.2 pts. Average length of haul 964 943 2.2% Trips flown 299,637 318,514 (5.9)%   ... View more

CARRIER TO BEGIN FLIGHTS TO CANCUN AND SAN JOSE DEL CABO/LOS CABOS ON AUG. 10, 2014, WITH LOW INTRO. FARES DALLAS—Mar. 3, 2014—Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today announced the next phase of its international service by offering Customers new Southwest Airlines flights to both the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Mexico, as well as other new domestic and international flying, as the carrier extended flight schedules through Oct. 31, 2014. Sale fares can be found on southwest.com through March 13. Beginning Aug. 10, 2014, Southwest Airlines will operate daily, nonstop flights between: Cancun, Mexico, and Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, and (Saturdays only) Milwaukee San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico, and Santa Ana/Orange County Nassau, Bahamas, and (Saturdays only) Atlanta To celebrate the new service, Southwest Airlines is offering introductory fares (including U.S. and non-U.S. taxes and fees) for nonstop flights from these U.S. gateways: Atlanta, Georgia, to Nassau, Bahamas for as low as $127 one-way Baltimore/Washington, Maryland, to Nassau, Bahamas for as low as $126 one-way Denver, Colo., to San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico for as low as $192 one-way* Orlando, Fla., to Montego Bay, Jamaica for as low as $148 one-way Milwaukee, Wisc., to Cancun, Mexico for $214 one-way Santa Ana/Orange County, Calif., and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico for $143 one-way             Restrictions apply. See Fare Rules below. As the planned conversion of wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways’ destinations continues, Southwest intends to serve five countries previously served by AirTran by the end of this year. The carrier previously announced service to Aruba, Nassau, and Montego Bay, beginning July 1, 2014, and throughout this booking window is adding domestic connectivity through international gateway cities to many of the more than 80 cities served by Southwest Airlines across the United States. Read more about the phased connectivity on NUTS About Southwest, the Company’s corporate blog. All these international nonstop flights and connecting itineraries between the U.S. and these countries are available to book now at southwest.com. The Company’s phased rollout of international nonstop with domestic connecting service also brings new options for Denver Customers who have made Southwest Airlines the largest air carrier in Colorado. *Beginning in October 2014, Southwest Airlines will offer nonstop service between Denver and: Cancun, with daily roundtrip flights beginning Oct. 7, 2014; and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, with Saturday-only service beginning Oct. 11, 2014 The make-ready process for international service has involved almost all of Southwest’s nearly 45,000 Employees to implement additional technologies, training, and compliance to obtain operational and regulatory approvals, and to ready the People, planes, and policies unique to Southwest Airlines to serve Customers in new countries. Fare Rules Fares must be purchased from March 3 through March 13, 2014, 11:59 pm in the respective time zone of the originating city. Advertised fares are based on itineraries where the point of origin is in the United States. Travel dates apply as follows: July 1 through Aug. 8, 2014 between: Atlanta or Baltimore/Washington and Aruba July 1 through Oct. 31, 2014 between: Atlanta, Baltimore/Washington, or Orlando and Montego Bay Baltimore/Washington and Nassau July 1 through Aug. 8, 2014 between: Atlanta or Baltimore/Washington and Aruba August 10 through Oct. 31, 2014 between: Atlanta or Baltimore/Washington and Cancun Milwaukee and Cancun (Saturday-only service) Orlando and Aruba Santa Ana/Orange County, Calif., and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico Atlanta and Nassau (Saturday-only service) Oct. 7 through Oct. 31, 2014 between: Denver and Cancun Denver and San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico (Saturday-only service) Some flights operated by AirTran Airways. Displayed prices include all U.S. and foreign government taxes and fees. Seats are limited. Fares may vary by destination, flight, and day of week and won't be available on some flights that operate during very busy travel times and holiday periods. Fares are available for one-way travel and may be combined with other Southwest Airlines combinable fares. If combining with other fares, the most restrictive fare's rules apply. Sale fares may be available on other days of week, but not guaranteed. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines, so long as you cancel your reservations at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled departure of your flight. Failure to change or cancel a flight in your itinerary prior to departure will result in forfeiture of remaining funds on the entire reservation. Any changes in 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 published, scheduled service only. ... View more