Southwest Airlines Community

“I’m at that place in life where I’m always trying to gain new experiences and see new cultures.”—Brett Eldredge, Musician Photo by Cameron PowellCountry music star Brett Eldredge’s latest hit song and U.S. tour might be all about “The Long Way,” but when it comes to air travel, he’s all about the reliability and connectivity of Southwest Airlines. Even though he travels regularly for his shows, Brett still considers traveling to be his favorite hobby. Not only is he an A-List Preferred member, but he’s also a longtime Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Credit Cardmember—in July, he even became the first Customer to upgrade to the new Priority Card. Brett makes good use of the Rapid Rewards points he earns, and thanks to no blackout dates, he can sneak away to rest his vocal cords whenever he has a few unexpected days for vacation. Sounds like music to our ears!   —Brie Strickland, Marketing   Why Southwest “Everyone is always really kind, and they always treat my guitar well, which is a huge deal because it’s like a family member to me.”   Helping Hand “Traveling in the most comfortable way you can is a big part of my career because you need to get in the right headspace to go give all of yourself onstage.”   Old Friends “I started flying regularly when I did my first radio tour. I was on Southwest at least three times a week, catching 6 a.m. flights to visit with radio stations and showcase my music.” ... View more

“Don’t be too shy with your seat neighbor. You never know how interesting the person might be.”                                                                                        —Branden Harvey, Digital Storyteller   Branden Harvey’s love for Southwest Airlines began when he and his now wife, Sammi, lived on opposite sides of the country. What started as a way to manage a long-distance relationship with low fares and reliability turned into a lifestyle for this digital storyteller. With his trademark blond curl and camera in hand, Branden is on a quest to find the good in this world. He’s often inspired by the actions of Southwest Employees and the stories of people he meets from his seat of choice: the middle seat. With plenty of good left to discover—not to mention nonstop service from his home base of Nashville—this Instagram and Snapchat storyteller will keep on soaring. Follow him @brandenharvey.    Memorable Moment “On one of my first Southwest flights, I saw someone propose to his girlfriend. The whole plane started cheering.”   Rapid Redemption “I love spontaneity, so I love my Rapid Rewards points. When I hear about something amazing happening, I don’t hesitate before cashing in for a ticket to go tell the story.”   Right Now “I focus on telling hopeful stories. I do that through a podcast, Sounds Good, and a weekly roundup called ‘Goodnewsletter.’”   Photo by Jason Myers ... View more

Pat says trips to New Orleans, nearly 2,500 miles away from her home in Spokane, happen almost annually. She was recently diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer related to lymphoma and leukemia. Within days of enjoying the Big Easy, despite cancer, Pat noticed increased tiredness and difficulty in catching her breath. When she couldn’t breathe one morning, her daughter called the paramedics who took her to Tulane Medical Center. From there, Pat says she doesn’t remember much. “I was out like a light … the doctor and my family didn’t think I was going to make it,” Pat says. “I woke up on the seventh day and said, ‘Hi.'”   Pat’s waking up prompted the necessary process of transporting her from New Orleans back to Spokane to begin rehabilitation. Pat was still hooked to IV lines and tubes, and the journey would be a difficult one as she was unable to stand or move around. Her son, Roy, with the help of Tulane’s case managers, sent out requests for admission to facilities in Spokane. Dr. Jones received one of these requests via email while coincidentally on a business trip in New Orleans, just blocks from Pat’s hospital room. Dr. Jones found Pat’s son pacing the hospital hallway and introduced herself. He was astonished that a doctor from St. Luke’s was at Tulane. Timing was crucial to obtain an admission into a rehabilitation hospital and get Pat the additional help she needed to recover. Southwest Airlines had one flight readily available that stopped in Chicago on the way to Spokane, but it left the next day.   “Southwest Airlines was just amazing getting us the tickets we needed,” Pat says. “They had the wheelchair there ready to go each time and ensured I had priority boarding to make the process as easy as possible. And when my daughter and her family flew back a few days later, the zero baggage fees came in handy since she had all of mine with her in addition to her own.”   At St. Luke’s, Pat received the full spectrum of therapies available, and because travel is part of her life, Pat practiced transfers and walking in a replica Southwest Airlines fuselage donated to St. Luke’s several years ago. Therapists use the airplane therapy module every day with patients who plan to travel.   Pat remained focused on her rehabilitation and regained her ability to walk. She was discharged home, where she uses a cane along with the exercises she learned at St. Luke’s to continue her progress. She says she will always be grateful for the amazing medical and airline teamwork that brought her back home. ... View more

When a teacher walks into a classroom full of young minds each morning, her call-to-action is immediate and meaningful. Purpose isn’t something she has to search for, it’s always clear and right in front of her. The same can’t always be said of my current role, communicating through the Southwest Airlines social channels. Since leaving education, my purpose at Southwest is real, and the impact is meaningful, but I don’t have those same face-to-face moments from my teaching days.   Nearly six months ago, Elizabeth Kellogg posted a picture onTwitter of her pre-k classroom turned Southwest Airlines baggage claim, terminal, and airplane.  Mrs. Kellogg was using her favorite airline to teach the little minds in her Scottsdale classroom about geography, math, and customer service. When I responded through the Southwest Airlines Twitter account, Mrs. Kellogg and I immediately connected over our teaching backgrounds and I asked if I could send a little something to her small Southwest fans. Our Team sent inflight goodies and wings for everyone, as well as a Southwest mug to keep Mrs. Kellogg "fueled." It was a small gesture for our loyal and creative fan.   Months and months later in mid-June I heard from Pam Korzeniowski who works in Southwest's Training Department (Southwest University) who asked if I knew an Elizabeth Kellogg from Arizona.   Pam emailed: “Elizabeth is just finishing up her final week in CS&S training. She’s been telling all of us that you’re the reason she’s here. You’re her Southwest story! Something about a message you sent her on Twitter and gifts you sent her classroom. I’d love it if you could come to graduation Friday so you two could meet in person."   I read the email over and over again, in disbelief. A few days later I found myself, beaming and cheering at Elizabeth’s graduation. As I introduced myself, tears rolled down my and Elizabeth's faces as we hugged for the first time, now as Cohearts. Having never considered applying before, Elizabeth was inspired by Southwest’s friendliness and willingness to go above and beyond to make a Customer feel special; she knew that this was something she had to be a part of.   At the graduation, Elizabeth handed me a key necklace with the word “Believe” engraved into it; a token of her appreciation for how my words and actions made her believe that this new journey of hers was possible. Her words and actions might’ve served to thank me, but in reality, I needed to thank her. Elizabeth reminded me that every role in this Company has the power to impact, inspire, and enrich the lives of others, even if our role doesn’t put us face-to-face with the Customer.   Elizabeth and me at her CS&S graduation in TOPS     ... View more

“Got passion? Get going. Go big. Be noticed.” —Yolanda Hundley, Marketing Director, Eternal Beverages, and Accomplished Triathlete   While completing more than 80 races, Yolanda Hundley has logged plenty of miles on the ground and even more in the sky by flying to each event with Southwest Airlines. An A-Lister based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Yolanda travels the country to train more than 25 hours a week with a former Olympian. One reason she sticks with Southwest? The low cost of checking her bike onboard compared to other airlines. Southwest’s no change fees also come in handy on her unpredictable business trips as a marketing director. With three 70.3-mile events and two Ironman races still on Yolanda’s calendar for 2016, we know she’ll keep going the distance on the ground and in the sky.    Easy Does It “A click of the Southwest app or a friendly phone call always gets me where I need to be.”   Must-Sea “Every time I’m in the Los Angeles area, I go to Killer Shrimp in Marina del Rey. It’s one of a kind, and the views are awesome.”   The High Road “Doing good and helping people boosts your mood and theirs. Feeling uplifted at 30,000 feet is way better than feeling cranky.” ... View more