Southwest Airlines Community

Thirteen years ago my husband (then boyfriend) took me home to meet his parents. I’ll never forget walking into his house and coming face to face with…Bob Vila. Ok, it wasn’t actually Bob Vila, but with the beard and thick head of hair he looked an awful lot like him. Turns out that similarity wasn’t limited to looks. My father-in-law is a master of fixing, building, installing, woodworking … you name it, he does it.   Ron “The Toolman” Vargo has been taking care of Southwest’s 737s as Lead Stock Clerk in Houston for over 25 years now. He worked graveyard for most of that time and is one of the hardest working men I’ve ever met. His unwavering work ethic inspires me and I know he’s well respected by his peers…especially on the days he brings in his famous smoked brisket or deer chili for “the guys” in the hangar.   A little over a year ago we went to my in-laws for our first baby shower. Sitting in the middle of the living room was the most beautiful wooden cradle I’d ever seen. Engraved on the bottom underneath the mattress was “Made special for our grandchildren by Grandpa Vargo.” It is the single most precious possession I own other than my wedding ring.   Happy Father’s Day “Toolman.” I’m proud to call you my father and my Coworker.   ... View more

Today marks a historic day for Southwest and our Customers. After many months of evaluation and development, Southwest is the first airline to test aircraft-to-satellite Wi-Fi technology!   As you have probably heard, Southwest chose California-based Row 44 to evaluate this ground-breaking technology on four aircraft. Today, that test is becoming a reality and the first Southwest Airlines Customers will have a chance to experience being connected at 39,000 feet. I had the opportunity to get a sneak peak  during private inflight testing  a couple weeks ago and the speed and quality of the solution was everything I hoped it would be and more. Anything you can do at home or from a coffee shop hotspot, you can do with this .   In addition, we are proud to announce a partnership with Yahoo! today to deliver a customized inflight homepage that includes a one-of-a-kind flight tracker, as well as daily programming of local news and information.  The new flight tracker will allow passengers to follow the plane’s flight path, and view “fly-over” points of interest along the route, with images from Flickr.    If you are lucky enough to be on one of our Wi-Fi planes over the next few weeks, we'd love to hear about your experience! Look for the "Wi-Fi Hotspot" stickers as you board!   To view more information about today's big news, click here. ... View more

If you've been on a Southwest flight, you've no doubt heard the Flight Attendant ask for change for a $20 bill. Well, those days are going the way of knee socks and penny loafers (did I just date myself?). Beginning September 9, Southwest will "flip the switch" and accept only credit and debit cards for beer, liquor, and energy drink purchases. Of course we'll still take your drink coupons as well.   So how does this change benefit you? If you're like me, you never carry cash anymore and you despise using airport ATMs that charge three bucks for the privilege to use their machine. The next time you get a craving for an adult beverage or energy drink inflight, you need only whip out your credit card and our Flight Attendants will swipe it on a the new handheld credit card device.   It's important to note that this does not signal the start for charging for things previously free to you inflight such as soft drinks, water, juice, snacks, blankets, pillows, and general human kindness. You'll still be receiving the same free amenities you're accustomed to on Southwest.   Anytime you make a major change like this on an airline our size, it's no small feat. I expect there will be a few bumps along the road but we have the best people in the industry and they are up to the task.   Interesting tidbit: Since Southwest doesn't have drink carts like most carriers, we had to come up with an inventive way for the Flight Attendants to take drink orders on a drink pad while swiping the card on the device without having to learn to juggle (although that would be entertaining). What resulted was a cool little white clipboard that will be carried by the Flight Attendants. It holds the drink order pad on one side and the device on the other. It's even ergonomically correct ).  Check it out on your next Southwest flight after September 9. ... View more

As a kid, I hated the summer Olympics. We had five television channels, and every single one of them showed the Olympics for three weeks straight. No Smurfs. No Looney Tunes. No Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. Just a bunch of boring adults doing boring things like running and swimming. I did those things every day and didn't understand why it was such a big deal to watch other people doing it. Now that I'm a little older (ok...much older), I look forward to the summer Olympics. That time when the world comes together to share in the spirit of competition and camaraderie in the universal language of sport. It never ceases to amaze me how many countries I didn't know existed (Bhutan? Mauritania? Kyrgyzstan?). I get a lump in my throat every time I see an American athlete standing on the awards podium, hand over heart, singing our National Anthem. The Olympics are pretty dang cool. To celebrate the start of the Summer Games, my department is participating in its own version of the Olympics. Yes, we may lack the physical prowess of  professional athletes but, is that going to stop us? No. Each team within Marketing has to come up with a country name and color and create a flag to represent that "country." We will parade down the Headquarters hallway and out into the blazing August heat to compete on several events...(confidential as to prevent an unfair advantage...we're very competitive around here). One event, however, will stand above the rest and determine the champion of the 2008 Marketing Olympics...the Ribbon Dance. Each team must coordinate a two-minute synchronized ribbon dance to music and perform it in front of the judges. I personally have never danced with a ribbon and I have a feeling my Coworkers are lacking in this skill as well but I think we will be inspired by the performances. At the very least we'll laugh and make fun of each other...all in the spirit of competition and camaraderie of course. ... View more

Our salute to Colleen continues  My most impactful encounter with Colleen was also one of my first. I was relatively new to Southwest and very green, so the prospect of getting to work directly with Colleen was extremely exciting (not to mention nerve wracking). The Dallas Morning News was writing a feature on her and needed a photo to accompany the story. I was the lucky “chosen one,” and I was determined to pull it off without a hitch. On the day of the photo shoot, it was about 95 degrees outside with 100% humidity. If you know anything about Colleen, it’s that she hates being hot. In fact, the second-floor hallway that houses her office is by far the coldest part of our Headquarters building. The photographer thought it would be “awesome” to get some shots of Colleen by a plane out at the Maintenance hangar. So, sometime around mid-afternoon, the photographer arrived, and we walked out on the tarmac to meet Colleen. All three of us were already sweating profusely, and I started to panic. My first instinct was to get Colleen something cold to drink so I darted up to the hangar to find someone who could get me a Coke. By the time I made it back, Colleen was standing precariously in the cargo hold of the plane, posing for the photographer on the ground. The photographer, however, was not taking any pictures. Instead, she was waiting for the “perfect moment” when a Southwest plane would land on the Love Field runway behind the hangar. If it was 95-degrees on the tarmac, it had to be 120 or more in the belly of the plane. My panic level rose. Me: “We really need to speed this up…it’s hot out here and I need to get Colleen inside.” Photographer: “I really want a shot of a plane landing behind her…do you know when that will be?” So we stood there, peering up at the blazing hot sun waiting for a Southwest plane to approach. When we finally spotted one in the distance, the photographer positioned herself to get the shot. CLICK! I took a deep sigh of relief. It was over. Photographer: “The plane came in too fast…any chance you can radio someone to ask them to slow down the next one?” Me (inside my head): You have got to be freaking kidding me. I assured the photographer, in a rather harsh tone, that, no, we cannot slow the plane on approach for landing and that she would have to make due with what she had. She insisted on another shot, and I stood there feeling helpless…pacing back and forth, panic level at an all time high. As we left the shoot, I apologized to Colleen for the disastrous photo shoot.  Colleen didn’t say anything. A couple days later, my then-VP, Ginger, called me to her office. I went in, and she gently shut the door behind me. Ginger: “Colleen told me about the photo shoot the other day.” Me: “I KNOW. It was awful. The photographer was awful.” Ginger: “Colleen was really disappointed in how you handled the situation.” I went numb. What? I was trying to protect and take care of her. I got her a Coke. I sped things along. Why was she disappointed in me? Ginger: “Angela, the photographer was your Customer. She was there to do a job, and you and Colleen were there to help her.” I sat there in stunned silence. Then I burst into tears. She was right. I was so interested in taking care of Colleen that I neglected to do my job – which was taking care of the photographer, my Customer. Colleen wasn’t concerned about herself; she was concerned about meeting the needs of that photographer and giving her a good experience. Since that day over six years ago, I have had the good fortune of working with Colleen many times but that first one left a lasting mark on me. That was the day I learned the true definition of Customer Service. Thank you, Colleen, for teaching me a life lesson and showing me that Positively Outrageous Service is about “walking the walk.” You are, and always will be, my mentor and inspiration. ... View more

Yesterday morning, I pulled up to the drive-thru at Starbucks and rolled down the window to order my usual Grande, skinny vanilla latte with one Sweet n Low and powdered cinnamon mixed in. When the barista handed me my drink, it had a green plastic stick with a logo on top in the sip hole. “What’s this?” I asked the barista. “It’s a splash stick so your drink doesn’t spurt out while you drive,” she answered. I was floored. It was like Starbucks was reading my mind! How did they know I have to haphazardly drive with one hand on the steering wheel and the other covering the hole on the cup to prevent the foam from splashing out all over my console every time I hit a bump? That little stick made my whole morning. I was in such a great mood when I arrived at work that people were probably wondering what I had mixed in with my coffee. I showed off my splash stick like a proud parent showing a photo of their kid. Later that same day, I came across this article on USA Today’s web site that explained where the idea for that perfect little piece of plastic came from. Turns out, Starbucks has a web site devoted to capturing Customer comments and ideas, www.mystarbucksidea.com.   That stick is what I refer to as an “unexpected delight.” I certainly didn’t expect for the splash stick to turn up in my coffee cup that morning but it made a positive impression on me when it did. You see, it’s not the plastic that made my day, it’s what that plastic represented. Instead of cursing every time I hit a bump – coffee flying all over the car – trying to drive while mopping it up in rush hour traffic and cursing yet again as I burn my tongue drinking it down to prevent another spill, I enjoyed a leisurely drive in, singing to the radio and sipping my cooled down coffee. Simple yet impactful. At Southwest, I think our Employees do a great job of serving up those unexpected delights on a daily basis. Whether it’s just a friendly smile, a funny joke, or free soft drinks and snacks in-flight, we want every Customer to walk away with the same feeling I got from that stick.  At Southwest, we understand the little things add up to memorable moments and we promise to continue to look for ways to delight you unexpectedly every time you fly with us.       ... View more

Wanna buy a Monster? No, not the big scary kind that live under beds and in closets. I'm referring to the latest product making its debut on Southwest planes this Sunday, May 4 - the Monster Lo-Carb energy drink. For just $3 or one drink coupon, you can get your caffeine fix and be ready to hit the ground running when you get to your destination. Why Monster? Research proved it's one the top drinks in its category - not to mention it tastes great and has a cool looking can. I plan to do further research this weekend on how it tastes mixed with vodka. I'll let you know the results of my findings. Next time you fly with us, give Monster Lo-Carb a try. I promise you'll be energized by the experience. ... View more

Fun comes in many shapes and sizes around here...and sometimes it goes to the extreme. Such was the case last week when Online Marketing Specialist Sheri Salas arrived at work on her birthday to find a special birthday surprise from her boss, Kevin Kleist. Kevin wrapped EVERYTHING on her desk...including notebooks and shot glasses (um, Sheri, explanation?). Gotta love office pranks...feel free to share any good ones you've seen or done to someone in your office. I personally am a huge fan of "The Office" on NBC and think Jim's office pranks on Dwight (especially the cell phone in the ceiling tiles and the stapler in jello) are brilliant. ... View more

Yesterday we received news that one of our Employees, Sgt. Charles Kitowski, was killed by a road side bomb in Afghanistan. I didn't know Charles personally, but it doesn't matter - he's family to all of us at Southwest and we are grieving this loss. The comments have started pouring in from Employees that did know and love Charles. Please feel free to leave comments, share memories, or just offer words of support to his friends and family here. Comments for Charles, including one from his fiance, Berri, are also showing up on an April 9th post by Shelley. My heart and prayers go out to the Kitowski family and Berri. God Bless all of you. - Bob Hearst So sad to hear about the death of one of our SWA young men. As it is to hear of the deaths daily of young men and women in the military. They are all heroes! We do celebrate the return of one of BNA's Operations folks, SSgt Kelso, who will be back in Nashville on the 27th after tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is one of the lucky ones: no injuries. We are thankful and grateful. We salute those who have died in serving their country, or who will carry their wounds for the rest of their lives. -Jim Hawkins A salute to Charles one of our Warrior Spirits who gave the ultimate sacrifice in serving our great nation. My thoughts and prayers are with your family and friends. - Eric Hoevers I was deeply saddened to find out about the loss of my friend Charles. I had the pleasure of getting to know him through having lunch with him and a small group of others on the HDQ 3rd floor deck. Charles was always a funny guy, yet sincere and dedicated as well. I truly appreciate him for his service to our Country. -Paul Thompson When I saw the news on our Employee website this morning about Charles… tears immediately started falling down my face over a man I have never met. What a sign that we truly are family here at Southwest. To Berri and other family you will be in my thoughts and prayers in these days ahead. God Bless You and God Bless America. -Joshua Tibbs It is never easy to comment when one of our nations finest, and a true hero of freedom, passes serving their country. The fact that this one was one of "our own" here at SWA only deepens the impact even more. To quote Paul Watson, "In the great scheme of things, what matters is not how long you live, but why you live, what you stand for, and what you are willing to die for." Charles lived to bring the Freedom to Fly to people all across this country, and he died protecting the core Freedoms that define this country. He will be missed by all of us at SWA. - Josh Luse I am saddened by the news of one 'our own' losing his life in the service of our Country. By reading all the entries, Charles (Trey) seemed to touch lives in a special way and leave a little of himself with each person he met. He will surely be missed by all. Berri, this is goes to you.. remember the love he shared with you and as good a person as he sounds like he was…I bet so is his family.. you will all help each other.. my prayers go out to all who are hurting today.. God Bless you.. - Vonnie Selzer Sgt. Charles B. Kitowski III, 31, of Farmers Branch, Texas. I live close to you and work where you worked. Unfortunately, I did not meet you personally but got to know you through this website. I write this with a heavy heart, expressing my deepest sympathy to your parents, Berri, family and friends. Hope that time will heal the unbearable pain and sadness. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. -Terri Vajdi Everyone who proudly wears the uniform of one of our Armed Services and who willingly puts themselves in harm's way in order to "protect and serve" is worthy of our respect and gratitude, and those who make the ultimate sacrifice are the true heroes in our world. My thoughts and prayers go out to Charles' family, to Berri, and to all of Charles' Coworkers and friends at Southwest Airlines. - Sandy Nelson Charles, you will be missed! May the Lord bless you and keep you. - Dav Watson My heart aches for the friends and loved ones of all the fallen service members. I am saddened to know we have lost one of our own. - Cheryl Sullivan Ohhhhhh Charles. I am still in shock this happened to you. It is very unreal, and still new to me, and even though I trust you are in a better place, your calm presence, trusting smile and caring spirit will be truly missed here on earth. I will miss your sense of humor, and the fact that you always "got" mine. Your heart was always in the right place and no matter how many dogs, and cats, I asked you to adopt, you never once ignored my requests. You even helped by taking Bob, knowing how much of a "problem child " he was. I will miss your "Bob stories" and I know he and Annie will miss you terribly. You were the "best-est" friend they could have ever had. I want to thank you for always helping our little group, from the dog houses you built, to delivering them personally, even if it meant driving a while to get there. You donated food and materials when we needed it, and your time when I know you didn't have it. I will miss our joke everytime we saw each other at the same function or party of holding our hand up to our ear and saying, "Call me!" I will miss seeing you and Berri together, and seeing how happy you were as a couple. Berri, I don't know what I could say, except that I am truly sorry for your heart ache, as I am just as heart-felt for Mr and Mrs Kitowski. Thank you for your son. I will never forget you Charles, nor our friendship. Call me! Tracie Fulce ... View more

..unless you're changing your airline reservation in which case change is a pain in rear...not to mention costly. That's why I was really surprised and pleased when I stumbled on a recent post to Flyertalk.com about Southwest's lack of change fees. This person states that they specifically try to concentrate their business with Southwest Airlines out of Denver (where competition is alive and well) due to our lack of change fees. I found this surprising because I assume that most of our Customers don't recognize this point-of-difference between us and the other guys. Southwest is well known for great Customer Service, low fares, flight frequency, efficiency of operations, etc., etc., etc., but I wouldn't rank "lack of change fees" up there with something we get credit for...but maybe I'm wrong (?). Special thanks to "FCfree" on Flyertalk for making some really interesting points about our "change fee free" policy! ... View more

  When I left Public Relations a year ago, the blog had launched just two months earlier and was still an infant. It was hard to leave my "baby" behind to take on a new job role in Marketing, but I left it in very capable hands. I know most of you know Brian, a.k.a. "Blog Boy," but I'd like to introduce you to the other person who works tirelessly, day in and day out, to make sure this blog is fun, interesting, and a bit wacky. Paula Berg is our behind-the-scenes Blog Queen and I recently went behind her back and asked some of her friends and Coworkers, "Who is Paula Berg?" Paula Berg is... ...the most real person you will ever meet, the first person people put on their guest list when throwing a party, adorable, honest, creative and brilliant! Submitted by Brandy King, Coworker and PR Manager ...passionate about this relatively new concept--the blog--that allows Customers and Employees to connect on common interests.  She is tireless in her efforts and understands how important it is for companies to be transparent in their communications with Customers. Submitted by Ginger Hardage, Sr. VP of Corporate Communications ...Paula is a true friend and the best person in the world to travel with.  I don't think I could trek through Iceland, get stranded in Frankfurt, or get left by the bus in Vienna with anyone but Paula.  She makes every moment count...  Submitted by Marilee McInnis, Coworker and PR Manager ...nice enough to post my jokes so she can't be all that bad. Submitted by Jill Howard-Allen, Manager Business Support Projects and "Nuts" Blogger ...the best story teller that has ever walked the Earth.  No one else has her cornucopia of knowledge about waxing, ethnic men, jalapenos, Central Market, body wraps, drinking, political movies that only air at 2 am, and making friends with strangers.  Can't wait to read her book! Submitted by Whitney Eichinger,Coworker and PR Manager ...wacky, off-the-wall, immensely talented, big-hearted, dedicated, and the perfect 'audience' for my puns.  When she gets this certain twinkle in her eye, I know that she is about to share one of her unusual "Paula" stories that almost always leave me LMAO. Submitted by Brian Lusk, "Blog Boy" and Manager of Customer Communications/Corporate Editor ...a future President of the United States Submitted by Chris Mainz, co-worker and PR Specialist  ...the best storyteller you will ever meet. No topic is taboo, and she's not afraid to laugh at herself, which makes her an immensely enjoyable person to be around (and here at Southwest, we work a lot, so we're around her A LOT!!). Submitted by Linda Rutherford, VP of Public Relations and Community Affairs I posted some pics of Paula so you can buy her a drink if you ever run into her at a Southwest airport. I promise you that it will be entertaining. You'll leave with some great stories and a new friend. Thanks, PB, for keeping the blog alive behind the scenes. You rock.  ... View more

"Nuts" was nominated for "Best Corporate Blog" in the Blogger's Choice Awards and we need your vote! (Hey, we're not too proud to ask, beg and plead for your support.) Go here to vote. ... View more

Fortune magazine has just released its list of America's Most Admired Companies, and Southwest Airlines ranked fifth of all the companies that were surveyed!  Companies were scored in eight key areas, Innovation, People Management, Use of Corporate Assets, Social Responsibility, Quality of Management, Financial Soundness, Longterm Investment, and Quality of Products/Services. Needless to say, we are honored to be in the Top Ten of America's Companies again this year.  For the specific information about Southwest, click here. ... View more

Check out this recent Business Week article about Southwest's Customer Service. It even includes a few quotes from our very own Fred Taylor. ... View more

Well...I hope everyone had a great Valentine's Day. As with every year, I've eaten candy since waking and experienced about three sugar highs and the resulting energy slumps. To close out the day, take a look at this great post from Jenny at our blog design firm RD2. Brian, I think it might rival your candy corn post from Halloween. The Blog Team also wants to say a special "thanks" to RD2 for the incredible V-Day design. This was their "gift" to us and it couldn't be more perfect. ... View more

Ok Peeps...it's February which means time is running out for you to capture your creative talents on camera and submit it to our Wanna Get Away video contest. It's fun, it's easy, it could bring you great fame and riches...ok, maybe not riches (we are a low-fare airline after all), but definitely fame if your commercial is the winner. So stop reading this blog (this is the only time I will tell you to do that) and get going! ... View more

Anyone out there speak French that can help us translate this blog post about "Nuts?" We think it's complimentary...but we're not 100% sure. I knew I should've taken French instead of Spanish in high school. Adios. ... View more