Southwest Airlines Community

The next time you fly through MKE, you might talk to one of Southwest’s all-star Employees, Becky Atchison, David Busch, Andy Konolock, or Antonio Nolden, who recently traded in their badges to become a professional baseball player for a day—courtesy of our Partners at the Milwaukee Brewers.   But, for MKE Ramp Agent David Busch, this month’s Trading Places event meant a little more. He was about to cash in on a years-long bet.   The Brewers invited several of our MKE Station’s top performing Employees out to Miller Park for an exclusive experience. At the stadium, they signed their waivers, tried on their new personalized jerseys, and headed straight out to the field. The fresh cut grass, perfectly manicured warning tracks, and the bright sun beaming down on the lush field made for an experience straight out of “Field of Dreams.”   The highlight of the day was the climb to the Bernie’s Clubhouse—the top of the stadium where you can find mascot Bernie Brewer during the game. From here, he entertains the crowd until a homerun sends him to the stands and down the famous “Bernie Brewer Slide” left-center field. Let’s pause there before I tell you more about what happened next.   Nearly twenty years ago, when the Brewers’ old home, County Stadium, was set to close in 2000, David Busch leaned over to his buddy and made a bet they both thought they’d never be able to win: whoever was the first to slide down Bernie Brewers’ slide had to buy the other a steak dinner. Busch says they were drafting lofty plans to find a way into the old stadium to ride the slide. Although the plans never went anywhere, he never forgot about the bet. When MKE Station Leader Doug Rutledge reached out to him with an invitation, he knew it was an offer he couldn’t pass up.   Busch and the rest of the Southwest All-Stars climbed the steep staircase to the top of Miller Park, which provides an expansive view of the stadium and the surrounding area. At the top, Busch came face-to-face with Bernie Brewer’s slide, and with a quick push, he was off. Seconds later, he hit the landing zone a winner—smiling ear to ear.   “Now I can check this off my bucket list and collect dinner from my buddy!” Busch said.   A very special thank you to our Friends at the Brewers for making experiences like this possible.    MKE Ramp Agent David Busch at Miller Park courtesy of our Partners at the Milwaukee Brewers.     ... View more

  If you’ve ever stayed at the Sheraton in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it’s likely you’ve come across Mr. Earl Richards: a 92-year-old Southwest super fan and the ultimate brand ambassador.   As a WWII Navy Pilot, aviation is one of Mr. Richards’ many passions, but it is specifically the love he feels from our Southwest Cohearts that keeps Mr. Richards flying. Every Thursday, he goes to the Albuquerque Sheraton to meet and thank our Crew Members staying there. When he travels, he has a special song he sings onboard about spreading love and happiness. Earlier this month, we brought Mr. Richards to outhwest's Dallas Headquarters to express our appreciation with a VIP experience. Upon his departure in Albuquerque, the Station threw him a send-off party to commemorate his journey.       Mr. Richards is welcomed to the Southwest Airlines Flight Operations Training CenterAfter arriving in Dallas, Mr. Richards was taken to our Flight Operations building, where he was greeted with a standing ovation from our Employees at a welcome reception. He was even able to get back in the flight deck and fly in the simulator with another Southwest Pilot. This was especially significant for Mr. Richards, who first learned to fly during his military training at Love Field 73 years ago.   Other highlights of his day included a visit to the TOPS building, a tour of the NOC, and meeting with other Southwest Employees.  Although Mr. Richards was a little tired at the end of his whirlwind day, he had a blast and never stopped smiling and singing along the way! ... View more

There were a few new faces on the Southwest Teams at Baltimore and Denver International Airports this week as we hosted Trading Places events with a few players from the Baltimore Ravens and the Denver Nuggets.   The Ravens football players, cheerleaders, and the mascot (Poe) spent some time at BWI interacting with Customers and Employees and making it a fun atmosphere for everyone. In Baltimore, it was standing room only as the crowd gathered in the gate area to watch Ravens Cornerback Jerraud Powers and Guard John Urschel learn how to be Ops Agents for a day. They handled their new plays, like making boarding announcements and taking boarding passes, like true pros, even catching on so quickly that they had time to stop and take selfies with Customers as they boarded their flight to Las Vegas.   In Denver, it was a full court press as the Denver Nuggets basketball players traded places with our MVP Employees. Point Guard Emmanuel Mudiay and Small Forward Danilo Gallinari braved the snow to help load bags into the aircraft and get a flight to Newark pushed back. They also made boarding announcements, took boarding passes, and brought in Rocky the Mascot and Nuggets dancers to celebrate with our Customers in the gate area.     At Southwest Airlines, we know that operating our airline is the ultimate team sport—we all work together to provide friendly and reliable Customer Service—and we were proud to bring in a few new team members this week to let them try their hand at working the operation. ... View more

It was a special day for Kansas City barber Joey Thomas when he received a big surprise from the city’s Mayor. Thomas, a father of two – including a newborn, is deeply invested in helping his community become a better place. One of the initiatives he is very involved in happens to be one that Southwest Airlines supports. It’s a reading-focused organization called “Turn the Page KC.” The group works to improve Kansas City’s future by increasing 3 rd grade reading proficiency and encourages the community to donate books and help young kids learn to read at home and school. Turn the Page recently organized a campaign called #DadsTurnthePage which was aimed at encouraging fathers to read to their children. Turn the Page Executive Director Mike English says reading to your children helps form lifelong bonds and creates special memories that father and child can enjoy for the rest of their lives. One of those fathers who went above and beyond was Joey Thomas. He was even featured in a video on the organization’s website. To celebrate with him and show appreciation for how much he is helping his community, Mayor Sly James (also Turn the Page KC’s Board Chairman), and Southwest Airlines presented Thomas with two roundtrip tickets for a much needed vacation. “My wife and I have been talking about taking a vacation for a long time,” Thomas said. “This is just a blessing.” In addition to being a father, husband, barber, and business owner, Thomas finds time to give back. He organizes back to school drives for kids in August, provides free hairs cuts and school supplies, collects and donates turkeys during the holidays, and even challenges his friends to donate to local organizations. To learn more about Turn the Page KC and how you can help, visit their website HERE. ... View more

You might notice something different the next time you touch down in Wichita, Kansas. OK, let’s be honest, you’ll notice it right away. This morning, officials at Wichita D. Eisenhower National Airport unlocked the doors to its brand new terminal. All you have to do to experience the new amenities is step right off the airplane and into the jet bridge- one of 12 all-glass jet bridges. This is the largest installations in the United States of these slick-looking jet bridges. These are very similar to what you’ll see in only a handful of Southwest cities – like AMA. As you move into our gate space, you’ll see lots of windows which are designed to increase natural light, brand new seating equipped with power stations, terrazzo flooring, and brand new concessions. Wichita is commonly referred to as the “Air Capital of the World.” When you leave the secure side of the terminal, you’ll step right into an aviation museum with information about Wichita’s rich aviation history. Don’t forget to look in all directions to take in the big, open space. Look up to see more pieces of art and the ceiling which is designed to mimic the look of an airplane interior. When it’s time to head out to the town, walk across the walkway and right into a new parking garage and rental car facility. For AvGeeks, there are plenty of places to do some spotting including at the top of the parking garage. Don’t forget to say hello to our great Wichita Team when you’re flying through their new home. They are just as excited as the city for the new space and welcoming everyone to their state-of-the-art facility.     ... View more

This Valentine’s Day, Southwest Airlines is helping spreading even more LUV than ever before.  Throughout the system, Southwest Teams are helping hand deliver hundreds of thousands of pounds of fresh flowers just in time for Valentine’s Day. But what you might not know is all the hard work and logistics that goes into making sure you have the brightest and freshest flowers in your hands by February 14. Recently, USAToday.com took an in-depth look at the carefully orchestrated ballet that it takes to get your fresh roses from the farm to your hands. Here’s the link to the online story that showcases two Southwest Cargo Customers and many of our People in San Diego and San Antonio ... View more

Southwest Airlines is celebrating the 31 st Annual Chicago Blues Festival by bringing rhythm and blues to Chicago Midway Airport!  On Tuesday, June 10, Chicago Midway transformed into the Southwest Airlines Blues Lounge to kick off the Blues Festival.  Hometown favorite, The Matthew Skoller band, took to the stage bringing the blues to Customers traveling to and from the Windy City. Southwest’s purpose is to connect people to what’s important in their lives and this is one way we’re doing that. We know you LUV Southwest Airlines, but we also know you LUV the blues and that’s why we are the official airline of the Chicago Blues Festival.  The free festival kicks off today in Grant Park, where you’ll be able to hear some of the nation’s top artists throughout the three-day festival.  While there, make sure to stop by the Southwest Airlines Blues Lounge to relax and recharge while taking in the tunes.  Throughout the weekend, you’ll get the chance to talk to some of your favorite artists and even register to win a special getaway package for two to Memphis, a Southwest destination rich in the blues heritage! This is one of the special partnerships between the City of Chicago and Southwest Airlines.  We are also proud partners of the city’s Taste of Chicago, Bike Week, and Downtown Sounds. ... View more