Southwest Airlines Community

Chili is not taken lightly in Texas—and it’s pretty serious business at Southwest Airlines, too.  Everyone  has their own taste preference—whether mild or hot, beans or no beans!  Luckily, at Southwest’s Annual Chili Cookoff there are plentiful chili varieties to please everyone’s taste buds! So, a frequently asked question is why this terrific annual event has the words “and Last” stuck right in the middle of it…almost like finding a rock in your chili!  Well, during the planning of the first event 42 years ago, the expectation was that it would be a “one time event”  so the name was a bit of a play on that idea.  But, just like airline that kept on going, this event has grown to become one of our most loved and longest-lived Culture traditions. In fact, now the Southwest Chili Cookoff is one of the longest running annual Chili Cookoffs in the World! For those who don’t know the history, the name “XX and Last” Chili Cookoff can be misleading and confusing; when really, the purpose of the original naming has a sobering story in itself... Flashback to 1973, Southwest faced serious financial struggles.  That year, the famous “$13 Fare War” was born when Braniff offered half price tickets from Dallas to Houston, Southwest’s most profitable route.  The Fare War caused quite a stir, and despite our Employees’ hard work and enthusiasm, they were in check with the reality that Southwest might not be around the following year.  Thankfully, our maverick Employees did everything possible to overcome huge odds and Southwest did survive!  And even better,  we prospered  to now become America’s largest domestic airline, but, the Cookoff’s title of “X and Last…” stuck, and remains as a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted. A picture speaks a thousand words, and these photos tell the rich history of Chili Cookoffs throughout the years… The above photo is from our very “First and Last” Chili Cookoff in 1973.  Southwest Cofounder, Rollin King, was one of the judges that year and is pictured in the middle with the white hat and dark jacket.  Pictured to Rollin’s left are Provisioning Employees Ken Hargrove (currently our Amarillo Station Manager), and Steve Spurrier.  The gentleman on the far left, Hondo Grouch, was another Chili judge that year, he was the “Ambassador from Luckenbach, Texas,” and a Texas legend.  To Rollin’s right are two more judges, Charlie and Gordon Fowler, sons of the Texas Chili legend, Wick Fowler. Pictured is Sandra Bogan during a Chili Cookoff in 1978.  She was our first Flight Attendant and an original Employee. The above photo is from our Chili Cookoff in 1979.  Several of the Chili Cookoffs during the ‘70s seemed to have had a “Western theme.”  Pictured is Diana (last name unknown), who was a Flight Attendant, and later, a Manager in the Inflight Department.  She also became one of our Southwest LUV Couples as she married Captain Fred Hines shortly before we opened our PHX base. Pictured is original Employee, Sherry Phelps, with her husband and son in 1980.  Sherry worked in the Executive Office. From 1980, pictured on the left is Sandra Force, one of our original five Flight Attendants.  The gentleman is Marketing Employee Rich Robertson who came up with the idea to start the Chili Cookoff! Fast forward to 1991 (and color photos), this, of course, is Herb being adorned by a group of female Employees. At the 1994 Chili Cookoff, Southwest and Morris Air Pilots presented Herb with a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail.  The motorcycle is now on display at the Frontier’s of Flight Museum in Dallas. ... View more

We have a long history of supporting and hiring the men and women who fight for our Freedoms.  We’re proud that many of our 45,000+ Employees have served or currently serve in one of the military branches. And even though we know that Memorial Day honors those brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country and our freedoms, Southwest is committed to commemorating this and other military holidays, and to upholding our longstanding partnerships with several military organizations, including:  The Armed Forces Foundation, The Mission Continues, The Wounded Warrior Breckenridge Family Adventures, A Million Thanks, The Honor Flight Network, and the Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America, just to name a few. Because our Company is so connected to our military personnel, we would like to “tip our hats” to honor these brave and selfless servicemen and servicewomen.  We’ll be allowing all Servicemen and Servicewomen the opportunity to pre-board during Southwest and AirTran flights.  Once onboard, all Customers (21 and over) may enjoy a free drink, on us. We appreciate your help in supporting our troops. And no matter where you are on Monday, please take a few moments to honor the memory of all those who have given their lives for our Freedoms. ... View more

In Texas, Chili is taken pretty seriously.  There will always be the debate—beans or no beans, onions or no onions, spicy or mild, and the list goes on.  Despite your preference, you’ll find a little of it all at Southwest’s Annual Chili Cookoff. The irony is that the event that was only expected to happen once has now grown to be one of our longest-lived Culture traditions!  In fact, the Southwest Chili Cookoff is one of the longest running annual Chili Cookoffs in the world! As for the “X and Last Chili Cookoff” naming tradition, that has a sobering story in itself.  Flashback to 1973, when Southwest faced serious financial struggles.  That year, the famous “$13 Fare War” was born when Braniff offered half-price tickets from Dallas to Houston, Southwest’s most profitable route.  The Fare War caused quite a stir, and despite our Employees’ hard work and enthusiasm, they were in check with the reality that we may not be around the following year.  Well, we did survive, and more than that, we conquered to now become America’s largest domestic airline, but, the Cookoff’s title of “X and Last…” stuck, and remains as a reminder that nothing can be taken for granted. Since a picture speaks a thousand words, we’ll let these photos tell the rich history of Chili Cookoffs throughout the years: This photo is from our “First and Last” Chili Cookoff in 1973. Southwest Cofounder, Rollin King, was one of the judges that year and is pictured near the center of the photo wearing a white hat and dark jacket. Pictured to the right are Provisioning Employees Ken Hargrove (currently our Amarillo Station Manager), and Steve Spurrier. The gentleman at the far left of the photo, Hondo Grouch, was another Chili Cookoff judge that year; he was a Texas legend and known as “the Ambassador from Luckenbach, Texas.” Also pictured on the left are two more judges, Charlie and Gordon Fowler, sons of the Texas Chili legend, Wick Fowler. Pictured is Sandra Bogan during a Chili Cookoff in 1978. She is an original Employee and one of our very first Flight Attendants. The above photo is from our Chili Cookoff in 1979. Several of the Chili Cookoffs during the ‘70s seemed to have had a “Western theme.” Pictured is Diana (last name unknown), who was a Flight Attendant, and later, a Manager in the Inflight Department. She also became one of our Southwest LUV Couples as she married Captain Fred Hines shortly before we opened our PHX base. Pictured is original Employee, Sherry Phelps, with her husband and son in 1980. Sherry worked in the Executive Office. Also from 1980, pictured on the left is Sandra Force, another of our original Flight Attendants. The gentleman is Marketing Employee Rich Robertson who came up with the idea to start the Chili Cookoff! Fast forward to 1991(and color photos!). This, of course, is Herb being adorned (and adored) by a group of female Employees. At the 1994 Chili Cookoff, Southwest and Morris Air Pilots presented Herb with a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail. The motorcycle is now on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas. Last year, we hit a milestone when we celebrated “the 40th and Last Chili Cookoff.”  As always, the friendly competition ran hot, and Departments and groups came together to continue the tradition and to cook their version of the best Texas Chili. With the help of our Employees, we’ll continue to grow this great tradition and have several years of “last” Chili Cookoffs to come! ... View more

Moms need timeouts too, which is why we’re offering a complimentary beverage for all moms traveling with us Sunday, May 12, Mother’s Day!  Happy Mother’s Day, Moms!  Southwest LUVs you! ... View more

What’s the only thing better than beer?  Free beer, of course!  Well, you’re “Lucky in LUV,” because we’ll be offering a free cocktail onboard our flights today!   Join us in a toast as you fly the airline that LUVs you on the day of the Irish!  Cheers! ... View more

At Southwest and AirTran, our hearts beat true beneath the red, white, and blue!  Okay, so Independence Day didn’t land on the most “ideal” day of the week this year, but nonetheless, we never miss out on a chance to celebrate! As a big thank you to all our Servicemen and Servicewomen please enjoy a free cocktail and priority boarding with Military I.D. when flying us Wednesday, July 4!  Thank you for all the Freedoms you protect, including one near and dear to our heart, the Freedom to Fly! ... View more

What special treatment do you receive at your job for working a holiday? A few extra bucks? No doubt, that’s always nice. Maybe some glazed donuts and coffee in your break room? Wonderful…that contributed well to my workout regimen. It’s pretty much business as usual, right? Being in the operational and Customer Service industry, Southwest Employees, like many other Companies, have to spend part of their cherished holidays away from their families, and instead on the clock. But what makes Southwest different is as they leave their family “at home,” many are at ease, as they’re joining their Southwest Family at work—a type of Culture that’s perplexed and been attempted by other companies time and time again. An appreciation of the Southwest and AirTran Moms this past Sunday at Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) gives a glimpse into the Culture that drove 193,363 resumes into Southwest in 2011 alone. As the dedicated Moms arrived to work on Mother’s Day, they were treated as superstars—literally! The hallway that led them to the time clock was transformed into a red carpet event, complete with balloons, marquee, confetti, and SWA paparazzi. Each mom received a card, roses, a cupcake, tiara, and big Mother’s Day hug! It’s simple, yet meaningful appreciations like this that help our Employees fall in LUV with Southwest all over again. Yes, we do, in fact have a “Own the Holidays Committee” at our Southwest Headquarters, but our Former President and the “heart” of Southwest Airlines, Colleen Barrett, has always emphasized it’s not the Southwest Way to live in a world of “corporate initiatives and programs." Instead, our Culture comes from within the people we hire. Colleen states, “You have the opportunity to think with your heart and your head, and to use that gray area; everything is not black and white, we use that as an excuse to make decisions that aren’t from the heart.” ... View more

Being born and raised a Cubs fan, playing baseball through the middle of October is something unknown to me. September always brings the same shrug, “Maybe next year,” and my insistence that it’s football season.  However, after recently moving to Dallas, I have found myself in the middle of Ranger Nation, where winning, unlike my Cubs, isn’t anything new. Now that the end of the playoffs is upon us, the competition is getting fierce-- but the rivalry isn’t only on the baseball field. In typical Southwest fashion, Dallas Love Field and St. Louis-Lambert International Airport are facing off by wearing their respective team’s gear at ticket counters and gates throughout the final showdown between the Rangers and the Cards. And to up the ante, the Dallas and St. Louis Station Managers have a friendly bet: the losing team’s Station management has to fly some fine fare to the winner's station! Even more importantly, the winning Station gets the bragging rights that come along with the victory. We're excited at Headquarters, too, and recently held a pep rally to show support for our hometown Rangers. The series is currently tied 1 - 1. Good luck, and may the best team win!  ... View more