Southwest Airlines Community

Based on our original establishment as a shorthaul, high frequency, intrastate airline, most of our flights in our first 25 years of service were usually no more than an hour or two long, which fit perfectly within the capabilities of our 737-200s and -300s.  As the launch Customer for Boeing’s -700 series aircraft, an opportunity presented itself to take our average trip length of 425 miles a little further with the longer range capabilities of the next generation fleet. On Thanksgiving Day of 1998, an experiment took place to see just what a flight might look like that took Customers from one side of the United States to the other.  Coast to coast, or transcontinental, flying fit well within the capabilities of our new -700s but was something new to many aspects of our operations.  Basic logistical questions, such as where all the trash might be stowed, needed to be answered. The first transcontinental flight took place between Oakland and Baltimore aboard aircraft 719, one of the newest aircraft in the fleet at the time.  It departed just after 7:00 a.m., and like many early morning flights, most Customers grabbed a few extra minutes of shut-eye for the first portion of the flight.  A return voyage back to Oakland followed, with the afternoon and evening travelers participating in several onboard activities that even included a poem writing competition, with the winning entry bringing some to tears when read over the PA system later in the trip. Our first transcontinental dispatch release After each leg of the trip, Customers were offered the chance to take a brief survey about their experience, which were collected by our friend Bill Owen from Network Planning who was onboard to study how things went.  They were then rewarded with their choice of Wild Turkey or a smoked turkey as a thank you for taking part in what was then the longest revenue flight in our Company’s history.  The experiment didn’t go unnoticed by the completion, either—when tidying up the cabin after the trip, a business card from our friends on the other side of the Metroplex was found in one of the seats. With the demands of the industry and traveling public evolving over the past decade, so has our service.  While we still offer our legendary “golden triangle” flights between the first three dots on the route map, the average trip length has almost doubled.  Multiple daily trips between cities such as Baltimore and Los Angeles are now the norm.  And when the 737 MAX joins the Southwest family in 2017, we’ll once again revolutionize the industry with even greater capabilities, such as retaining operational compatibilities that allow us to keep costs low by maintaining a single aircraft type, while still offering our Employees and Customers alike a comfortable and enjoyable travel experience. ... View more

When Southwest came to “Beautiful Downtown Burbank” in 1990, the average fare was almost $200 to intra-California destinations such as Oakland.  As a way to introduce our brand to the market, our first promotion offered Customers the chance to travel for much less than half the traditional rate by offering cash back at the gate. With ads stating “Fly Southwest to Oakland and get $127 Cash Back at the Gate,” our $59 fare was a great way to kick off the new service.  And the fine print—"just pay us the ridiculously high regular coach fare of $186 from Burbank to Oakland, and we’ll give you $127 cash back at the gate, each way.”  It was a simple enough idea that helped introduce our new way of flying to a location recently vacated by a legacy airline. Herb cutting the ribbon, along with airfare, at Burbank   ... View more

Ten years ago this month, Southwest Airlines teamed up with Texas grocer H-E-B to help feed those in need with a program titled “Flight to Fight Hunger.” Landing in six Southwest Cities, a new 737-700 carried more than 1.2 million pounds of food to 18 food banks supplying more than 350 charities throughout the state thanks to the efforts of the two Texas legends. In celebration of H-E-B’s 100th anniversary, a special logo was affixed to both aircraft N490 and an H-E-B delivery truck.  At a ceremony in Houston, Colleen joined H-E-B Chairman and CEO Charles Butt to christen both vehicles, parked nose to nose, both filled with food. "The Employees of Southwest Airlines are delighted to help H-E-B celebrate such a landmark occasion,” said Colleen.  "H-E-B's people, its leaders, and the values it brings to a community have become legendary in our great state, and it is definitely a role model." After being loaded in Houston, our special plane departed for Dallas, and then on to Austin, where a marching band from Del Valle High School joined a large group of volunteers to unload the deliveries that filled nearly 2,400 grocery carts. Later in the day, the same aircraft made additional stops in Corpus Christi, Harlingen, and San Antonio.  With the assistance on the ground from an additional 28 H-E-B trucks, the donations were able to go even further to additional cities such as Abilene, Lubbock, and beyond.   ... View more

Similar to the way AirTran Airways helped introduce Southwest to Atlanta in 2012, Morris Air paved the airway to the Pacific Northwest during the year following their becoming part of our family in late 1993. And, as part of that expansion, Seattle—the birthplace of our Boeings—became our 39th station when it landed on our route map in the summer of 1994. In addition to being home to some great coffee and music genres that put Seattle on the recording artist radar in the early ‘90s, it also has a rich heritage in both the nautical and aeronautical worlds.  To help celebrate this legacy, the annual Seafair takes place each summer featuring the best from both the sea and air. During the nearly month-long festival shortly after our first flights, Employees marched in a downtown Seattle parade to help introduce Southwest to the Emerald City. The Grand Marshal for the parade was a familiar face from Texas, baseball legend Nolan Ryan, who happened to also be our unofficial “pitchman” for Cargo.  Following Nolan’s carriage was a classic trolley filled with new Station Employees.  Also accompanying the procession was the Light Brigade—Employees from Headquarters marching with their illuminated marshaling wands. A separate float provided a new look to our classic 737s, with a desert gold aircraft featuring a nose similar to many legendary seaplanes of years past, helping to support the “Flights of Fantasy” theme. Even TJ LUV made the trip to Seattle to march in the parade and greet the crowd. Later during that year’s Seafair celebration, our Marketing department also hosted guests at the hydroplane race on Lake Washington to help introduce our new service of eight daily flights into SeaTac, which has now grown to over 40.  Twenty years later, Seattle remains a summer travel favorite to Employees and Customers alike. ... View more

Twenty-two years ago this month, our Maintenance (now Technical Operations) Department grew by 25 percent when the hangar doors of our fourth base (Phoenix) welcomed their first Boeings in October 1992. The 125,000 square-foot facility was built to expand our ability to keep our aircraft and ground service equipment in top-of-the-line order, while also representing our commitment to what was then our largest station in the Southwest system.  And, of course, we welcomed the addition to the family in classic Southwest style. In a groundbreaking ceremony in January 1992, Jack Vidal, our original Vice President of Maintenance, helped move the first shovels of dirt and pointed out to the visiting dignitaries what would be home to the new $10 million facility.  Herb was there to offer a “blast” of assistance, as well. At an event later that year in October, Arizona dignitaries, including Mayor Paul Johnson and Senator John McCain, joined Herb for a special sneak preview of the new base.  In the spirit of friendly competition, even America West Airlines new Chairman Bill Franke was in attendance to welcome Southwest to the neighborhood, only a few hundred feet away from their own hangars, at a time when our daily 135 departures were quickly catching up with AW’s 168. Employees wore their nautical-themed attire representing the flags of SWA, which complemented the cruise ship that welcomed guests into the mezzanine. And, although it’s pretty hard to see clearly, the photo above appears to be a package of nuts (not the salted variety, but the metal kind that pair with bolts) that bears the sentiment that one would have to be “Just Plane Nuts to Miss our Maintenance Facility Sneak Preview." Today, our Phoenix Technical Operations base is home to almost 400 Employees, all dedicated to keeping our fleet Safely flying and to maintaining every piece of ground equipment that meets those aircraft on the ground. ... View more

In 1979, Southwest became in interstate carrier when New Orleans, our first destination beyond the borders of Texas, joined our route map.  To help make a memorable experience for the first Customers on the inaugural flight, Tommy Lauer and the Bayou Cities Dixies quartet donned their red stripped suites and double bass in what was one of our first onboard entertainment acts. As we know, expanding our service from Love Field outside of the Lone Star State did not sit well with the competition, and as a result, the Wright Amendment was passed by Congress later that year.  So this week, when we were finally able to Set Luv Free, it was only fitting that we once again make the most of it for our Customers.  And thanks to our friends at Disney, we were able to do just that aboard our first flight to the city Walt Disney himself helped make the vacation destination of choice for families when it welcomed its first guest in 1971. At the gate, Employees and Customers were greeted by the Dapper Dans, the barbershop quartet from Main Street USA.  Cinderella’s Castle served as a backdrop as “Let It Go” was performed for the first time by “The Dans.”   Onboard Florida One, Jungle Cruise Skipper Jungle Jane served as an honorary Flight Attendant and made announcements you may recognize from her cruises at sea level instead of flight level 370. To top off the journey, Customers were provided complimentary tickets to Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. Just like Flight 85 over 35 years ago, Flight 887 will be remembered by everyone as a chance to not only  showcase the Heart of Southwest Airlines, but also a chance to show off your Disney Side. ... View more

Between the time the Wright Amendment was signed into law by President Carter in February 1980 and another Federal law in 2006 finally set in play the freedoms we will begin to enjoy on Monday, 56 additional dots joined our route map, but a Customer traveling to or from Love Field was not allowed to buy a single ticket to the majority of our new destinations.  And although we were prohibited from recommending this, some elected to buy multiple tickets connecting in one of the permissible states, even if that stop would mean getting right back on the same airplane they just got off after they rechecked their bags.  Thankfully, that nuisance ended on October 19, 2006, when the first step in repealing the Wright Amendment went into effect. The President signed the Wright Amendment Reform Act of 2006 into law from the Oval Office on Friday, October 13, 2006.  And on the following Monday, the FAA announced that changes to our operations would not harm the Safety of the skies over North Texas.  Following a complex logistical effort on the part of many Teams within our Company, our systems were quickly updated to allow for new fares to be filed on Tuesday, October 17.  Two days later, 25 new destinations to and from Love Field went on sale that had been illegal to offer for the previous quarter century.  Later that morning, Flight 2261 was able to take reporter Suzanna Marta from Love Field to Las Vegas on the same LUV jet, including a quick visit to San Antonio, of course. While it seems rather absurd to many of us today that it was as challenging to get from Dallas to places like Orlando or Denver for so long, the initial portions of the law that will allow flight 1013 to depart for the Mile-High City on Monday morning were first appreciated by Employees and Customers alike eight years ago. ... View more

While looking through our archive for some additional information regarding the Wright Amendment, I found what may have actually been our first Flashback—well before my predecessor had the idea for a weekly feature highlighting the history of our Company and the industry. Buried within a October 1979 LUVLines article about our new 737-200 simulator was a look back at some of the basic rules for Pilots, many years prior to the formal Federal Aviation Regulations (FARs) being published in the late 1950s that govern the operation of aircraft and airlines today. Don’t attempt to take the machine into the air unless you are satisfied it will fly. Pilots must carry a handkerchief in an easy-to-reach place to clean off goggles. If an engine fails on takeoff, land straight ahead regardless of any obstacles in front of you. Pilots may not wear spurs while flying. Do not trust altitude instruments. If you see another aircraft near you, get out of its way. In the event of an emergency, land as soon as you can. While many of these guidelines (since there really wasn’t anyone to enforce them initially) seem like common sense, commercial aviation was still in its infancy and lacked any centralized regulation.  In 1926, Congress passed the Air Commerce Act, tasking the Secretary of Commerce with the responsibility to establish formal rules, as well as to license pilots. ... View more

The airspace over the United States are composed of a complex system of highways in the sky, navigational aides, and boundaries, all of which are coordinated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  For more than 85 years, professionals both on the ground and in the air have worked together to ensure the Safe and efficient flow of aircraft throughout the National Airspace System (NAS) 24 hours a day.  As demand for air travel has grown, so have the intricacies of the system. The First Air Traffic Control Facility A need for ground-to-air guidance was first identified in the late 1920s.  During this time, Charles Lindbergh completed his historic journey across the Atlantic, and aircraft began to gain additional capacity for both cargo and passengers.  At the St. Louis airport a pilot and mechanic by the name of Archie League established the world’s first air traffic control facility–all from the comfort of his wheelbarrow.  Archie used it to carry an umbrella, chair, and some signal flags that he used to let pilots know when it was safe to go and when to yield the right of way. Love Field’s new 155-foot ATC Tower, with panoramic views of downtown Dallas, as well as construction of our new 20-gate terminal as part of the Love Field Modernization Program. Today’s Air Traffic Control Facility Perhaps the most recognizable fixture of the Aircraft Control System is the presence of control towers seen at most airports.  Aircraft controllers work from atop these towers in what is known as “the tower cab” to visually identify aircraft taxiing on the ground, as well as those approaching the airport for landing and again on their initial departure.  In addition, controllers in the tower cab also provide regular updates to the airport’s local weather and operational conditions, all while relaying flight clearances to aircraft preparing for takeoff. How Does It All Work? Aircraft Takeoff: After an aircraft has taken off from an airport, the controller in the tower cab will hand off the pilots to another controller who works with flights departing from or arriving to airports in the area, usually beyond what the controllers can see visually from the tower cab.  This facility is known as TRACON, an acronym for Terminal RAdar CONtrol.  Some airports have a dedicated TRACON facility, while others are shared at a centralized location to support multiple airports in a region. Aircraft Cruising Stage: The next segment of the system works with aircraft primarily in the “cruising” stage of their flight.  A network of 22 Air Route Traffic Control Centers coordinate the airspace over the continental United States and provide for the separation and orderly flow of aircraft primarily at high altitudes.  These Centers (as they are commonly referred to) are named after the major city they are located near, but they work with flights sometimes hundreds of miles from that city.  As an example, the Fort Worth Center that “owns” the airspace high above Dallas has jurisdiction over portions of five surrounding states covering over 147,000 square miles.  Depending on the routing of a flight, its Pilots may talk to several Centers during the course of their flight, before being handed back off to a TRACON controller for the descent portion of their flight as they approach their destination. Aircraft Landing: When an aircraft reaches a point—approximately five miles from its destination airport—the Pilot will again speak with a controller back in the tower cab.  This controller provides clearance to land once the Pilot can visually see the runway or is safely established on an instrument approach.  Finally, a ground controller (also located in the tower cab) provides taxi instructions to the appropriate gate once the aircraft has completely cleared the runway. What is the Role of Airline Dispatchers? As the airline with the most domestic flights throughout the United Sates, it’s fair to say that Southwest is one of the biggest customers of our National Airspace System.  Dispatchers in our Network Operations Control (NOC) Center file flight plans that make best use of the air traffic system and stay in close contact with Pilots to make adjustments when needed.  In addition, we also have licensed Dispatchers serving as Air Traffic Control Specialists, who participate in ongoing coordination with the FAA’s command center and provide guidance to other NOC Employees on how to best adjust our operation based on the highly dynamic factors that impact each day’s unique circumstances. Air Traffic Control has come a long way from the days of Archie’s portable control tower to what keeps us Safe today.  And future technologies promise to provide additional efficiencies as we move from the radar system currently in use to a satellite-based environment that will contribute to even safer skies. ... View more

It’s hard to imagine a time when we didn’t have the convenience of purchasing airfare on southwest.com or over the phone from one of our friendly CS&S Reps.  You can even book your next trip while in the car (just not while driving, of course) on your cell phone.  But prior to these modern booking channels, we actually offered another method otherwise associated with a stop at Starbucks or McDonalds—a drive thru. Back in the summer of 1986, Southwest was a little more than a year into the process of incorporating Muse Air/TranStar into the Southwest system, with both now calling Love Field home.  Love Field itself was also going through a period of transition, with numerous renovations underway in both the terminals and parking garages. On August 1, our drive-thru ticket counter opened just beyond the main entrance to Love Field at the corner of Mockingbird and Cedar Springs Road.  At the new location, Customers could purchase tickets, check bags, and get general Southwest Airlines information all from the comfort of their own car.  And, after checking in, they could then proceed through to one of the privately owned parking lots which offered shuttle service to the main terminal, very similar to what Love Field flyers are accustomed to today. If you look closely at the person on the far left in the above photo, you'll see that it's none other than Colleen Barrett, our President Emeritus. A day before the official opening, a race was held between local KVIL radio host Ron Chapman and Herb (shown together above) to see who could park and get to the gate first, with Herb using the traditional city-owned parking lot and Chapman being one of the first Customers to use the new drive-thru and shuttles.  The idea was to bring awareness of the new service to Customers and travel agents, as well as to promote the electric carts that brought travelers right up to the moving sidewalks leading to security.  When the dust settled, Ron ended up beating Herb by three minutes.  After arriving at gate 1A, Herb used the chance to congratulate Ron on his victory and also encourage Customers to try the new service, which was broadcast live over the radio. ... View more

For over 40 years, LUVLines, our internal Employee magazine, has featured news from around the system while also showcasing the FUN we have both on and off the clock.  Our Flashback this week takes a look back at some of these features from the late summer of 1994. Taking the Plunge at ABQ With temperatures well in excess of 100, Albuquerque Employees look for creative ways to stay cool.  In this photo, a CFM-56 engine intake cover doubles as a pool.  (Pretty sure we wouldn’t get away with this today!) OKC Native American Festival As the official airline of the Red Earth Native American Festival, Oklahoma City Station Employees participated in both a parade for the event, as well as a 5K run through downtown. Battle Ready in DAL In May 1994, Herb sent a memo to all Employees titled “The Opening Salvo,” in which he stated “the war has begun.  It will continue on many battlefields” which addressed the many challenges in the industry which we always won, thanks to the Warriors of Southwest.  Pilot Class 94-10 reported for duty, ready to answer Herb’s call. A Purple Friend in STL And who could forget everyone’s favorite early ‘90s children’s television fixture, Barney the Dinosaur.  St. Louis Employees gathered at Howard Park Early Intervention Center picnic to help brighten the lives of some special kids.  In addition to bringing cheer to the community, the event also was an opportunity for the STL Station Employees to come together in support of one of their very own Family Members who was battling a very rare illness. ... View more

Earlier this year on St Patrick’s Day, my colleague Dan Landson and I had the opportunity to spend a day in the life of N446WN, one of our 737-700s, as it traveled from one end of the country to the other throughout the Southwest system. An early morning in OAK just before HeartTwo’s first revenue flight. The highlight of the day for both of us was having a chance to meet all of the hard working Southwest Warriors along the way who keep the operation running smoothly.  This week, I was able to spend another day in the life of a plane, but this time, a day in the life of a brand new one - HeartTwo - on its first day of revenue service. HeartTwo’s life of serving Customers began in Oakland as Flight 2426 to Burbank, and continued on to Las Vegas, Detroit, and Denver, before returning back to Oakland to overnight. First stop of the day, Burbank. Over the course of the day, she traveled over 4,500 miles and carried 686 Customers throughout the system. HeartTwo’s inaugural Oakland-based Flight Crew. And just like the first trip, the hard working Employees both around the aircraft and behind the scenes ensured everything went off without a hitch. Team Detroit. And while our bold new look may take some time to transition throughout the system; it remains fueled by the same thing that has made us successful for more than 43 years - the Heart of our People. A warm Mile High City welcome in Denver. ... View more

On September 1, Customers looking in the seatback pocket in front of them across our combined Southwest and AirTran fleet found that the publication they’ve always known as a familiar part of their travel experience had a new name on the cover. Spirit magazine, a title born from both a Company attribute, as well as an advertising campaign of its era, transitioned to Southwest: The Magazine.  But for the first 13 years of our Company’s history, this periodical had a very similar name--simply Southwest Airlines Magazine. The first issue of Southwest Airlines Magazine appears to have been produced shortly after our first flight on June 18, 1971.  Within the magazine there is no exact publication date, but it does open with a story about Lamar Muse, our first President and Richard Elliott (first Marketing Vice President) watching one of the first revenue flights off on that famous Friday.   Following a run of ten issues, Southwest Airlines Magazine became a monthly publication in August 1972.  The cover featured entertainers from AstroWorld’s Crystal Palace, a show they performed at least eight times a day at the popular Houston amusement park.   Spirit became the title of our inflight magazine in March 1985.  Along with a new publisher, the name was changed to reflect the enthusiasm of our People and also supported a new series of television commercials featuring the catchy “There’s a certain Southwest Spirit” song written by Tim McMlure of longtime advertising agency GSD&M.  It also grew significantly from the 16 pages of earlier years to nearly 160.   While the title of our inflight magazine may have changed over the years, the SOUTHWEST SPIRIT of our People has not. ... View more

News Flash—it’s hot here in Dallas—and just about everywhere around the system right now as we approach the end of the dog days of summer.  So, for this week I thought it would be fun to take a look back at some uniforms designed to help beat the heat, as well as showcase our FUN-LUVing Attitudes. In 1986, our FUN FARES campaign debuted, offering Customers fares as low as $19 with a 14-day advance purchase.  A band bearing a striking resemblance to the Beach Boys helped pitch the promo. Some of the ads featured Employees sporting brightly colored surfers’ jams.  These new pieces became known as FUNWEAR, some of which were recognized as uniform pieces that could be worn throughout the summer and on weekends. Even Herb could be occasionally seen in the attire more commonly seen at the pool than in a boardroom. While our uniforms today have evolved to a more modern look, our FUNWEAR pieces did pave the way for the relaxed dress code we all appreciate today. ... View more

While compiling some photos of Rollin King, I came across several mentions of Lamar Muse being hired as our first CEO in early 1971, and his subsequent selection of a Leadership Team composed of several other industry veterans.  Lamar himself came from several other airlines, including American and Universal, and had made many connections during his time in the industry.  The Team of executives he brought in became known as the Over the Hill Gang. The Over the Hill Gang was a nickname for the group of airline veterans and was originally coined by Lamar himself, who was hired out of retirement by Herb and Rollin.  It included Bill Franklin, VP of Ground Operations; Donald Ogden, VP of Flight Operations; and Jack Vidal, VP of Maintenance and Engineering (now Technical Operations).  They too had gained many years of experience throughout the airline industry, and their collective knowledge established many of the operational procedures we still reference today. ... View more

A little over a year ago, the Love Field Modernization Program hit a historic milestone when the first 11 gates were opened in the beautiful new terminal. Our first Customers were welcomed on April 16, and just a few weeks later, 12 more gates were opened.  This modernization allowed us to move the majority of our operations from our home of almost 40 years in the old West Concourse into what will become a modern 20-gate facility this fall.  However, with a schedule that requires just a few more parking spots for planes at certain parts of the day, a small portion in the area formally known as gates 1-5 was retained in order for us to meet our operational needs at Love Field.  Earlier this week, these last two gates saw their final departures when flight 403 departed with 122 Customers on board for Austin. This aerial shot (above) shows the West Concourse, with a clear view of gate 5 as the corner piece as it was in the early 1970s. While the set of gates that juts off to the left were later removed, gates 1-5 continued operations, and were later labeled gates 41-43. This is a shot (above) was taken on January 14, 1974, after Southwest moved into American Airline’s old gates. This perspective shows the view towards the terminal, with the gates behind the photographer. If you’ve been scheduled to arrive at Gates 42-43 recently, you would have seen almost this exact same view today. This view (above) of the 1970s lobby shows a very familiar statue (that still stands in Love Field today), and beyond him, the entrance into gates 1-5. After almost 40 years, the renovations are nearly complete, and we are moving out of old gates 1-5. While we are ecstatic about being so close to an entirely modern terminal, we’d like to bid a fond farewell to the last of the original gates that Southwest ever had the pleasure operating. It sure has been a trip. ... View more

Our desert gold 737s have been a recognizable fixture of the skies over Texas and surrounding areas for over 43 years now.  And for a few years in the 1970s, a small fleet of compact cars painted in a similar livery were also seen around the major cities and airports we served. Although more prominent later in the decade, the earliest image of a Southwest Gremlin I’ve come across is from shortly before our first anniversary in 1972 following the opening of our second station in Houston at Hobby.  In this photo, we see Pacers along with their drivers, original sales reps Rich Robertson (founder of the Chili Cookoff), Marcy Lardon, Joyce Brorby, Martha Thompson, Georgeann Harris, and Paulette Green. Hostess Sally Glenn tunes up her Gremlin in a photo recognizing her as Miss Transportation of Dallas, a completion among 15 Dallas women working in transportation-related fields.  I particularly liked the Lear 23 in the background. This unique photo shows one of the Miss Go Texas winners from the mid-70s waving to our Gremlin driver as she descends from one of our 737s.  The cowboy hat on our Gremlin driver wasn’t a uniform requirement, but it certainly adds something extra to this very Texas scene. By 1974, our Gremlins and Pacers had made enough of a name for themselves that we decided to invest in a smaller model.  This miniature Gremlin is labeled with the words Al Komray’s American Center and could be seen around Headquarters during various cultural events.  While it was mostly on display, this miniature car actually had a fully-functional design (without the fully-functional horsepower). And finally, my predecessor also covered a somewhat recent vehicle to replicate a LUV bird, only this time, a LUV bug.  Dallas radio station KLUV partnered with us for a joint promotion featuring a canyon blue VW Beetle complete with a tri-color vertical stabilizer (minus an operative rudder). Today, we may not see too many automobiles on the streets of Dallas that resemble any aircraft in our fleet, but rumor has it that a certain San Antonio attorney originally from New Jersey  does have one of his vehicles tucked away in the aft galley of a very memorable retired -300. ... View more

Since 1987, Southwest has served Michigan when our first service to Detroit Metro airport commenced.  And, for a brief period of time, we even had service to two Detroit area airports. Twenty-five years ago this summer, Southwest launched a multi-million dollar campaign to promote our service to the city, particularly Detroit’s City (DET) Airport, now commonly known as the Coleman Young airport in honor of the former mayor who championed its cause.  When Southwest service to DET began on July 6, 1988, Customers enjoyed the convenience of departing on a full-sized airliner from an airport just a few miles from the center of downtown Detroit for the first time since the day of the DC-3. Herb, TJ LUV, and Mayor Young Under the guidance of Mayor Young, a $25 million effort to restore the terminal had taken place in order for Southwest to start operations.  This included a renovated entrance, ticket counter area, and three new jetbridges. (Click to view larger in a separate window.) The campaign’s goal was to promote the frequency of service from the airport, as well as low fares starting at $19 to cities like Chicago.  Unfortunately, the shorter runways at DET presented some operational challenges that limited the range of our flights, and, in September 1993, all flights were consolidated into a single operation at Detroit Metropolitan Airport.  We continue to offer 25 daily flights to ten destinations.  But for that brief period of time, Southwest helped make it that much easier to split town by splitting the town.   ... View more

A few months ago our Name That Plane Flashback covered a few aircraft in our fleet with special registrations.  For many years, most of our -300 series aircraft registrations started with a 3, the -500s started with a 5, the -700s started with a 7, and usually ended with a SW or WN. The majority of our specialty registrations (outside of the traditional SWs and WNs) honor folks such as Herb (N711HK) or Charles Taylor (N289CT), the “Father of Aircraft Maintenance,” and, of course, Colleen’s N714CB.  It’s not too often that we introduce any new registrations outside of the new four-figure “ship number” nomenclature recently adopted.  But earlier this summer, our newest specialty registration joined the fleet, with both the numbers and letters bearing significance. As mentioned in the earlier post, the 737-800s we started taking delivery of in early 2012 traditionally start with 83 or 86 (the 83s are ETOPS capable, and the 86s are standard -800s) and the next two numbers in the registration usually follow the order in which they were received from Boeing.  For example, our very first 737-800, Warrior One, is registered as N8301J. Up in Seattle at Boeing Field, we have two Tech Ops Employees who work directly with Boeing as Customer Representatives for new aircraft orders.  These on-site Employees work with the manufacturer as aircraft enter the final assembly process down in Renton and then ensure that the finished product meets our requirements and standards prior to the new plane being officially delivered.  One of these Employees is William “Bill” Rogers (photo at right).  Since moving into this role in August of 1991, Bill has overseen the delivery process of over 500 Southwest aircraft. A few months ago, Bill had already begun to work with Boeing on our next aircraft within production scheduled to be ship number 8636.  After it was painted in Canyon Blue colors Bill went into the hangar to inspect it, which is a standard part of the process that usually takes place in an otherwise empty hangar.  But when he walked in this time, there were about 30 people standing around the aircraft.  His first thought was there must be an issue somewhere.  What they were actually there for was for the debut of a new registration in recognition of his 500th new aircraft delivery, N500WR (photo at top). So, no, we do not have any plans to add either Split Scimitar or standard blended winglets to any of our -500 series aircraft.  But be on the lookout for this very special registration the next time you see one of our new -800s at your station. ... View more

Earlier this week, we learned about our LUV Seat repurposing efforts, which utilize leather from our Spirit cabin interiors for a variety of items benefiting communities around the world.   These materials became available as our fleet was modernized with our new Evolve interior starting in early 2012. While our LUV Seat efforts see former seat covers turning into new items such as shoes, backpacks, and soccer balls, we once had a program that included our interiors being appointed into another means of transportation—a 1984 Cadillac Eldorado. Starting in the summer of 1983, a new leather interior was tested on three new -200 series aircraft recently delivered from Boeing.  The all-leather arrangement brought the total seat count up to 122 and featured three lounge areas.  Once the decision was made to implement those changes throughout the entire fleet of 41 aircraft, a multi-month campaign was launched to advertise the new product.  Part of the initiative included a promotion called “Puttin’ on the 'Ritz,” a sweepstakes which Customers could enter to win a variety of prizes, including a new 1984 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz, customized with new Southwest Airlines leather and carpeting.  Other prizes included briefcases also adorned with the new Southwest leather, one of which would be awarded to a lucky winner in each of the 21 cities we served at the time. Over 410,000 entries to the contest were submitted at ticket counters throughout the system.  When Herb reached into the barrel of entries to pull a winner at random, he selected the card submitted by Tulsa resident Lawrence Robinette.  Herb then presented the keys to the new Cadillac inside the Tulsa airport, and Robinette drove it home right through the front door of the terminal, where television crews had gathered to film the moment. The Puttin’ on the ‘Ritz promotion turned out to be widely successful, and the beautifully adorned car and briefcases went on to create quite the buzz about our new leather interiors. ... View more

Southwest Airlines launched our first international service operated by a canyon blue LUV jet when our first three flights departed Baltimore last Tuesday morning.  This milestone was the result of countless hours of hard work from thousands of Employees Companywide.  But a major resource in our international efforts was actually put in place over 13 years ago by AirTran Airways. When the relatively young airline launched its 34th destination to its route map,  AirTran traveled outside of the continental United States for the first time. In the late 90s/early 2000s, AirTran was in a period of rapid growth.  AirTran was the launch Customer for the Boeing 717 when it received its first delivery in the fall of 1999, and its destination list was growing almost as fast as its fleet.  In October 2000, an application was filed with the Department of Transportation to commence international operations out of its Atlanta hub.  Initial plans called for daily service to Freeport in The Bahamas with connections available from 24 other AirTran stations. The first international flight took place on December 12, 2000, to the Grand Bahama Island.  It was the 5th new destination added to the AirTran system that year and opened the same day as its new station in Pittsburgh.  With advance-purchase fares starting around $119, AirTran’s new international service was a welcomed entrant to the market as it was the only low-cost carrier to offer such service at the time. AirTran continued to grow its international service throughout the Caribbean and into Mexico in 2009.  The knowledge and experience of the hardworking AirTran Crew Members has certainly helped with the phenomenal start of our international operations. ... View more

On June 14 each year we recognize Flag Day, which commemorates the adoption of the flag of the United States as approved by the second Continental Congress in 1777.  And today, a standard fixture on the 603 dorsal fins across our fleet is a two-foot, high-speed decal with 50 stars and 13 stripes. Even though we have always been a Company of proud Americans, Southwest's Old Glory is a relatively recent addition to our standard livery. Various policies and requirements dictate that aircraft operating internationally display the flag of their country of origin near their registration, or N-number in the case of United States-registered aircraft. So, for many years legacy airlines with expansive service throughout the world included the American flag on all of their fleets, regardless if they flew internationally or not.  As Southwest did not become an official “Flag Air Carrier” until 2013, there was no requirement for the stars and stripes to be displayed on our planes. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of 2001, an outpouring of national pride was displayed just about everywhere.  Flags were flown in front of millions of American’s homes, on their cars, and, perhaps the most memorable image, displayed on the battered exterior of the Pentagon by first responders in the hours after the unthinkable occurred. In early December of that year, Herb received a letter from a fellow attorney who frequently flew Southwest between Baltimore and Tampa, asking why we did not have a flag anywhere on our aircraft.  While he complimented our Pilot’s ties and thanked Herb for building a fantastic airline, he was very frustrated that Old Glory was nowhere to be found on our planes. The Customer’s letter didn’t go unnoticed.  After several Employees in the Executive Office researched the topic and presented their findings to Herb and Colleen, a response was written to the Customer along with a simple handwritten directive from Herb—do it.  In less than a week after the decision was made to “fly” the flag on our planes, a Team of fewer than five Employees identified the best way to implement this program throughout our fleet of 360 aircraft at the time.  To date, this is remembered by our Technical Operations Department as one of their proudest moments for the application of the flag decals so quickly across our expansive fleet. You may have noticed on the First Officer’s (right) side of our planes the flag appears to be backwards.  It is actually that way by design, just as you would see it on the right shoulder of our service members.  The flag is displayed this way in order to appear as if it is blowing in the wind, as this is how you would view it on a flagpole from the same perspective.  On what is arguably the most recognizable aircraft in the world, our Star-Spangled Banner also flies this way. ... View more

For consumers, it’s never been easier to view air travel options anywhere in the world via a multitude of different sources. But there was a time when most flyers relied on their local travel agent prior to the ease we all expect today on the Internet.  And 20 years ago this month, yet another battle in our Company’s history transpired when owners of the major computer reservations systems (CRS) attempted to make it even harder for Customers to access our product. At the time, there were four major systems—Sabre (owned by American,) Apollo Galileo (owned jointly by United and USAir,) SystemOne (owned by Continental,) and Worldspan (owned by Delta and TWA.)  While our flights were available in all of the major systems, our principle system had been Sabre, in which we were a “Level 1 participant,” meaning  travel agents subscribing to SABRE could view our flights and print tickets from the system and complete purchases over the phone with a Reservations Sales Agent (now CS&S Customer Representative.)  This represented a $30-million-a-year cost savings. At a time when 85 percent of travelers were purchasing airline tickets from travel agents, about 55 percent of Southwest Customers relied on these services.  On May 1, 1994, Apollo’s owners announced that Southwest flights would no longer be available via the system’s primary displays, and tickets could no longer be generated.  Three days later, Worldspan made a similar move.  This was in an attempt to force Southwest to pay about $100 million in additional fees, which would have raised our fares considerably in a time when Customers were benefiting from the considerably lower fares we offered throughout our growing network. TBM (Ticket by Mail)   Instead of giving in to the attempts made by other airlines to raise our cost, additional solutions were sought to continue making our flights accessible to travel agencies, but also to find additional ways to make it easy for Customers to access tickets.  The initial solution was a product known as Southwest Airlines Ticketing, or just SWAT.  SWAT was a (at the time) industry standard piece of software running off a floppy disc. Agencies using the product could access our information via a dial-up modem connection, and tickets purchased would be sent via overnight delivery to the agency.  Later that year in September, another revolutionary idea was proposed—eliminate the ticket all together.  This became known as Ticketless travel, an amenity we’ve all grown to expect over the years. Our 1994 CRS battle was yet another example of how we overcame—and prospered—in the face of something that was seen as almost an insurmountable obstacle at the time. ... View more

About 25 years before our first flight from Love Field, a small burger joint on what was then the far reaches of Dallas opened its doors for the first time. As the area around Love Field grew, so did the restaurant's fan base.  And when Southwest Airlines established roots in the community, the restaurant known as Club Schmitz quickly became an Employee favorite.  On May 31, Club Schmitz will have its final last call when it ends a 68-year run on Denton Drive. Club Schmitz was originally opened in 1946 by Lawrence and Leonard Schmitz following their service in the Second World War.  The building they selected to operate out of was an abandoned farmhouse.  The Schmitz cousins first operated their business as a bar, selling beer for a quarter, and later introduced burgers and fries for the same rate.  There were no posted hours, and closing usually took place whenever the beer ran dry for the evening.  The one thing the location did have going for it was its prominent placement on the primary road between Dallas and Denton.   Over the years, the path of the road has moved several times, but Club Schmitz did not.  Portions of its original property have been sold for everything from the neighboring gas station to the DART rail line that now passes overhead.  Their operation hasn’t changed too much either.  Orders and bills are still written out by hand, payable by cash only. Club Schmitz has grown quite a following from the Employees at Southwest.  Being just a quick drive away from our various Headquarters locations over the years, it has played host to many retirement lunches, department lunches, or even the occasional costume contest.  It’s even been rumored to have hosted many clandestine meetings with Herb, Colleen, and other Executives in years past.   Colleen and 35-year Club Schmitz waitress Sheila While co-owners Bob and Larry Schmitz haven’t publically commented on their future plans, they recently told the Dallas Morning News they “look to do something new” when interviewed about the upcoming closing.  There are no formal plans for closing events, but Club Schmitz loyal Customers are flocking in for one last chance to dine around the various Southwest planes and images which have adorned the walls for many years.  It’s your last opportunity to grab a burger or beer at this Dallas, and Southwest, favorite. A recent SAGE (Southwest Airlines Golden Eagle) retiree lunch Club Schmitz 1960   ... View more

Every day, our Employees interact with many well-known Customers, from local newscasters all the way up to major movie stars. And occasionally, you may even catch a glimpse of one of them onboard one of our planes.  Over the years, we’ve even had the opportunity to welcome some as famous as the President of the United States onboard.  Here are a few from over the years. President Gerald Ford aboard Air Force One visiting Dallas Love Field during one of his two visits to the “Big D” while in office.  The VC-137, a military version of the Boeing 707, may have a slightly different seating arrangement than our 737s, but our Ground Operations Employees were there to provide ground handling and a warm Texas welcome to the President on both occasions. President Ronald Reagan aboard N20SW, which was actually the second 737-200 in our fleet to bear this tail number. First Lady and President George H.W. Bush visit the now closed Austin Mueller airport. Our current Commander-in-Chief, President Barack Obama along with MCO Flight Attendant Anissa Charles, during one of his trips both to and from Chicago Midway.  At the time of this 2005 photo he served as the junior Senator representing the state of Illinois. ... View more

We all have heard the story of Herb Kelleher and Rollin King sitting down at the St. Anthony’s Club in 1966 and the legendary cocktail napkin on which the Texas Triangle that would represent our first route map was sketched out. From that meeting came Herb’s legendary reply, “You’re crazy—let’s do it!” to Rollin’s idea about forming a new airline.  But why were Herb and Rollin meeting in the first place?  To discuss Rollin’s first airline—Southwest Airlines, Inc., which did business as the Wild Goose Flying Service. Wild Goose flew an intra-Texas route map which also resembled a triangle, just not between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.  Operating eight-seat Beech 18s, the smaller markets of Uvalde, Brackettville, and Eagle Pass were served.  Although Rollin’s initial airline endeavor proved to be unsustainable (Rollin had retained Herb as his lawyer to oversee the liquidation of the company,) the Wild Goose Flying Service was actually the first airline to bear the name Southwest Airlines over the skies of Texas. ... View more

Prior to 1984, our official inflight magazine found in the 112 seatback pockets onboard our aircraft was known simply as Southwest Airlines Magazine, and it was published by Summit Publishing Company of San Antonio. While we didn’t pay for the publication (the publisher earned revenue from the advertisements within,) it did feature Southwest-generated content providing a glimpse into Culture of our young Company.  I especially liked the monthly “Love Events” feature that showcased the People of Southwest.  While you may be asking why it was “Love” instead of “LUV,” this was most likely due to the fact that it wasn’t until June 27, 1977 that our LUV stock symbol was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Here is a glimpse into our September 1976 Love Events:   HAVE CAMERA, WILL TRAVEL – This photo features photographers traveling to San Antonio on “Barry’s Camera Photographic Safari.” Barry’s Camera was a local photo shop in Dallas which was acquired by national Wolf Camera & Video in 1992.   KEEPING PACE WITH THE PACERS – Pictured here are Original Sales Representatives Rich Robertson, Marcy Lordon, Joyce Brorby, Martha Thompson, Georgeann Harris, and Paulette Green. Sales Representatives traveled in Desert Gold American Motors Pacers, matching our aircraft livery of the era.   SOUTH PADRE LUAU – Our first President, Lamar Muse, chats with Harlingen Chamber of Commerce president David Allex at a beachside state conference for Texas Chamber of Commerce Managers on South Padre Island.   DOUBLING OUR FLEET – On September 13, 1976, we officially doubled our original fleet when our sixth 737-200 (N27SW) went into revenue service. This photo features original Ticket Agent Sara Burns holding a scale model of our newest “Love” bird.       ... View more