Southwest Airlines Community

James, Your thread here about literary tributes to SWA has gotten slightly derailed, so let me try to get it back on track by asking you and my fellow bloggers if any of you have read "Lessons in Loyalty: How Southwest Airlines Does It - An Insider's View" by Lorraine Grubbs West? Of all of the 'major' books about Southwest (I'm not counting every business book that has a reference about SW, just ones that are strictly devoted to Southwest Airlines), it is the only one that I don't have yet. It has been on my Amazon.com wish list, but I have not yet found it in a bookstore to be able to thumb through it in person. Is this a book worth waiting and 'wishing' for? Is it so great that I should short-circuit the gift process and rush out and buy it myself now? Inquiring minds want to know! Thanks for any input... Kim ... View more

Mark, Clearly you have very passionate and positive feelings about US Air, and I know that they are proud to have you as such an enthusiastic and supportive customer. Most companies strive to create such loyalty within their customer base, and US Air has obviously succeeded in your case. I would suggest, though, that comparisons between SWA and US Air are more of the "apples and oranges" variety. They both operate airplanes, but beyond that, there are significant differences. From the beginning, Southwest determined that they would not offer various classes of seating. The only cabin separation was in the old days when smoking was permitted in front of a bulkhead and not behind it. I'm glad those days are over. Passengers on 'full service' airlines pay for, and expect, preferential treatment based on their ticket price. Affinity programs that allow you to accumulate air miles that can be exchanged for upgraded seat locations are a wonderful perk if that is what you're after. The Southwest approach has been to maximize efficiency and to provide low-cost air service on a point-to-point basis. They have never advertised themselves as offering luxurious first-class cabins and champagne service from New York to Paris. There is a significant marketing difference between Neiman-Marcus and Macy's or Dillard's, and there is room for all of those stores in the marketplace. Some people want to pay several thousand dollars for a coat and are free to go to Neiman's. Some folks only want to pay a couple of hundred, and they have choices as well. To say that one store is 'better' than the other doesn't make sense. Marketing that works is when you identify the customer you want to serve and then pour all of your efforts into serving THAT customer. That's the reason you see Chevrolets on the road alongside Lexuses (Lexi?). I've sat in airline seats on a variety of airlines, and for what I am willing to pay (not first-class fares), I've never found one of them that was as comfortable as my recliner at home. But, I travel for a living, and an airplane flight for me (unless it is vacation time) is a tool -- it's a means to an end. I get on a plane because it is often the fastest and/or most practical way to get where I'm going. People complain about the food onboard, but for me, the answer is the same. If I want good food, I'll go to a good restaurant. I'm not buying an airline ticket because of the cuisine that I'll be served any more than I'm buying a ticket so that I can relax in the most comfortable environment possible. In fact, my company operates its own private jet, and the legroom on it is not much greater, and in a few seats, is actually worse than on SWA. But, that's the beauty of the free enterprise system, Mark. You can choose to fly on US Air and I can choose to fly on SWA, although now I'm freer to move about the country than I was this time last week! Just for grins, though, you ought to give SWA a try or two before you judge them. And, yes, I am qualified to have first-hand opinions about other airlines, because I do fly on ones besides Southwest when I don't have the option. Happy flying, Mark! Kim ... View more

Kenney, You're right. Flying should not be fun. In case you are worried that we've lost the grim-faced seriousness of flying and abandoned the stoic and often apathetic approach to customer service in the airline industry, I have good news for you! Please head over to DFW Airport to either Terminal 2 or 3, and book a flight to anywhere you want to go on the airline that you'll find there. They will be pleased to take as much of your money as they can, misroute your luggage, treat you in a surly manner and allow you to deplane at your final destination without so much as a "thank you". I hope you have a great trip. For me, I'll take light-hearted, friendly and smiling Employees who genuinely care about their Customers and who treat them as if they do any day. I'll drive straight to Love Field, give them significantly less money and enjoy myself significantly more than I would on the 'other' airline. Yes, I'll still be a revenue stream for a large corporation, but they will at least appreciate me and say so. I KNOW that I'll have a great trip! Happy flying, Kim P. S. Dan, I really don't think it is a devotion to open seating that you're witnessing. Rather, it is a bunch of very satisfied Customers who have a good thing going in dealing with an airline that cares about them, and who want to keep that good thing going. Imagine your favorite restaurant. You show up, knowing the people, the menu and basically what to expect. When you arrive, you find that the theme of the menu has been scrapped, the atmosphere of the place has changed and you get this sinking feeling that the food won't taste as good. Regular SW passengers LUV our airline and don't want it to change any more than you'd want your favorite restaurant to change! Brian, can I have another glass of lemonade, please? 🙂 ... View more

Brian, You're correct -- we all need to chill out and have more patience. The problem is, I want more patience RIGHT NOW! I take it as a good sign that so many of your Customers are so excited about this that they are eagerly 'chomping at the bit' to take to the skies with Southwest. This vindicates all of the arguments that there ARE people who would fly more, thereby benefitting the citizens of Dallas, if Wright was repealed. Here is the evidence of it as you see folks already checking out the website for fares and schedules and then blogging that it is not happening quickly enough! That enthusiasm will translate into increased load factors and revenue, both for SWA and for the City of Dallas, and into increased connectivity as people travel to new locations and with more frequency than before now that the barriers are being removed slowly but surely. As I mentioned above, I know that Bill and his team are tackling a gargantuan task, and they are no doubt hunkered down inside the darkened and secret Batcave even as we speak, slaving away with slide rules, completely unfolded Texaco road maps and crayons, feverishly figuring out the best new routings. I hope that senior management will occasionally crack the door open and toss some cookies inside for sustenance and to keep those folks motivated, since your fans are anxiously awaiting the results! By the way, I've never seen Mount Rushmore. How soon before you start rapping with the stone-faced Presidents and begin service from DAL to RAP (Rapid City, SD)? :-) Kim ... View more

Jeramy, Rankings mean nothing. Final scores mean everything. We're willing to spot you a few points in the rankings just to let you get overconfident. Enjoy the rest of the season while you can... Hook 'em Horns from a proud alumnus of the CURRENT NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! Kim :-) P. S. Started buying your cold weather gear yet? A nice burnt orange parka will come in handy when Gary Kelly announces the newest res center and who will be the 11 pm - 7 am night manager!! ... View more

Bill, I knew that you had been making plans for this week for some time; any intelligent manager anticipates major events and changes and is not caught by surprise. Certainly, we all HOPED this change would come, but optimism aside, pragmatism dictated that you create contingency plans, and I would have been disappointed if you hadn't! However, a huge CONGRATULATIONS is in order for you and your team, because rearranging the entire SW route planning to accomodate the "newest city" in your system could not have been easy. We look forward to the official unveiling of your work and we thank you and everyone in Schedule Planning for your hard work! Kim 🙂 ... View more

Colleen, Now it is time to "officially" say CONGRATULATIONS to you and all of my good friends at SWA. After many hard-fought battles that began when 'Air Southwest' and then 'Southwest Air' struggled to even get CAB approval to have the first wheels-up event, through the legal system to and from the U. S. Supreme Court and now finally, through the halls of Congress, Southwest and each of its Employees has been courageous, diligent and determined to exercise the full scope of what we know as the "free enterprise system". The opportunity to start a company and nurture it and reap the benefits of its success is a given in the American capitalistic society, and Southwest deserves the reward of having created a business that does an outstanding job of serving its Customers! My kudos go to ALL of your Employees for their many years of putting up with onerous restrictions that have caused so many people to have to make so many gyrations in their travel itineraries with the assistance of your helpful folks. I can't imagine how many times SWA Employees all over the system have had to try to explain the Wright Amendment in person or over the phone to someone who didn't understand why they couldn't fly directly from Dallas Love Field to the majority of the cities in your route structure. You've also stated very eloquently something that I've blogged about several times in the last few weeks. An elephant is much easier to eat one bite at a time. Yes, it would have been wonderful if all of the aspects of the Wright Amendment were to disappear on Thursday, but people in politics, as well as those of us in sales, have learned the adage of "be happy with what you can get." Compromise is not a word that folks like to embrace, but sometimes we take our journeys in a series of moves and not one giant step. I applaud the SWA management for being wise enough to settle for the agreement as it was carefully crafted. Eight years is a tough pill to swallow, but considering how long you've been operating under this restriction, I can say that I can now see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is not an American Airlines plane barreling towards us! As a stockholder, a Customer and an always interested observer of all things SWA, please accept my thank you as well, for having fought the good fight! Kim 🙂 ... View more

Hey, Jeramy... I know that SWA is a wonderful place to work, with great benefits, terrific co-workers and outstanding support from management. Of course, there is the possibility that you've already lined up an excellent new job and are just biding your time, but I just have to ask, HELLLLLLLLLOOOO??? DO YOU KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOUR CEO GRADUATED FROM???? In case you missed it on TV or didn't hear the news afterwards, your USC Trojans just happen to be the team that Gary's and my alma mater DEFEATED to become the NATIONAL CHAMPIONS. Once Gary reads your comments, you'll be lucky if he lets you work the day shift at your new assignment in the soon-to-open Reservation Center in Reykjavik, Iceland. Longhorns are better than Trojans and that's no Bevo, err, bull. Hook 'em Horns, Kim 🙂 ... View more

Vicki, Well, if you were generous enough, you could buy THREE seats for them. Adjoining seats for your daughter and your son-in-law and then an extra empty seat in front of him, so he could just drape his legs over the seatback like I have to at small movie theaters. One thing that I especially appreciate about your post is not the humor, though. Obviously, I have no idea where they live, but I do note that they are willing to drive more than two hours to get to the "nearest SWA airport" for a flight that will be shorter than their drive. Your use of the term "nearest SWA airport" implies that there might be an airport that is closer to them, but they are driving past it for the chance to fly on Southwest. That is awesome! I have heard so many stories of folks who avoid a closer airport because they prefer to fly on the best airline in this country. What a testament to Southwest Airlines! I hope you guys have a great visit! Kim P. S. Don't forget to also have him dust the top side of all of your ceiling fan blades, too! 🙂 ... View more

Dan, It is obvious from other comments on the Southwest blog that there are a number of folks who agree with you, along with a number of people who want to keep things as they are now. One of the issues that has been rarely mentioned during this discussion is the ramifications inherent in implementing a "tiered" fare system on Southwest. Our favorite airline is known for many things; its maverick spirit, its wonderful Employees and its ongoing profitability. Underlying each of those three traits (and many others that are part of the Southwest Culture) is a philosophy that my father used to call KISS. If you're as old as I am, you probably know that it stands for Keep It Simple, Stupid. That is a catch-phrase way of saying that oftentimes, you'll get the best outcome if you don't try to over-think and over-engineer the plan. The geniuses at Southwest Airlines are famous for keeping it simple. Think about the early days when their competitors had fancy ticket machines and SW had old fashioned cash registers to dispense tickets on receipt paper. Creating a multi-tiered pricing system would hopelessly complicate the ticketing procedure and require a very complex program to manage variable pricing per seat depending on who reserved it and when they did it. Remember, too, that SWA, like other airlines who got on board with the plan after Southwest showed how well it could work, has been steadily encouraging passengers to book their own reservations online instead of on the phone with a person. Shifting some of this burden reduces the need for a bazillion reservation agents and lowers some of Southwest's overhead, resulting in a better bottom line. So, whether they ultimately decide in favor of, or against, assigned seating, it seems very likely to me that it will be all or nothing. Either all of the seats will be assigned, or none of them will. Having a mixed program onboard would create a lot of chaos. Although I am in the camp of those who say "please don't abandon open seating", it is in large part because I think it would violate the KISS principle that Southwest already uses to its advantage. Plus, I'm one of those who also likes the adage, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". SWA has grown incredibly and has remained profitable while most of its competitors cannot make either of those claims, much less both of them. They must be doing something right. As Darrell Royal, the former football coach at the University of Texas at Austin said in the title of his best-selling book, "Dance With the One that Brung Ya" -- if you've got a great approach that has gotten you to a place of success, then stay with that plan! Please hang in there with Southwest, Dan -- assigned seats or not, there isn't another airline out there that will treat you as well or give you the same amount of Positively Outrageous Service! Kim ... View more

Michelle, You may have seen on the news by now that President Bush did sign the bill, so the wheels are in motion now for the Wright Amendment to start coming unraveled. I'd suggest you stay close to your television, newspapers, and to the official website ( www.southwest.com ) for exciting announcements which are bound to be forthcoming before too long. I've heard rumors that Southwest plans the following new additions to their schedule: 1.) Flights to Canton, TX, at the beginning of every month for First Mondays Trade Days. Specially enlarged overhead bins will be used to help you get all of your crafty purchases back home safely. 2.) Rich alumni flights down into the center of the Cotton Bowl during the Texas/OU football game. Wealthy folks who are interested will pay extra to paint over either the red or the orange portions of the plane, depending on their academic allegiance. 3.) Special tourist flights dubbed "The Spirit of the Maid of the Mist" where those familiar 737s will replace the old boats, allowing you to fly under Niagara Falls without having to wear those yucky ponchos. 4.) A new plane is being modified and will be named "The Spirit of Aviophobia". This aircraft will serve folks who have a fear of flying. The Southwest mechanics are chopping off the wings and are adding pontoons in preparation of inaugurating a new route that allows passengers to leisurely cruise through the Panama Canal, enjoying the scenery alongside each set of locks while never becoming airborne. And if you think all of that is innovative, you ain't seen nuttin' yet! Stay tuned, Kim 🙂 ... View more

Phyllis, If you really want to see a great costume, I hope you run into Brian Lusk on Halloween. Rumor has it that he's going to dress up as Britney Spears. You don't want to miss it. On second thought, yeah, you probably do... Kim 🙂 ... View more

Kevin, This IS my job. Brian Lusk pays me $278,000 a year to sit and type witty comments for his blog. He's a very generous guy, but before you ask, NO, there are no more openings and I don't need an assistant. Oh yeah, I get all the little bags of peanuts that I want for free, too. Ain't life grand? Kim P. S. Actually, Kevin, I am a traveling salesman and I am not an Employee of Southwest Airlines. I just play one on TV... :-) ... View more

Cap'n Ray -- Thanks for ANOTHER fantastic blog thread! You have an excellent way of putting things into layman's terms and helping to take some of the mystery out of the "front office" of the SWA jets. I have a fair understanding of and familiarity with some of the avionics and procedures that you frequently describe from both my interest in aviation and time spent riding up front in my employer's Falcon 50 and chatting with our pilot and co-pilot. (in fact, our FA appreciates the break and the chance to sit in one of the passenger seats when I take "her" jumpseat up front, which isn't quite as comfy as the ones in the cabin!) Based on my experience, I enjoy reading your posts because I can see the correlation with procedures that I've observed in general aviation. I've just gotten a copy of your book and shall eagerly look forward to reading it as it moves to the top of my 'to be read' pile. As much as I LUV being a passenger on SW, there are three things that I miss that I get to enjoy on our own "company plane" (to borrow a phrase from an old SWA marketing campaign) -- the first is that wonderful forward-facing view that you folks up front get, the second is having the headphones available to listen to the radio traffic and third is the TV screen "Airshow" display in our cabin that shows which cities we're flying over, distances to other cities and our final destination and flight envelope details such as altitude, outside temp, etc. Say, except for the front view, all of those other things are extras that SWA could wire into the cabins! Thanks again for working so hard to keep us informed, and especially for the great job that y'all in the colorful and patriotic ties do for us up front! Kim ... View more

Gary, One of the things that sets SWA apart from many companies is that in cases such as these, where emotions run high on both sides of an issue that greatly impacts its customers, yours is one of the few that cares enough to involve its Customers in the decision-making process. For that, we appreciate your approach and enjoy being asked! Now, if I can only figure out how to coordinate my trips with Tricia... ha ha Kim 🙂 ... View more

Vicki, Wow, 6' 7", huh? Well, the folks at SW are always so accomodating, I'm sure they wouldn't mind him sitting anywhere he wants (sounds like the punchline for the 400-pound canary joke). I would suggest that he bring his own set of wrenches and crowbars, though, so he can remove the entire row of seats in front of him. Even on the new 700s, the seat pitch isn't likely going to be wonderful for him! Kim 🙂 ... View more

... sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't... :-) ... View more

Drew -- It sounds like Jacob is the Truant Officer for SWA... You'd better have a good note from Mom when Jacob shows up at your door! Kim 🙂 ... View more

1.) FA #1 to FA #2: "Are you SURE this is how we're supposed to haze the new flight attendants?" 2.) following a group luncheon of homemade chili... "DING -- you are now free to have a movement about the country" 3.) FA in cabin announcement: "OK folks, now hold on tightly and this is going to look really cool when we roll down the windows!" ... View more

Joe, You've got me cracking up here! Considering that most people think salesmen are full of ... anyway, that seems like an appropriate place for me! Thanks for the hearty chuckle! Kim 🙂 ... View more

As a true Southwest enthusiast, this seems like the best place for me to post this... I want to publicly thank a few special people for being so wonderful. The details aren't relevant, but believe me when I say that the spirit of LUV is alive and very evident in certain folks who deserve some extra recognition. A HUGE thank you to: Brian Sunny Shelley Lacey Marilyn and last but most certainly not least... Colleen! You folks are absolutely AWESOME and I can't tell you how much your friendship means to me!! Thank you so much, Kim 🙂 ... View more

James, You're making me jealous! I've been wanting to go to the Udvar-Hazy Museum ever since it opened, but I have not been back to Washington D. C. since then. However, through my subscription to the Smithsonian magazine "Air & Space", I kept track of its progress and have seen pictures. It looks like a wonderful place for any plane buff, whether you're into commercial, private or military. I hope you have a great time -- let us know what you think after you've been there! Kim ... View more

Angela, Although this thread has quietly slipped off the front page, I would be remiss to my alma mater if I didn't take the opportunity this afternoon (Saturday, October 7th) to say to our neighbors just north of the Red River... HOOK 'EM HORNS!!! Have a safe trip back to Norman, and y'all come back now, y'hear? (but not until the 2007 State Fair of Texas Red River Shootout!! Kim 🙂 ... View more

Brian, I notice that you ended the list of comparisons with Mr. Udvar-Hazy when you got to the part about his donation to the Smithsonian that resulted in the expansion of their aviation museum and its name for the benefactor. When are YOU going to give oodles and oodles of money so that we can look forward to the Brian Lusk Annex to the Udvar-Hazy Museum? Kim ... View more

Joe, Trust me, adding MY face to any costume would constitute cruel and unusual punishment. In fact, I have to shave in the mornings with my eyes closed to prevent terrifying myself. Brian is correct, we want to Gary to "scare" his co-workers, not permanently alienate them. Using Brian's face should be sufficient. My face would be overkill. Kim 🙂 ... View more

Mark, What a wonderful testimony to the LUVing and caring spirit of so many SWA Employees! Those of us who do not suffer from that potentially crippling fear really cannot imagine how terrifying it can be to do what many of us do regularly and take for granted -- just walking through the doorway of a plane. Bless you and others who provide assistance and comfort as people face and battle their fears, and bless the wonderful folks at SW for their sensitivity to the issues that some of their passengers face! Kim ... View more

James -- Buddy, you've GOTTA get outta the air more often and spend some time on terra firma. Check out the restaurants, theaters and hang around bookstores! Dude, that classic ( http://www.airwaysmag.com/channels.html?article_id=18&channel_id=13 ) has been out for months and months now! It has already rocketed to the top of the New York Times best seller list and is huge demand around the world. My understanding is that the entire cast of "Lost", Madonna and George Clooney accompanied Brian on his nationwide signing tour and that not one single person in any town they visited would speak to anyone except Brian. The man is a legend in his own mind! Seriously, it IS a terrific tribute to a fantastic airline by someone who is not only skilled at what he does, but is probably more passionate about SW than I am. (of course, they pay him to be passionate...) He obviously did a lot of work and the reward is a wonderful keepsake. He has set a dangerous precedent, though, because he's gonna have an uphill climb to top this one when he creates the Golden Anniversary tribute for 2021! I agree with my Chicago blogpal James -- WAY TO GO, BRIAN! Kim 🙂 ... View more

Recommendation to my pals at Southwest -- After reading many of the news stories and the entries here in Angela's thread on the blog about the repeal of the Wright Amendment and the numerous potential ramifications of this event, I'd like to suggest that the next plane to receive one of your distinctive 'specialty liveries' should be christened... "The Spirit of Love Field" in honor of all of the effort that has gotten SWA where they are today, 35 1/2 years after taking off from your home field. And when it is unveiled, I want an invitation to be there for the event! I LUV Love Field and Southwest Airlines! Kim 🙂 ... View more

Gary -- Hmmm... "We would love to see you in a jungle loin cloth." Methinks you may have a secret admirer at work! Carroll -- You may be outta luck. I think Mr. Kelly probably saves the jungle loin cloth outfit for MRS. Kelly. Good try, though. Kim 🙂 ... View more

Gary -- You could shave the top of your head, grow a moustache, put on about 85 pounds and be Dr. Phil... You could take down one of those costume displays that I've seen in your building and be a giant bag of SW peanuts... You could dye your hair dark, grow it out, add a moustache and goatee, stick a humongous cigar in your mouth and be a gubernatorial candidate... You could dye your hair, uhhh, silver, gain, errr, some weight and be a gubernatorial candidate... Or, you could scare the willies out of everyone and wear a Brian Lusk mask! YIKES!!! LOL Kim 🙂 ... View more