Southwest Airlines has officially landed in Wichita, Kansas! It’s the headline that this city has been waiting to read – for a very long time! While often thought of as a small town, Wichita truly is a big city with a small town personality. Wichita is the nation's leading city in numbers of aircraft produced, thus its nickname as the Air Capital of the World. Today, Cessna Aircraft Co. (the world's highest-volume airplane manufacturer), Beechcraft, and Spirit AeroSystems (Learjet and Boeing's chief subassembly supplier) are all based in Wichita. In addition to these big guys, over 50 other aviation businesses operate here. And that’s not all! In total, Wichita companies have manufactured an estimated 250,000 aircraft since Clyde Cessna's first Wichita-built aircraft in 1916. Sounds like the perfect match for Southwest Airlines, doesn’t it? So what does Southwest’s arrival in Wichita mean to me? I’ve been fortunate to serve as the AirTran Station Leader in Wichita for 11 years. Now as a Southwest Employee, I am happy to report that we are excited to build on AirTran’s legacy in Wichita and carry on the tradition under the Southwest name. Ask anyone who is employed by Southwest Airlines and they’ll tell you- they absolutely LUV their job! Now, I’ll be able to say those very same words. Already, I feel part of this wonderful and caring Southwest family. Not only am I thrilled to become part of the wonderful Southwest family, but Wichita is thrilled for Southwest’s affordable fares! Families and business travelers alike will now have more ways to connect in or out of the city at a low cost. And with Southwest’s legendary Customer Service, our passengers can feel good about their choice flying Southwest Airlines. LUV has truly landed in Wichita! Here are a few photos from our opening yesterday: ICT was excited to see us and celebrated with not just one, but TWO cakes! Ron Ricks and local mascots with our Make-A-Wish family
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