Southwest Airlines Community

Several months ago, my husband and I received the most shocking news of our life. It was our first sonogram and we were giddy invisioning our first child. The doctor looked at my husband and said "Please don't hate me." Were my dreams of a family coming to a crashing hault? To our surprise, we were blessed with beyond measure with three. TRIPLETS! I've recently become noticeably pregnant which brings on a number of questions from the general public. I'm often asked "Do you know what you are having?" This presents an interesting dilemma for me. I could be truthful and respond with "Two girls and a boy" which creates a little shock followed by more questions about triplets. Or I could lie and avoid the extra fifteen minutes of triplet questions. People ask some very interesting questions about triplets. Usually I answer truthfully unless I'm in a rush. Another question I'm asked is "When are you due?" More often than not, I misunderstand the question for "What do you do?" and answer Marketing for Southwest Airlines. I LUV my job and I'm always proud to admit I work for Southwest. I guess I'm quickly learning it isn't all about me anymore. To the original question I answer 08/08/08. My due date is a pretty cool date even though our birthdate will be weeks earlier. We are spending the coming months preparing our home and our lives to be triplet parents. We are really excited to introduce three new faces to the Southwest Family. ... View more

I did not grow up in Texas, so I am constantly amazed by Texas weather. Recently it was 32° on a Friday and 64° on Saturday. In less than 24 hours, the temperature doubled. This drastic temperature change creates a few problems. Texans must always closely pay attention to the weather. No one wants to be wearing shorts on a day with 32° or a wool sweater on a day with 64°. I must admit I've been victim of both a time or two. Traveling can create the same situation. This August, I visited San Francisco, I was not prepared for the chilly summer nights. My Coworker and I were waiting for a few friends in the hotel lobby before the Giants game. After watching a few locals leave in wool coats and scarves, I decided to change into something warmer than a T-shirt and shorts. When we arrived at the game, fans were prepared with beanies and blankets. While I was glad to be in jeans instead of shorts, what I really needed was my winter coat. How confusing...cold weather in California during August. Since my trip to San Francisco in August, I check the weather before my trip. Southwest has made it a little easier for our Customers to check the weather. Southwest has teamed up with NBC Weather Plus to offer weather reports on southwest.com. Before your next trip, know before you go. ... View more

So...did an image of Sam, Norm, Cliff, or Woody just pop in your head? While I do love the TV show Cheers, I am referring to an attitude, lifestyle or personality. Several months ago, my job brought me back to Southwest's Headquarters building. Everyone is so friendly. Even people I've never met before. (My previous position was in a Field Marketing Regional Office--we were super friendly too. There were ten of us, and we all knew each other.) On my way up to my office each morning, I receive multiple "hellos," "how ya doings" or "have a great days." The Employees of Southwest enjoy welcoming each other. When I first started at Southwest, I thought this (greeting other Employees) must be part of a training class or something. It isn't...I checked. Honestly being friendly is just contagious. So if your place of employment isn't so friendly, try this for a week: Each morning, greet your Coworkers with a "Good Morning"' and include your Coworker's first name. It shouldn't take long, and you'll start a trend. ... View more

The days and weeks following a vacation, I spend time updating my friends and family with all the photos from the trip. Pictures include my favorite sunsets, fun restaurants, my hotel room, and all the sites from the destination. On a recent trip to San Francisco, I was able to capture our experience driving down the famous Lombard Street. Now we ask you, our friends and family, to share your vacation pictures with us. Until October 22, submit your favorite vacation photo on southwest.com. Come back to southwest.com from October 24 through November 1 to vote on the best photos. Two winners will receive a vacation to Walt Disney World® Resort during The Year of a Million Dreams celebration. Also the winning photos will be displayed on southwest.com from November 1 – November 8. Click here and enter your favorite vacation picture today. ... View more

I love clouds. I believe this love affair may have started during my soccer playing days. Before the start of a game, my Teammates and I would lay on field on look up at the clouds. We would find castles, dragons, and foreign lands in the clouds. My favorite clouds are the big white fluffy clouds. (cumulonimbus to be specific) These are the best clouds to see shapes, animals, faces and other things. In my time at Southwest Airlines, I have learned that while these clouds are fun to look at, they are not so fun to fly through. So next time you are flying through a big white fluffy cloud sit back, look for things in the clouds, and know that the flight will be smoother once you make it to the other side of the cloud. What is the most unique shape you have seen in a cloud? ... View more

We would like to introduce you to Claressa. Claressa hasn't yet celebrated her second birthday but she is celebrating today because she earned her first Rapid Rewards Award. Since she and her parents are such frequent travelers on Southwest Airlines, I thought I'd get a few tips for other parents traveling with young children. Q: How was the first flight with Claressa? Any tips for moms and dads on how to pack and prepare for the first flight? A: The first flight on Southwest was heaven. It was April 2006, and she was 5 months old. She is always lulled by the sound of the jet engines and was usually asleep before we even took off. It was only in June 2007 that the streak was broken. For the first flight, make sure to bring a favorite blanket and toy. Put the pacifier on a leash so baby doesn't throw it on the floor, rendering it useless. Q: What are Claressa's favorite things related to flying? A: She loves sitting in her stroller that converts to a car/air seat, bought in the SkyMall catalog. She also loves to say hello to everyone when they're boarding. As she's gotten older, she likes to "read" the Southwest inflight magazine. Q: What are the best snacks to pack? A: Dry cereal. Claressa's favorite is Cheerios. I also pack her 100% Sesame Street juice (TSA is OK with it), cheese crackers and 2 Graduates Pasta Pick-ups in case she gets really hungry. She also loves the dried fruit mix in the Southwest travel snack box. Q: What suggestions do you have for parents with newborns? What about traveling with liquids and the TSA bans? A: Her father and I decided from the beginning to just buy Claressa her own seat for her safety and our comfort. And with Southwest discount baby fares, that eased the expense. If you can't buy a seat, I suggest the bulkhead section if you're carrying a newborn. There's a bit more room. As long as you let TSA know that you have liquids for baby and separate them from the diaper bag for x-ray, I've never had a problem. Q: Any suggestions for how to handle the hated ear pressure issue? A: Claressa gets something to drink at takeoff and landing. The sucking helps relieve ear pressure. Q: You mentioned great child friendly crews, any specific stories? A: On one flight, Claressa woke up and was very cranky and crying. A flight attendant came by and chatted with her, which helped. Claressa started crying again, and she brought over a cup with a lid filled with peanuts and started shaking it. She gave it to Claressa and the baby was amused until we touched down. Q: What are the 'must have' items for a flight with a child? A: Take along their familiar things. On her latest flight earlier this month, we started taking the portable DVD player with "Blue's Clues," her favorite video. She is more active now, so I'll let her out of the seat for awhile. You also must have a child's favorite snacks and bring extra just in case there might be a delay (which has been extremely rare on Southwest). Q: Any other tips or tricks that you'd like to share? A: Make the trip seem like a big adventure. Point out all the features of the airplane. Claressa is just fascinated with the light and air in the panel above her head. I keep drink coupons to buy a round for the person sitting in front of Claressa when she starts to kick. But I just learned that if I take off her shoes, she stops kicking. Let them stand in their seat and look around before the plane takes off. And if your flight is 2+ hours, take baby for a walk for a change of scenery. Thanks for so many great tips! We can't wait to see Claressa onboard again soon. For parents, you can also check out Baby On Board, Taking the Kids, and Southwest Airlines Policy on Children. Also visit the TSA.gov for information on Traveling With Children. ... View more

We invite all our San Francisco Customers to grab your two best friends, hop in your dad's Ferrari, and come out to Yerba Buena Gardens on Sunday, August 26 for your own "day off!" Southwest Airlines Vacations presents a FREE Movie in the Park screening of Ferris Bueller's Day Off! The movie starts at 8 pm, so don't be late or we'll send Principal Rooney after you! Come enjoy free popcorn, Dibs ice cream and Coca-Cola. And that's not all! You can win your very own "day off" to Vegas, San Diego or Chicago! Southwest Airlines Vacations will be giving away vacation packages including roundtrip air fare and three-night stay in Las Vegas, San Diego, or Chicago. See you Sunday! ... View more

Since I moved offices, I have been focused on decorating my office in my spare time. Southwest allows Employees the Freedom to decorate our workspaces. This allows each Employee to display their individuality in the space where they work. Since I probably spend more time in my office than any other room during one day, I appreciate that I can choose my environment. So here are a couple of my favorite office spaces at Southwest Headquarters. My friend Katie's office is so neat and creative. Another favorite office space is Laura's.   Just outside of Colleen's office is a wall of hearts. Our Company is all about LUV, this wall is a great reminder of that focus. Then also inside her office is another wall of hearts. (A lot of LUV!) I chose a Southwest Airlines theme. This allows me to show off a few of my favorite projects and memories from Southwest all in one space. We have many more great office decorations and themes here at Southwest. It is always fun for me to step into someone's office and learn a little about them just by looking around. I encourage you all to bring a little FUN into your workspace. Find a way to showcase your individuality with Coworkers. Anyone else have any fun ideas for decorating the office space? ... View more

I'll admit I have been invited to a number of social events with the caveat of a "plus one." Until I got married, I hated the plus one! Stress about whom to invite, what they will think, or will they say yes? However, I'm excited to announce a more positive plus one. My husband, Sam, is one of the newest Southwest Airlines' Employees. On Valentine's Day, I shared a Southwest Airlines LUV Story about the number of Southwest Airlines' Employee couples. I would have never thought that a few months later, I would be one of those couples. I am excited to share again in the experience of a New Hire. As a New Hire, through my husband, you learn the Culture, SPIRIT, and LUV of Southwest Airlines. So now we can say have 1,100 married couples plus one. ... View more

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of visiting New Orleans. Southwest Vacations hosted a trip to the Big Easy for the top travel agents. Hopefully you've already heard that New Orleans is back in business. We had a great time, and I wanted to share a few highlights of the trip. Grey Line Tours - We started with a tour of the city. The city has such a great history; a city tour is a great way to start. My favorite part was visiting historic cemeteries and the unique above ground burial system. Café Du Monde - A New Orleans landmark offering the best beignets and coffee. Personally I like the frozen cafe au lait. The original cafe is still in the heart of the New Orleans French Market. Oak Alley Plantation - An Antebellum Mississippi River mansion. Just beautiful. The walkway up to the mansion is lined with 300-year-old trees. The New Orleans School of Cooking - With the help of a few local chefs, we cooked our meal for the evening, and I learned to cook Creole. I didn't get a picture of me, but I pounded chicken and then stuffed it with cornbread stuffing. It was delicious. Swamp Tour - A little too close to hungry alligators but very exciting. Here a few pictures from the tour, including one with me and a baby gator. Muriel's - In the heart of the The French Quarter, this restaurant offers great food and mystery. They have many  stories of the ghosts that take residence at Murial's. Anyone visiting soon? Bill Owen shared 1096 More Reasons to LUV New Orleans, giving you more options to get into and out of New Orleans. Also Southwest Vacations is offering a Big Deal to the Big Easy. Anyone else have suggestions for my next trip to New Orleans? ... View more

Several weeks ago, I had the pleasure of attending the wedding of my dear friend Jennifer to Mike. At the reception, I was able to reconnect with friends I had not seen in years. As we started catching up, we realized that we share in a decade of friendship. We all started as freshman at Lipscomb University in the fall of 1997. Over the last ten years, we have experienced weddings, funerals, births, showers and many more milestone events. We all met in Nashville, Tennessee, but since that time we have moved to Ohio, Georgia, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida, Missouri, Brazil and China. Given our geographical distance, we still get together to celebrate milestones with each other most times thanks to Southwest Airlines. When we don't have a milestone to celebrate, we get together just for fun. One year we went to Ft. Myers on a great Southwest Airlines  fare. Most of us are married and building our families, but we still enjoy time together with old friends. Any of you plan trips just to get together with old friends? We'd love suggestions of trips we should take. ... View more

I am not an airline mechanic. I can hardly change a flat tire on my car. So a few weeks ago when I was invited to help with our Maintenance Crawfish Boil, I was ecstatic. A good friend and Coworker of mine, Katie, came along too. While serving crawfish to our amazing Mechanics, I was also able to catch a glimpse inside one of our 737s during a maintenance check. WOW! The best metaphor I could think of is an airplane is like my attic. In my attic, the framing and structure is in place but the wiring is exposed, the flooring is plywood but mostly it looks unfinished. When we do a comprehensive maintenance check on a plane, we remove all the seats, the bins, the flooring, the walls…everything. This allows our Mechanics to check the entire structure of the plane. Have you ever noticed that we have one row on the airplane without a window? During my visit, I found out why. The row without a window has air conditioning ducts to cool the airplane. Check it out in the picture below. So while I'm not as technicaly related to Mechanics as my other blogger, Gordon, I thought I'd share my view. ... View more

May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month! At Southwest Airlines, we LUV to celebrate the diverse backgrounds of our Employees and Customers. When? In 1978, a joint Congressional resolution established Asian Pacific American Heritage Week. The first ten days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian Pacific American history: the arrival in the U.S. of the first Japanese immigrants on May 7, 1843, and the contributions of Chinese immigrant workers who helped build the transcontinental railroad that was completed on May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the ten-day observance to a month-long celebration. What? Asian Pacific American Heritage Month celebrates many varied Asian cultures, each with distinct customs, languages, histories, and traditions, while recognizing common experiences in American history. Throughout the country, communities come together to celebrate Asian Pacific American heritage and culture with festivals, civic award ceremonies, and educational activities. Who? Over the generations, Asian Pacific Americans have grown to more than 14.4 million and have shaped our nation. From cabinet secretaries to NFL linebackers to astronauts, Asian Pacific Americans not only have thrived, but also have broken barriers. Southwest kicked off Lunar New Year with the Southwest Airlines Chinese New Year Parade in San Francisco and the LA18 Lunar New Year Parade & Festival in Pasadena, along with our national sponsorship of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund. During APAH Month, we look forward to honoring the many contributions and accomplishments of Asian Pacific Americana at the 4th Annual Vietnamese American National Gala, the Asian Heritage Street Celebration in San Francisco, and the VC FilmFest Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Southwest is proud to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with YOU and your LUVed ones, in the air and in your communities. So we will try again at Southwest Airlines Gate Games - Blog Style. The first four people to correctly answer all four questions in a comment to this post will win a prize. (Once you are identified as one of the first four to correctly answer all of the questions, we'll e-mail you to get your correct mailing address. Please don't post your address in the comment.) 1. NASA astronaut Kalpana Chawla was the first Indo-American woman to launch into space on Shuttle STS-87 in what year? 2. What US city has the highest population of Asian-Americans? 3. He is the most successful Asian American politician in U.S. history and served in President George W. Bush's Cabinet as the Secretary of Transportation for over five years. The San Jose International airport is also named after him. What is his name? 4. Jerry Yang, an Asian-American was the co-founder of what popular internet search engine? ... View more

For baseball fans, Ernie Banks is a household name. Hall of Famer Ernie Banks was a shortstop for the Chicago Cubs from 1953-1971. Recently my friend, Katie, and I had the chance to meet Ernie, a HUGE moment for the baseball fan in me.  After quick introductions the conversation went something like this:  Ernie: Are you married? Hollee & Katie: Yes Ernie: So where are your husbands? Hollee & Katie: In Dallas (we were in Phoenix at the time) Ernie: Dallas! One thing I like about Dallas is that Kelleher, I want to get a copy of his book NUTS!. Hollee & Katie: Funny you should mention Herb; we both work for Southwest Airlines. We will take care of getting you a copy of the book.   Ernie: reaches for his wallet to hand us his card How cool! When Ernie Banks thinks of Dallas, he thinks of Herb Kelleher and Southwest Airlines. So Katie and I return to Dallas to share the news with Herb. He personally signs a book for Ernie with this note inside "I am certainly not sure why you admire me but you are certainly one of my heroes." (Okay, we know a lot of you would LUV to have a Herb autograph too, but if Herb accommodated every request, his entire day would be spent signing books.  We hope you understand.) ... View more

As the official "Marketing Girl" for Albuquerque, I'm super excited to introduce you to Matt Plowman. Matt is moving to Albuquerque to manage our Albuquerque Reservations Center. He started with Southwest years ago as a Reservation Sales Agent and has worked his way up to Center Leader. He lives the Southwest Way with a Warrior Spirit, a Servant's Heart, and a Fun-LUVing attitude. Matt's father was in the Air Force, so he has lived all over the United States. He was born in Missouri and has made stops in California, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. With three young kids, his favorite Southwest City is Orlando, the location of the family's favorite place on earth, Walt Disney World. You might catch him shouting "BOOMER SOONER!" as he roots on the University of Oklahoma. (On a personal note, OU is my second favorite college team. Being that I'm a Tennessee fan in Big 12 country, I usually share in Sooner talk over the water cooler.) If you were to search Matt's iPod, you might find a number of songs by BNL, the Barenaked Ladies, as they are his favorite musical group. As with most Southwest Employees and Customers, Matt enjoys travel.  I asked Matt the following: What is the best advice you ever received? "To be myself and the sky is the limit." What is the best advice you ever given? "To have fun with whatever you do and enjoy the People around you." Matt, Welcome Back to ABQ! ... View more

Each fall, I spend countless hours in my flowerbeds planting bulbs. During the dead and lifeless winter months, I forget about my efforts in the fall. As the weather turns warm, I am rewarded with beautiful buttercups, tulips, and more. (The buttercup picture is from my flowerbeds this year.) Our trees, plants, and flowers create such beautiful artwork this time of year. I have always wanted to travel to Washington, DC, for the National Cherry Blossom Festival. From what I hear, it is well worth the trip. On April 14, Southwest Airlines presents the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. If you want to see the festival this year, it runs from March 31 through April 15. What other botanical events or festivals would you suggest as a must see? ... View more

You can see many great things from an airplane window. The Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains, the Great Lakes, sports stadiums, city skylines...just to name a few. Here are a few recent pictures of two beautiful scenes outside my airplane window (from a Southwest Boeing 737…of course). What is the best thing you have seen from an airplane window? My good friend Katie was once able to identify her house. She even has a picture to prove it. ... View more

Southwest Airlines always looks for ways to celebrate and have FUN with our Customers. During the month of February, we did just that. In a number of our airports we celebrated Black History Month with you. In Dallas a local Jazz musician and the BF Durrell Elementary step group performed at Dallas Love Field Airport. If you missed the celebrations in our airports, we'll give you a chance to win now. This is our first try at Southwest Airlines Gate Games - Blog Style. The first person to correctly post the answer as a comment to this post will win a prize pack of a Tom Joyner Southwest Airlines Sky Shows T-shirt, a Southwest Airlines golf towel, and a Hidden Beach CD. (Once you are identified as the first correct answer, we'll e-mail you to get your correct mailing address. Please don't post your address in the comment.) On what date did the Army Air Force begin a program in Alabama to train African-American men as military pilots? The soldiers that were a part of this program became known as the Tuskegee Airmen. Who wrote "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" often called "The Black National Anthem"? On what date was Thurgood Marshall sworn in to become the first African-American member of the U.S. Supreme Court? ... View more

If you are from New Mexico, you probably know the answer to that question.  For me, the first time I heard the question "Green or Red?" I was a little perplexed. I get the awesome opportunity to represent Southwest Airlines in Albuquerque, NM.  I LUV the people, I LUV the sights, and I LUV the food!  New Mexico is known for its chile and New Mexicans eat it with everything…green chile pizza, green chile spaghetti, and I even enjoy green chile with my hot dog.  My personal favorite is green chile but sometimes I'll order it "Christmas style" with both red and green chile. Next time you are traveling through Albuquerque, make sure to enjoy a taste of green (or red) chile. What style or flavor of food is your area of the country known for?  What do you suggest?   ... View more

In 2006, Southwest received 284,827 resumes and hired 3,363 new Employees. Our People Department looks through thousands of resumes to find the perfect fit. Back in the spring of 2001, Krislyn Barr was doing just that when she came across the resume of Michael Holt. According to Kris, Michael's resume had the right kind of sheetmetal experience needed for an open position in our Dallas Maintenance Base. She called Michael for a phone interview and "liked what he had to say." Following the successful phone interview, Kris scheduled Michael for a one-on-one interview with the Maintenance Interviewing Team. The one-on-one was a success, and Kris had the great joy of offering Michael a position with Southwest Airlines. Michael, like most New Hires with Southwest Airlines, wanted to kiss Kris for the career opportunity, but he didn't...yet! Over the next year, Michael and Kris continued with a friendship, saying hello in the hallways, making quick stops at each other's workplaces and such. Kris always thought Michael was one of those "great guys." Kris later found that she was the topic of a water cooler conversation with Michael and a group of Coworkers. The waiting game began. We all know that during the early stages of a relationship, days are like weeks, weeks like months. So after two weeks...Kris took matters into her hands. Kris made a "planned" trip to Michael's work area at his scheduled break time. So as the break time started to end, Michael finally asked Kris out on a date, and Kris accepted. According to Kris, they've been together ever since. They were married in the summer of 2003, and this past summer they introduced two new Holts...twin girls. Kris and Michael are a part of the 1,100 married couples at Southwest Airlines. In other words, 2,200 Southwest Employees have spouses who also work for the Company. ... View more