Southwest Airlines Community

An interesting and insightful read from Bill Swelbar’s blog. "The US airline industry has endured the unthinkable since late 2000. With rare exception, there is not one year that can be described as a whole, but rather a tale of two halves. Even the year 2000 was that way when the first half had all stars aligned and the second half was the beginning of a revenue decline that still continues. As fuel marched from $90 per barrel in early 2008 to $147 on July 11, unit revenues were on the rise. Ancillary fees became a part the industry vernacular. Then in late summer of that year, as fuel prices dropped nearly as fast as they rose, unit revenues began to freefall. And they continue. The Airline Data Project demonstrates that passenger revenue for the airlines covered increased $3.8 billion in 2008 while fuel expenses increased some $11 billion. Year-to-date passenger revenue in 2009 is down some 20 percent thus far, while capacity has dropped 8 percent." To read more, visit:  http://www.swelblog.com/articles/meanderings-on-us-open-golf-and-the-us-airline-industry.html ... View more

Live in DC area? First 25 people to Direct Message @SouthwestAir on Twitter can spend Saturday night in New York CIty with a guest!  Roundtrip flight and hotel are on us!  Flight leaves Saturday from Baltimore/Washington.  “THE GRAB YOUR BAGS, IT’S OFF TO NEW YORK CONTEST”   NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING.  VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. 1.   How to Enter the Contest a.    Southwest Airlines “GRAB YOUR BAGS, IT’S OFF TO NEW YORK CONTEST” (“Contest”) will begin on or around 5 p.m. CT on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 and will end on or around 12 p.m. on Friday, June 26, 2009.   b.    Southwest Airlines is not responsible for lost, stolen, mangled, mis-delivered, postage due, illegible, incomplete or late entries, telephone service outages, delays, busy signals, equipment malfunctions and any other technological difficulties that may prevent an individual from completing his/her telephone call.]   c.    To participate in the Contest, you may enter via the following method: Be one of the first 25 people to DIRECT MESSAGE the @southwestair account with your name and email address.  All entries submitted become the sole property of Southwest Airlines and will not be acknowledged or returned.  Use of any device to automate entry is prohibited.  Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by Southwest.  Southwest Airlines computer is the official time keeping device for the contest.  Southwest is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties or other technological glitches.     d.    One internet entry per person and one internet entry per email address is permitted.     2.   Eligibility Restrictions   a.    The contest is open to all persons who are 21 years of age or older and who reside in the Baltimore/D.C. Area. Employees of Southwest Airlines and the members of their immediate families and or households are ineligible to participate or win.     b.    Only one winner per household is permitted in any Contest administered by Southwest.   c.    Entrants are required to provide truthful information and Southwest will reject and delete any entry that it discovers to be false or fraudulent.  Southwest Airlines will disqualify any entry from individuals who do not meet the eligibility requirements, and Southwest Airlines will also delete any entry received from persons under the age of 13 in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.]   3.   Prizes:   a.   Nine (9) First Prizes: Each winner will receive a trip for two (2) (winner and guest, age 21 or older) to New York , NY for an overnight New York themed trip from Saturday, June 27th, 2009 to Sunday, June 28th, 2009.  Trip includes round trip airfare transportation from Baltimore/Washington (BWI) to New York (LaGuardia), 1-night standard double occupancy hotel accommodations (one room), and ground transportation to and from LaGuardia.  (Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $1,000) but will vary depending on travel origination and fares in effect at the time of departure.  Certain travel restrictions may apply.  Travel arrangements must be made through Administrator’s agent on a carrier of Administrator’s choice.  No prize substitutions, cash equivalent, or transfer of prizes permitted except at the sole discretion of the Contest Entities. Prize subject to availability and the Contest Entities reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to award a prize of greater or equal value if the advertised prize is unavailable.  If winner cannot travel on dates specified by Contest Entities, winner may be disqualified and an alternate winner selected.  All other costs not specifically stated herein, including, but not limited to, taxes, meals, tips and ground transportation, are the responsibility of the winner.  Taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner.  Winner and travel companion must travel on the same itinerary and are responsible for obtaining all required travel documents.  In addition, travel companion of Winner must be 21 years of age or older.  Winner may be required to present a valid credit card upon hotel check in to cover any incidental expenses incurred during their stay.  Winner and travel companion are responsible for obtaining travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) where applicable, at their option, and hereby acknowledge that the Contest Entities have not and will not obtain or provide travel insurance or any other form of insurance.  Winner and travel companion must sign a Publicity, Liability Waiver and Travel Release form prior to traveling. If a selected event is unable to take place as scheduled, for reasons such as cancellation, preemption, postponement or unavailability, or for any reason beyond the control of the Contest Entities, the Contest Entities’ sole responsibility to a Winner will be to award the remaining available portion of the prize and no substitution will be provided for unawarded portion of prize. Tickets are subject to terms and conditions as specified by issuer.  Seat locations to be determined by Contest Entities.  Contest Entities reserve the right to remove or to deny entry to winner and/or guest if he/she engages in a disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person at the reception. b.    In the event that a prize or prize certificate is mailed to the winner, it will be with the prior written consent of the winner and therefore, winner assumes the risk of its loss.  Southwest Airlines is not responsible for the safe arrival of a prize or prize certificate.   4.   Selection of Winners   Decisions of Contest Entities management with respect to the Contest are final.   a.    The first 25 individuals to Direct Message the Southwest Airlines account on Twitter.   b.    The odds of winning are dependant on the total number of entries received.     c.    Winner need not listen or be present to win   d.    Winners must execute and return any required affidavit of eligibility and/or liability/publicity release within one (1) day of notification attempt or prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be chosen at random. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the required affidavit of eligibility and liability/publicity release within the required time period, or if a prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.   5.   Conditions   a.    Payments of all federal, state and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winners.  Winners may be required to sign an IRS Form W-9 or the equivalent.   b.    By participating in the contest, the winner or winners agree to have their name, voice, or likeness used in any advertising or broadcasting material relating to this contest without additional financial or other compensation, and, where legal, to sign a publicity release confirming such consent prior to acceptance of the prize.   c.    Prior to awarding any prize or prize certificate, Southwest Airlines in its sole discretion may require contest winners (and their travel companions, if any) to sign a liability release, agreeing to hold Southwest Airlines, CBS Radio, Southwest Airlines, its corporate licensee, and each of their parent, subsidiary and affiliated corporations, and the officers, shareholders, directors, employees, agents and representatives of each of them harmless against any and all claims or liability arising directly or indirectly from the prize or participation in the Contest.   d.    Southwest Airlines, in is sole discretion, reserves the right to disqualify any person tampering with the entry process, the operation of Southwest Airlines website or is otherwise in violation of the rules.  It further reserves the right to cancel, terminate or modify the contest if it is not capable of completion as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort.   e.    The Contest Entities reserve the right to make changes in the rules of the Contest, including the substitution of a prize or equivalent value, which will become effective upon announcement.  If due to circumstances beyond the control of Southwest Airlines, any competition or prize-related event is delayed, rescheduled, postponed or cancelled, Southwest Airlines reserves the right, but not the obligation, to cancel or modify the contest and shall not be required to award a substitute prize.   f.     Failure to comply with the Contest rules may result in a contestant’s disqualification solely at the discretion of the Contest Entities.   g.    The Contest Entities are not responsible for typographical or other errors in the printing, the offering or the administration of the Contest, or in the announcement of a prize.   h.    Copies of the written Contest rules and a list of winners (when complete) are available during regular business hours at Southwest Airlines Emerging Media 2502 Love Field Dr. Dallas, TX 75235       ... View more

  Southwest Airlines celebrated it's 38th birthday on June 18 at the New York Stock Exchange.  Take a look: http://www.nyse.com/events/1245406657390.html ... View more

Evanston, IL June 22, 2009 - A change has come to the top, the top of aviation geekdom that is. Courtney Miller, one of the daring-duo founders of the Airplane Geeks podcast (www.airplanegeeks.com) one year ago this week has produced his final show for the world famous Internet radio program as he moves on to a new job in Canada. Airplane Geeks is the always relevant look at the previous week's aviation-industry news with the occasional irreverent comment tossed in. Replacing Courtney Miller are two bloggers and podcasters already well known to Airplane Geeks listeners. Valiantly attempting to fill Court's shoes is Rob Mark, CEO of CommAvia, a commercial pilot, writer and editor of the award-winning industry blog Jetwhine.com - (www.jetwhine.com). Rob was named an Aerospace Journalist of the Year for 2009 at the Paris Air Show. Dan Webb, a sophomore at Bryant University writes the Things in the Sky Blog at (www.thingsinthesky.com). While listeners expressed sadness at Miller's decision to leave the podcast, co-host Max Flight said, "Courtney's leaving? Really?" Jetwhine editor Rob Mark said, "Although I learned quite a bit about being an airplane geek long before I met Court and Max, my daughter says I'll still fit right in." Webb added, "My coverage of both the shiny bits and the smudges within the airline industry should provide Rob and Max plenty to keep the discussion going." Some industry competitors, obviously fearing for their own jobs now that Max, Rob and Dan have teamed up, piped in with their two cents. Flightblogger's Jon Ostrower said, "The world will never be the same," while Aviation Week's high priestess of the aviation world online, Benet' Wilson, said, "I am delighted to hear that my old friend Rob Mark will become the new co-host of the Airplane Geeks podcast. His segments are sure to kill the podcast giving the rest of us a chance to do our own version of the show. Just kidding. Good luck guys." New episodes of the Airplane Geeks become available online and via RSS and iTunes each Tuesday afternoon. Airplane Geeks has also forged a new program syndication agreement with Flight Line Internet Radio - (www.flightlineinternetradio.com) - to run regular show segments. Jetwhine.com is the blog of aviation buzz and bold opinion at www.jetwhine.com. Things in the Sky can be found at www.thingsinthesky.com. Aviation Geek's Max Flight is also the host of the well-known aviation directory at www.thirtythousandfeet.com.  ... View more

  Aviation blogger/podcaster Dan Webb caught a few minutes with our CEO, Gary Kelly, at last week's AAAE convention in Philadelphia.  To hear Gary and Dan discuss fuel management, weak demand for business travel, and maintaining our Culture in tough economic times, visit Dan's blog at: http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2009/06/22/interviewing-southwest-ceo-gary-kelly/       ... View more

THE SOUTHWEST PORCH AT BRYANT PARK TO OFFER VISITORS A ONE-OF-A-KIND EXPERIENCE * * * The Plush Summer Lounge, Created by Southwest Airlines, Celebrates New Travel Service at LaGuardia Airport   NEW YORK, June 19--Southwest Airlines, the country’s largest domestic airline, has announced the opening of The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park, a brand new al fresco lounge that will provide New Yorkers and visitors alike with a fun seasonal venue to enjoy summer evenings in the center of one of New York City’s most beloved public parks.  The Porch opens to the public today—complete with porch swings, rocking chairs and Adirondack chairs— and is part of the airline’s campaign to celebrate its new service into and out of LaGuardia Airport beginning June 28th.  Southwest will offer eight daily nonstop departures for New Yorkers--five daily nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and LaGuardia and three daily nonstop departures between Baltimore/Washington and LaGuardia.   The new service at LaGuardia will create over 40 new jobs for New Yorkers—from managers and marketers to gate agents and baggage handlers.  In addition, Southwest is promoting travel and tourism to New York in print and out-of-home media, radio, on-line, in-flight and non-traditional marketing, with particular focus in Chicago and Baltimore/Washington.   Southwest is the first corporate entity to sign on to Mayor Bloomberg’s Middle School Mentorship initiative, recently announced as part of the  NYC Service campaign, and has committed its New York City based employees to participate in this mentorship program.  Southwest will partner with MS 8—New Prep Middle School in Jamaica, Queens, to provide mentors for the City’s newly launched Middle School Mentors initiative.  The Middle School Mentors initiative recognizes the middle school years as a critical time for youth and knows that mentors are a proven intervention to helping students stay connected to school and succeed.    “With the inauguration of Southwest Airlines service at LaGuardia, we are incredibly proud to be bringing the signature Southwest spirit to all New Yorkers at The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park,” said Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines.  “The unparalleled customer service in the air that our Southwest employees around the country are so well-known for will now be enjoyed at this unique outdoor venue. We hope everyone will come to relax and have fun at the Porch while enjoying our custom menu created by the incredible chefs of ‘wichcraft.”   “Creating jobs and making New York City an easier place to visit and do business is a central part of our five borough economic opportunity plan, and Southwest’s arrival at LaGuardia is a great step forward on both those fronts,” said Robert C. Lieber, New York City Deputy Mayor for Economic Development. “There’s no better time to visit New York City and experience all the wonderful cultural amenities, restaurants, shopping, neighborhoods and waterfront and now, it’s easier than ever to get here.”   Located in Bryant Park’s southwest corner, the Porch is open to all New Yorkers and visitors who simply want to relax, read, converse or have a bite and a drink.   “The new Southwest Porch at Bryant Park will offer the thousands of tourists and residents who pass by Bryant Park every day a great new place to relax and enjoy all that Midtown has to offer," said Adrian Benepe, New York City Parks & Recreation Commissioner. “This is another great example of great, free summer activities – from concerts to kayaking, we hope that all New Yorkers and visitors will have a chance to take advantage of the outdoors this season.”   “The launch of Southwest’s new service offers visitors one more easy and affordable way to travel to New York City,” said George Fertitta, CEO of NYC & Company.  “New York City provides unprecedented value to visitors of all ages and interests, and we invite everyone to experience the five boroughs this summer.”   The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park features a small bites menu in collaboration with ‘wichcraft, the popular casual eatery founded by Tom Colicchio, renowned chef and owner of the Craft family of restaurants and head judge of Bravo’s Top Chef, with partners Sisha Ortúzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky, that has been a pillar of the Bryant Park community since 2003. Menu highlights include New York Meatball Sandwich, Southwestern Pork Sandwich and Baltimore Crab Sandwich.  On tap are local beers, such as a specially brewed Southwest Summer Ale from Blue Point Brewery and selection of summer cocktails.   “On behalf of my partners Sisha Ortúzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky, we are pleased to welcome Southwest Airlines to New York City and very proud to work with them on the Southwest Porch at Bryant Park,” said Tom Colicchio, co-founder of ‘wichcraft. “For ‘wichcraft, this is a natural collaboration and a great opportunity to work with a company that cares about its customers as much as we do.  We hope our fellow New Yorkers come out to our spot in Bryant Park to put their feet up and enjoy summer in the city with a touch of Southwest’s hospitality.”   “The Porch will be an outstanding amenity available to all Bryant Park patrons,” said Daniel A. Biederman, executive director of the Bryant Park Corporation. “It’s another example of how Bryant Park continues to innovate to better serve all New Yorkers.”   The Southwest Porch at Bryant Park welcomes approximately 175 visitors to the southwest corner of Bryant Park.  The new venue is open to the public at all times, with extra services available from June 19th through mid-September, Monday through Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Fridays from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.     About ‘wichcraft   Tom Colicchio, chef and owner of the Craft family of restaurants and head judge of Bravo's Top Chef, founded 'wichcraft with partners Sisha Ortuzar and Jeffrey Zurofsky in 2003. The three had a long history of working together in fine dining restaurants such as Manhattan's top-rated Gramercy Tavern and Craft, but this collaboration was decidedly more casual. They created 'wichcraft, a sandwich service like no other.   The 'wichcraft menu includes breakfast items, sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries - all made from scratch daily. We prepare almost everything in our own kitchen, which allows us to hand pick each ingredient and ensure unparalleled quality. We slow roast, braise, and poach our sandwich meats; we hand pull mozzarella; and we bake pastries and spin ice creams each morning. Whenever possible we work with small producers, use greenmarket vegetables and serve sustainably raised meat. And when there's a great local artisanal item that just can't be improved upon it very likely may end up on the menu. Even our beverages come from companies that share our commitment to quality, including coffee from La Columbe, soda from Boylan Bottling Company and teas from In Pursuit of Tea.   About Southwest Airlines Southwest Airlines, the nation's leading low-fare carrier, continues to stand above other airlines--offering a reliable product with exemplary customer service, and no hidden fees. Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers customers a comfortable traveling experience with all premium leather seats and plenty of legroom. Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest Airlines even more convenient. Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 65 cities (adding Boston Logan in the fall) in 33 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 35,000 employees systemwide.   About Bryant Park Corporation Bryant Park Corporation (BPC), a private not-for-profit company, was founded in 1980 to renovate, finance, and operate Bryant Park in New York City. BPC is funded by income from events, concessions, and corporate sponsors, as well as an assessment on neighboring properties, and does not accept government or philanthropic monies. In addition to providing security and sanitation services, and tending the park's lush lawn and seasonal garden displays, BPC provides public amenities and activities, including movable chairs and tables, café umbrellas, restaurants, food kiosks, world-class restrooms, and a wide range of free events throughout the year. The Midtown park, conveniently located at 6th Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets, is visited by over 5 million people each year and is one of the busiest public spaces in the world.  BPC’s website, www.bryantpark.org, is available for more detailed information and a schedule of upcoming events. # # #   ... View more

via Gadling by Tom Johansmeyer on 6/19/09 When you take that early Monday morning flight, you know you're kicking off a marathon. If you're a business traveler, you'll have five days of meetings, late nights and team dinners that deprive you of sleep, push your personal relationships to the periphery and generally dominate every ounce of your life. This is the path the business traveler has chosen. So, any measures that reduce anxiety and otherwise make life easier are priceless. For me, this meant developing a pre-flight ritual that brought me a little more sleep-time, helped me remember to pack everything and ensured that I'd have nothing to worry about once I stepped out the door. To read Tom's 5 tips for successful business travel, visit:  http://www.gadling.com/2009/06/19/business-travelers-five-pre-flight-rituals/   ... View more

  AOL and Comcast Top the MSN Money 2009 Customer Service Hall of Shame   USAA, Trader Joe's and Netflix receive top customer service marks; financial institution rankings drop as discounters' and supermarkets' rankings rise during year of economic crisis. REDMOND, Wash., June 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MSN Money today released its third annual Customer Service Hall of Shame and Hall of Fame survey results, finding that as the economy worsened this past year, so did Americans' satisfaction with customer service from some of the nation's top companies. The Customer Service Hall of Shame and Fame is a collaboration of MSN Money and polling firm Zogby International, which ranked 145 companies based on consumers' customer service experiences. The survey was taken in late April 2009. (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000822/MSFTLOGO) For the second year, AOL retained its crown as consumer's top pick for worst customer service. The Internet service provider received "poor" marks on its customer service experience from nearly 45 percent of respondents. Cable provider Comcast was a close second with 41 percent of consumers rating their experience as "poor." "The annual MSN Money Hall of Shame and Hall of Fame survey gives people the opportunity to rant and rave about their retail and service experiences," said Lisa Gurry, director, MSN Division of Microsoft. "Interestingly, in this economic climate, people praised companies that deliver great value, whether it's low-cost entertainment or bulk food, while panning financial institutions." Banks and credit card issuers fared noticeably worse this year when it came to pleasing customers. Bank of America, Capital One and HSBC all made repeat appearances on the Customer Service Hall of Shame list. They were joined by the only new company on 2009's list, Citibank, which replaced Cox Communications, the only company to drop off the list. In addition to banks, telecommunication companies continued to be seen as poor customer service providers by consumers, with Sprint, Time Warner Cable and Qwest joining AOL and Comcast in the top 10. Abercrombie & Fitch was the only retailer on the list.         Customer Service Hall of Shame         No. 1  AOL         No. 2  Comcast         No. 3  Sprint         No. 4  Capital One         No. 5  Time Warner Cable         No. 6  HSBC         No. 7  Qwest         No. 8  Abercrombie & Fitch         No. 9  Bank of America         No. 10 Citigroup Doing Things Right On the flip side of the coin, discount retailers and supermarkets continued to satisfy the public with their customer service as six retailers were recognized in the Hall of Fame. Grocers, in particular, stood out -- with Trader Joe's, Publix, Whole Foods and Costco all being ranked among the nation's best companies for customer service.         Customer Service Hall of Fame         No. 1  USAA         No. 2  Trader Joe's         No. 3  Netflix         No. 4  Amazon         No. 5  Nordstrom         No. 6  Publix         No. 7  Whole Foods         No. 8  Apple Computer         No. 9  Costco         No. 10 Southwest Airlines The MSN Money-Zogby International survey listed companies in 15 industries, which also included airlines, hotels, mail delivery outfits and online service providers. Survey respondents were asked if they had experience with each company's customer service and, if so, to rate it "excellent," "good," "fair" or "poor." Companies were ranked based on the percentage of opinion responses that were "poor." Each year, companies in the Hall of Shame are given the opportunity to respond to the survey. Consumers can find full rankings and a detailed breakdown of survey results at http://money.msn.com. About MSN and Windows Live Overall, MSN, Windows Live and Microsoft.com attract more than 550 million unique users worldwide per month. With localized versions available globally in 42 markets and 21 languages, MSN is a world leader in delivering Web services to consumers and online advertising opportunities to businesses worldwide. MSN partnered with Control Room to stream Live Earth, one of the largest online entertainment events in history, with over 62 million streams worldwide. Most recently, Microsoft and BermanBraun Interactive partnered to create "Wonderwall," a new innovative entertainment and celebrity content destination from MSN.   ... View more

Our social media super star, Christi Day , is currently featured in an article in the Fashion & Style section of the New York Times. Tweeting Your Way to a Job, by By Suzanne DeChillo/The New York Times "At some companies, only those with a bold personality and a dab hand at Twitter need apply. Consider @Christi5321 or, as her friends and family know her, Christi Day, a bubbly 25-year-old specialist in emerging media at Southwest Airlines" To read more, visit: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/21/fashion/21whiz.html?_r=1     ... View more

Southwest Airlines Employee Christi Day talks with her father, Southwest Maintenance Operations Controller Steve Day, about our aircrafts’ hydraulic system. ... View more

  Houston's ABC 13 recently ran a news story featuring Southwest Airlines Captain Dick East and his efforts to support the families of the Ronald McDonald House.  To view, click HERE.  ... View more

Southwest Airlines Employee Christi Day talks with her father, Southwest Maintenance Operations Controller Steve Day, about aircraft flaps - the movable panels on the wings’ edges that extend and retract to help create “lift” during takeoff and landing. ... View more

Our first quarter 2009 earnings conference call transcript is now available at: http://www.southwest.com/investor_relations/fs_events_calendar.html ... View more

Gary Kelly, Chairman of the Board, President, and Chief Executive Officer and Laura Wright, Senior Vice President Finance and Chief Financial Officer will discuss our first quarter 2009 results on a conference call with media and financial analysts at 11:30 a.m. Eastern Time today (Thursday). While only approved media and financial analysts are able to participate in the call, if you would like to listen in, a live broadcast will be available at http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=57486.  ... View more

Southwest Airlines’ 2008 shareholder’s meeting was of the most historic in our 37 year history.  Our CEO, Gary Kelly, outlined the many challenges we would face in the coming year owing to rising fuel costs and a slowing economy.  And, our legendary co-founder and chairman of the board, Herb Kelleher, stepped down from his chairman position and officially handed over the gavel to Gary, amidst a tear-jerking tribute from our pilots. But it was a much less publicized change that captured the attention of a few curious Employees.  After nearly 30 years, long-time Southwest Leader Bob Jordan had shaved his mustache. Public Relations Manager Whitney Eichinger was greeting shareholders and media in the lobby when she first made the discovery. “Oh my gosh,” Eichinger exclaimed.  “I almost died when I saw him.  I was so excited, I had to tell someone.”  Eichinger immediately sent a text message to colleague Paula Berg who was planning to watch the shareholder’s meeting from a second floor in-circuit television. “When I read Whitney’s text, I dropped what I was doing and ran to the television to see if I could catch a glimpse” said Berg.  The shareholder’s meeting began promptly at 10:00 a.m., shortly after which, Southwest Airlines Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly asked his Executive Planning Committee to please stand.  Just as Bob Jordan turned to wave to the crowd, the camera panned by him giving many Employees their first-ever glimpse of Bob Jordan “sans stash.”    “Yatzee,” cried Berg, informing everyone in the immediate vicinity that Bob Jordan had, in fact, shaved his mustache and that she had just seen it on the screen. “My college-aged kids had both been after me for years to get rid of it,” Jordan later said, when he was accosted by Eichinger and Berg.  “It wasn't until a friend at the gym told me ‘Dude – having a moustache is like having a mullet’ that I decided to get rid of it.”   ... View more

Southwest: Row 44 is closing in on permanent authority To read more, visit: http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/runway-girl/2009/03/southwest-row-44-is-closing-in.html ... View more

Christie Volkmer and Jodi Wincheski   Southwest Airlines flight attendants Christie Volkmer and Jodi Wincheski made their last trip around the Amazing Race globe Sunday, becoming the fifth team to be axed this season. Saved from elimination last week, the duo fell behind early in India and their extra Speed Bump task certainly didn't help matters. Find out exactly how close they were to making it to Thailand, how they kept their cool and what it was really like running in Russia in a thong.  To read more, visit: http://www.tvguide.com/news/amazing-races-christie-1004316.aspx?rss=breakingnews ... View more

Southwest Airlines Co. has negotiated contracts with three unions in recent months, and each of the deals would give pay raises to employees. American Airlines Inc. doesn't have a deal with any of its three major unions as it maintains a negotiating strategy aimed at getting its expenses down and certainly not raising its unit costs. Who's got the smarter business strategy? It may not be as easy a question as it seems. To read more, visit: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/DN-airlabor_22bus.ART0.State.Edition1.4a570f7.html "Any vibrant company, the employees are there building their future. It makes no sense to me to tell all of our people that you're not ever going to get a raise. There's just no hope for you. That's silly.  If a company is successful, they ought to share in those rewards. We have always said to our employees, 'Yes, as much as we can, we're going to pay you as much as we can afford,'" -Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines Chairman, President, and CEO  ... View more

Southwest was recently named one of America’s Most Shareholder Friendly Companies by Institutional Investor Magazine.  In fact, our Company topped the list in the airlines sector based on our proactive communication.  In these tough economic times, investors need assurance about the safety of their money, and they rely on their relationship with the companies they have invested in.  So, our Company focuses on being open, responsive, and accessible to our Shareholders.  Congratulations to our Friends in our Investor Relations Department! ... View more

Southwest Airlines Cargo Honored as Airline of the Year Southwest Airlines Cargo Recognized for Excellence in Air Cargo Delivery Service DALLAS, March 17, 2009 -- Southwest Airlines Cargo is proud to announce it was recognized for its excellence in air cargo for the fifth straight year, named "Airline of the Year" by the Express Delivery & Logistics Association (XLA). "Southwest Airlines' reliable schedule and outstanding Customer Service have differentiated us from our competitors," said Matt Buckley, Southwest's Senior Director of Cargo. "We appreciate the hard work and dedication of our Cargo and Ramp Employees who go above and beyond to meet the needs of our Customers. We owe this award to them." The XLA Award is based on an annual survey of association members who use the services of commercial passenger airlines for their express deliveries around the world. Southwest took top honors in 2002, 2003, and 2005 through 2008, and finished second in the rankings in 2001 and 2004. Founded in 1976, XLA is a nonprofit association whose members include large firms with global delivery networks and smaller businesses with strong regional delivery networks. The association represents the interest of the air courier and express delivery industry by communicating positions to legislative and regulatory officials. In addition, they provide a forum for the exchange of information regarding trends and developments within the industry, and they promote the use of air courier and express services. Southwest Airlines Cargo is recognized as an industry leader, winning numerous awards for ontime performance, value, Customer Service, and communication. Southwest Airlines Cargo recently launched a redesigned website, swacargo.com, which offers easy, one-click navigation and real-time flight status, along with shipment tracking. Southwest Airlines Cargo currently serves more than 70 cities and has more than 150 million pounds of available cargo lift per month. Based in Dallas, Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) has a fleet of 500+ Boeing jets and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide. For more information, visit www.swacargo.com.                              www.southwest.com ... View more

Of the 10,000+ people attending the SXSW Interactive Festival, our very own Christi Day managed to get on TV...   http://www.kxan.com/dpp/news/sxsw_gets_interactive "It is a little overwhelming, people with a lot of ideas, people sharing, networking.  It's just a lot to take in, but it's also extremely enjoyable." -Christi Day, Southwest Airlines Emerging Media Team ... View more

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES IS THE OFFICIAL AIRLINE OF LATINO BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL CONNECTION MINNEAPOLIS, MN- March 12, 2009 – The Latino Business & Professional Connection, (LBPC) announced today that Southwest Airlines has become the official airline of the organization.  This announcement was done during the LBPC monthly event held at the Ordway Center for the performing arts in Minneapolis.  “Southwest Airlines is proud to announce this partnership with the Latino Business & Professional Connection,” said Lidia Martinez, corporate community affairs manager for Southwest Airlines. “We believe in being part of the economic growth of this great city and support the Latino community that’s making a difference.” As the Official Airline of LBPC, Southwest Airlines will support their marketing and advertising efforts with promotions and travel throughout the year. The pieces will include print and online advertising, e-mail marketing, as well as contests, giveaways and special LBPC-specific discounts off Southwest Airlines for LBPC members. "LBPC is very excited about this partnership and Southwest Airlines' recognition of our efforts to increase the knowledge and presence of Latino professional and business in Minnesota." said Jim Carlson, LBPC Founder. "This partnership is the first of its kind for LBPC and will enable us to focus our resources on the planning and execution of these monthly events." The Latino Business and Professional Connection was founded in 2008 and has a distribution list of over 6,000 members.  The mission of this organization is to build an up-scale business network that reaches business & professionals from all industries and brings them together under one roof to achieve the most powerful business event between Latinos and non-Latinos business & professional groups. For more information please visit www.latinobpc.com. After 38 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Southwest Airlines is the most productive airline in the sky and offers Customers a comfortable traveling experience.  Southwest recently updated its gate areas and improved its boarding procedure to make flying Southwest convenient and simple.  Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves 65 cities in 33 states.  Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has more than 35,000 Employees systemwide.  For the lowest fares and no hidden fees visit: www.southwest.com ... View more