Southwest Airlines Community

We like to think every seat has a story. Whether it be your first flight, a fun on-board birthday, or a simple heartfelt moment you've experienced while in the air, we want to hear it! The Southwest Airlines Community is the place for you, Customers and Employees, to share your tips, stories, and pictures with the rest of the Southwest Family. Here are a couple of stories we've recieved lately:   Adventures with My Brothers I recently had an opportunity to meet Dave Ross from the Chicago Cubs. My brothers are HUGE Cubs fans, but they all live in Colorado, so I printed out pictures of them to take along to the Dave Ross event. Then, I decided that I could have all kinds of fun with my "brothers," so I have been dressing them up and taking them on outings and posting our fun. In two weeks, to celebrate my 50th birthday, I am visiting them in Colorado, so I will give them their virtual counterparts. But before I turn them over, I have to make the most of every moment! —Maryco2000             Flying High, Riding High As a race car driver, I have enjoyed bonding with my 3-year-old son Pasha, as he races his Strider Balance Bike at the Strider Cup Races. We’ve flown Southwest to Pittsburgh, PA, and Lincoln, NE, and will head to Salt Lake City, UT, for the Strider Cup World Championship on July 21-22, where riders are coming in from around the world. We’re excited to see how Pasha stacks up against the speedy Japanese racers! All are new cities for us to explore, so besides the racing action, we get to see the local sites.   Thanks, Southwest, for giving us the opportunity to have fun, visit new places and promote a healthy lifestyle for our son! —N_Ali    ... View more

“I love talking to Customers and hosting them in my living room in the sky.”                                                                                  —Laurie Liss, Flight Attendant     Whenever Customers meet Flight Attendant Laurie Liss, they experience true Southwest Hospitality. Along with anticipating Customers’ needs, Laurie gives handmade travel pillows to active military members and veterans. When she flies, she carries a dozen of them in her bag. In November, Laurie will be a part of Operation Freedom Bird, a trip bringing Vietnam veterans on a healing journey to Washington, D.C. Laurie also participates in local projects to make superhero capes for kids with medical conditions. Thank you, Laurie, for being an example of a true Servant’s Heart.    Life Lessons “I’ve learned that you get back what you put in. Even small gestures can make a big difference in a Customer’s day.”   All for One “Every day we have the chance to show Customers that Southwest is made up of individual Employees who care.”   Small World “When I gave a pillow to a group of veterans in the gate area, I learned they were going to Phoenix to play bingo with other World War II veterans. They told me about a 92-year-old friend who could still fit in her uniform! I realized I knew who they were talking about: I had the pleasure of meeting Rose on an Honor Flight a few months prior.”     ... View more

      Year/semester of internship:  Spring 2015 and summer 2016   Department/Team interned for:  Marketing and Revenue Management   Department/Team and current job title:  Revenue Management; Market Strategy Yield Analyst   Years at Southwest:  One   Favorite Southwest city:  Denver   Most memorable Southwest moment/event: My sister is a Flight Attendant, and I had the opportunity to fly on a flight she was working. I love that we are both a part of the Southwest Family.   First ever job:  I saddled horses for the summers at a guided horseback riding business starting when I was 12.    Proudest Southwest moment: Presenting to the VP and other department Leaders on an innovative project that my Team member and I built from the ground up. It has been so rewarding watching an application be adopted into everyday use and seeing the positive revenue impact for the Company.   Words to live by: The future belongs to those who dream big.   Reasons other people should intern at Southwest:  You’ll gain irreplaceable skills to apply to your professional career, create unforgettable memories,  and gain lifelong friends along the way!   Ultimate Travel Tip: Always have a backup plan for your backup plan. ... View more

Tiffanie Reschke is a teacher within the Chicago Public Schools. After several trips to Africa, Tiffanie realized she wanted to become a foster mom. Along the way, at only 26 years old, Tiffanie decided to adopt Leo. Just a few days after Leo turned four, Tiffanie officially became Leo’s guardian. But it wasn’t the only surprise for them this year—on Dec. 22, 2016, KiSS-FM Radio in Chicago brought Santa to their house!   Tiffanie and Leo meeting Santa   Tiffanie wrote a letter to Fred and Angi on KISS-FM for their KISSmas Wish, explaining that Leo had never experienced Christmas before. Her wish was granted when the radio crew, dressed up as Santa and his reindeer, brought over Christmas gifts to surprise Leo.   Southwest Employee James Goodman heard Tiffanie’s story on the radio and decided he could help. Part of Tiffanie’s wish was to fly to Denver so that her newly adopted son could meet the rest of his family for the Holiday.   “I was feeling extremely emotional that day and I was determined to get them to Denver for Christmas,” James said. “So I immediately called my Coworker, Michaeline, and said, ‘We need to make this happen!’”   Tiffanie checking in at the Southwest counter After a few calls with some of his Southwest contacts and with the help of his Coworker, Michaeline Johnson, James managed to get some tickets.   Both Michaeline and James had planned to welcome Tiffanie and Leo at the airport, but as the day came closer to the flight, James fell ill and was not able to go.“They called me from the airport to say thank you and I immediately burst into tears because I felt like we had done something for someone that meant the world to them!” James said. “It was an easy phone call for us, but it meant more to Tiffanie and her family than anything else that day.”         As Tiffanie and Leo got ready to take off on their Holiday journey, Michaeline and other Southwest Employees planned more surprises to make the experience memorable. Tiffanie and Leo received special attention during their flight, including a tour of the cockpit.   “On that day, I was happy to feel like we did something spectacular and made someone’s wish come true for Christmas!” James said. “I try to find ways to do something for others every Christmas and this was bigger than me and it felt good!”           Thank you to the Southwest Employees who made this family’s Christmas wish come true and shared some of the Christmas Spirit and LUV with our Customers.   Tiffany & Leo, Have a wonderful flight!! LUV, MDW Provisioning     Leo in the cockpit!   ... View more

Whether they experienced a special birthday onboard Southwest or were just inspired by our LUVing colors, Customers have shared their memorable Southwest birthdays with us!   Southwest Birthday Candles   I was flying back from Las Vegas to Louisville, KY with a connecting flight when the flight crew on both flights recognize me for my birthday and had the passengers sang happy birthday to me.  On the second flight, we were cleared to land in Louisville, nearly 7,000 feet above the ground, when a Flight Attendant announced a special person on the airplane who was celebrating a birthday, naming my seat number.  Then, he had all 151 Passengers pulled their shades down, turn off the service lights until it was dark, and click on their service lights, which was a pretty sight within itself.  Those lights acted like candles. He told me to count to three, take a deep breathe, and make a wish while blowing my "candles." When I blew, all the call lights turned off as if I just had blown out candles. In addition, they presented me a bottle of Champagne.  I will cherish this moment. Little acts of kindness like that is why I consider you all the best airline to fly.  Thanks so much for making this a birthday I will always remember.    — Uncle-Norman, Southwest Customer     Southwest Birthday Cake   We took our son Cadel on his very first plane ride this past October for a family vacation. We live rather close to an airport, so we had previously spent many afternoons watching Southwest planes take off and land. His first plane ride, round trip, was fantastic! We thought he was going to be scared, but he loved it and he always lets people know he rode in a SWA plane when he sees one in the sky.   For his 5th birthday he asked for a plane cake that looked like the one he rode on when we took him on vacation. Thankfully, we have a family friend who is a fantastic baker and who agreed to take on the project. As you can tell she did a phenomenal job and even gave his plane a personalized tail number—C2112T: His birthday date and his initials. Everyone asked if my husband or I worked for Southwest and/or why he wanted a cake like that. We don't work for Southwest, so his experience with Southwest just left a positive print in his mind!   Thanks for making our sons first flight so memorable! He loved his flight and he loved his cake!  —JTremont, Southwest Customer     Cake Credit: www.thesweetartist.com  ... View more

If you’re looking to get away for a few days or even a week, there are always places to go and experiences to be had—especially when you get to visit one Southwest’s 99 cities across the United States and 10 additional countries! Nobody knows a city and its hidden gems better than the Employees who live and work there. Check out a few of our Employees' favorite places in the Phoenix area and share your hidden gems in our comment section below!   Overview of Phoenix with the iconic Camelback Mountain in the background. Heard Museum, Desert Botanical Garden, Heritage Square, Phoenix Art Museum, South Mountain Park, North Mountain Preserve and Shaw Butte, Taliesin West, Mystery Castle, Papago Park              Interested in sharing your travel inspiration? Leave a comment below or visit our Travel Inspiration Discussion Forum to share your knowledge with Southwest Customers.    Like Ol' Times Old Town Scottsdale is a wonderful place for locals and tourists alike. There are wonderful, hard to find local restaurant gems like The House Brasserie, Cafe Monarch, and Virtu. There’s also my favorite Italian restaurant in Phoenix, Italian Grotto, which has been in Scottsdale for 30 years and is run by a bunch of guys from Bronx, New York … like me! But if you’re looking for a wonderful dessert place, head on over to Sugar Bowl. This old-style ice cream shop has been around since the 1950s and has even been featured in the cartoon strip Family Circus, as the cartoon’s creator—Bill Keane—used to bring his kids there! Old Town is a “can’t miss” for food and entertainment!   —Bill O’Neil, Chief Pilot   Old Town Scottsdale cowboy sign in historic shopping district Scottsdale Arizona The Scenic Route West Fork Trail is one of the most beautiful hikes on Earth. Not that I'm a huge hiker, it's just that this area is so scenic ... I love to share it with visitors. The West Fork Trail is in Oak Creek Canyon, near Sedona, Arizona—an easy two-hour drive north of Phoenix. The trail is an easy hike that crosses a stream at least 13 times as it winds through this wooded canyon. The canyon is surrounded by beautiful red rocks and red cliffs. The trail is dog friendly too. Our dogs absolutely love playing in the water. To quench your thirst after the hike, there are tons of outdoor breweries and wine bars a few miles down the road in Sedona.   —Nancy Martin-Belitz, Captain   Oak Creek Canyon along the West Fork trail, Arizona Floating Down the River Two places that my entire family really enjoys here in Phoenix are Lake Pleasant and the Salt River. The biggest misconception about our desert is the lack of water, but Phoenix actually has four major lakes with plenty of water sports to enjoy. Living on the north side of Phoenix, we frequent Lake Pleasant nearly every week during the summer. It has two large marinas and two restaurants where you can dock your boat. It has house boat rentals, jet skis, fishing guides, and booze cruises on a nightly basis. Lake Pleasant also has a biology and ecology center for our local elementary schools to explore.   Another fantastic summer tradition is floating down the Salt River on tubes. All you do is take in the sun, enjoy the cool water, and float for several hours with family and friends down the river. It’s always a great time and is very relaxing. Those are just a couple of fantastic summer gems we have here in beautiful Phoenix.   —Todd Watts, Captain   Lake Pleasant, Arizona Copyright : William Merrill Copyright : Samuel Spicer  Copyright : Roger Siljander ... View more

This month, we had the great honor of carrying an incredible man onboard our aircraft.  WWII Tuskegee Airman Pilot Colonel Charles McGee, 97, flew with Southwest Airlines from Baltimore to Las Vegas before continuing on to Honolulu to speak at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor.   Col. McGee fought in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and holds the record for the highest three-war total of fighter combat missions of any pilot in the United States Air Force history. Col. McGee began his military service as one of the Tuskegee Airmen in the 332 nd  Fighter Group.   Jacqueline Johnson-Robertson, Southwest Airlines Customer Service Supervisor in Baltimore shared her experience of meeting Col. McGee:   It was a pleasure for us to assist Col. McGee. I met Col. McGee when he was dropping his bag in the baggage drop off area. He walked up to the CSAs with his bag already tagged, license out, boarding pass in hand and ready to proceed to his gate. I said, “Mr. McGee we have been waiting for you,” and he started smiling. That is when an announcement was made at the ticket counter recognizing Col. McGee for his service to our country. He was saluted by the all the Customers and Employees and received a lot of handshakes.  Col. McGee was very sharp and spry, but what most stood out to me was how sweet and humble he was.   BWI Employees meet Col. McGee   The Tuskegee Airmen were pioneers who fought racial prejudices to fly and fight for their country during WWII. Col. McGee’s career in the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Air Force spanned 30 years and 3 wars, where he flew 409 aerial combat missions. During his military career, Col. McGee was awarded the Legion of Merit with Cluster, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Bronze Star and the Air Medal (twenty-five times).   It’s no surprise that 400 guests were at the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor to pay tribute to Col. McGee and all of the Tuskegee Airmen.  Thank you, Col. McGee, for your heroic military service and for all you’ve done and continue to do to promote equality.   ... View more