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Going Green: It's Electric, Southwest!

minnis
Adventurer B

Did you know Southwest Airlines has an industry leading program with our electric ground support equipment?  It’s pretty amazing to think that we have more than 1,150 pieces of cleaner-burning GSE in our fleet.  We do buy new electric equipment to enter new markets such as GSP, CHS, and EWR, but did you know we have a small but mighty shop in PHX that works to convert diesel burning GSE to electric?  No?  Well this video is going to show and tell you about the great work this group does.  Our electric GSE conversions were some of the first in the airline industry, and our GSE Mechanics at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport can convert up to four belt loaders or two pushback tractors to electric power each month, depending on the availability of supplies.  Since the upgraded GSE are converted rather than new, GSE operators don’t need to be retrained—only reminded at first to plug in the electric GSE at the end of a shift.  Because environmentally responsible decisions make good business sense, these conversions not only positioned Southwest Airlines as a sustainable innovator in GSE, but have also saved us millions in new equipment costs. Mechanics in Phoenix can convert an older unit into a virtually new unit for less than a quarter of the cost of a new piece of equipment. These conversions also cut costs by lengthening the lifespan of aging GSE by a decade and benefit the environment through fuel savings and emissions reductions.  So, take a look at the video, marvel at how innovative Southwest and our Employees are, and give a shout out to this great team in PHX!

 

 

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