Southwest is the family friendly airline, literally. I am a third generation "Day" here at Southwest. In total, five of us in the Day family have the SOUTHWEST SPIRIT. My dad, Steve, started the Southwest employment trend in 1988 as a Dallas Line Mechanic. One year later my cousin, Rusty, started working as a Houston Line Mechanic. My Granddaddy Bill decided to make it a trio in 1991 in Houston Maintenance. The last of the handymen, Uncle Randy, started working for Southwest in 1995. I started working at Southwest last March, completing a "full work week" of Days.
There are a few advantages to being part of a little family within the big Southwest Family:
- The highly skilled Mechanics of my family saved me a ton of money in college by keeping my old 96' Camaro in repair.
- On my first day of work I had no idea what A/C meant – easily explained by 20 year WN veteran dad. (It's aircraft, not air conditioning!)
- I grew up with the Dallas Maintenance guys looking over me. Many of them came to TCU Football Games, family weddings, lake house outings, golf tournaments, and they've met a few boyfriends through the years.
- There is usually at least one Southwest shirt, jacket, or ball cap at every family function.
- You can always find a buddy pass
Now, my dad and my uncle work on the floor right below me in Maintenance Control (when I was little it was the Dutycenter). Uncle Rusty works across the street in DAL MX, and Granddaddy is retired. Maybe someday we will be the Seven Days of Southwest.
