If you’re lucky enough to be traveling this winter season, you might find yourself bogged down with some heavy baggage: skis, boots, and poles, perhaps? 

Unless you’re living under a rock, you’ve probably noticed other airlines charging an arm and a leg for you to fly with your bags—let alone your sports equipment.

I don’t want to brag (who am I kidding, of course I do!) but Southwest Airlines lets skis fly free, along with a whole lot of other sports equipment.  Of course, all that “size and weight” stuff does apply, so be sure to read the fine print.

To get the word out about our “skis fly free” policy, we’re asking YOU to tell us a reason why “You’d Rather Be Skiing than Working.” Submit your entry to @SouthwestAir via Twitter using the #Skiswa hash tag or here in the comments section of this blog.  

If your reason is funny enough to be selected the winner, you will receive two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines and an ’09 – ’10 EPIC Season Pass from Vail Resorts, which gives you a full season of phenomenal skiing at six of the finest mountains on the planet: Vail, Beaver Creek, Heavenly, Breckenridge, Keystone and Arapahoe Basin--with no restrictions and no black-out dates. Go to epicpass.com to learn more or follow @Snowdotcom on Twitter. 

Southwest Airlines will have a panel of highly-qualified comedians and ski bums select the winner.

You know you’d rather be skiing than sitting at your desk, so let us know why now!  Contest ends Sunday, November 22, at 12:00 noon CST.

CONTEST RULES

“I’d Rather Be Skiing”

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 “I’d Rather Be Skiing” (“Contest”) will begin on or around 11 a.m. CT on Wednesday, November 18, 2009 and will end on or around 12 p.m. on Sunday, November 22, 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:

Sumbit a reason why you’d rather be skiing than working via Southwest Airlines Twitter account @SouthwestAir using the hashtag “#skiswa”  or in the comments section of Nuts About Southwest blog post on the subject.  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. 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.   One (1) First Prize: The winner will receive one Epic Ski Pass and two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines.  (Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): $1,300) 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 top reason why you’d rather be skiing than working. Southwest Airlines panel of judges from the Communications department will select the winning reason.

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, 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 canceled, 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