Southwest Sends Kidd's Kids to Disney World

By: Brandy King

At Southwest, we always jump at the opportunity to be part of a good cause, and there is nothing better than sending kids to Disney World--the Happiest Place on Earth! For the fourth consecutive year, Southwest Airlines has partnered with radio deejay Kidd Kraddick’s charity, Kidd’s Kids, by loaning him one of our Southwest jets to send more than 50 deserving families to Disney World in Orlando for a fantastic four-day adventure.

The trip allows children with special medical needs to take a break from their daily stresses and enjoy a family getaway. The charter flight departed Dallas at noon yesterday on a special plane donning the Kidd’s Kids decal. Of course, every event at Southwest is a cause for celebration, so we made sure they started their trip off right by throwing a “Southwest style” party that included a visit from the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, plenty of food, games, and souvenir photo buttons. After boarding the plane, Employees gave our little heroes a special Southwest send-off with waves and cheers as they departed on the trip of a lifetime.  

We are so thankful and honored that the Kidd Kraddick Morning show allows us to be a part of this annual event, and a special "thank you" to our Flight Crew who donated their time as well.

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Tags: Brandy King Kidd Kraddick Kidd's Kids

Southwest Sends Kidd's Kids to Disney World was written on Nov 06,2009 at 05:12pm and posted in the categories Southwest Culture

Family Roots of the Archival Kind

By: Brian Lusk - Manager of Online Relationships & Special Projects

I had written this before breaking my arm on vacation.  Even though I am still recuperating, I would like to thank Marie and Tiffany while the visit is still somewhat fresh.

--Broken Arm Blog Boy

It seems like my life at Southwest Airlines primarily consists of this blog, but I do have other duties.  One of those duties is very close to my heart, and also very exciting, as I try to corral all of our archival materials.  When I uncover something rare--like the pictures of our one-year anniversary celebration--I like to share them with everyone else who is "Nuts About Southwest."  I admit that I am not a professional  archivist, but those who know me will say I do have a great grasp of, and respect for, our history and airline history in general.

Since I am not an archivist, I ask questions of those who are.  You may remember the post from our Intern, Sarah Arriaga, who worked with me this past summer. I also love reading history posts on other blogs.  One of my favorite locations in the blogosphere is Delta's blog on Fridays.  That's  when their archivist, Marie  Force, shares a treasure from the  Delta archives on their blog.   (Here's where I have to add a disclaimer in that I worked for Delta for 18 1/2 years in what seems like a long time ago.)  Among those treasures have been posts about being a flight attendant on DC-3's and a recent post about the Delta's introduction of jets with the world's first scheduled DC-8 flight on September 18, 1959, which was also my seventh birthday.

Marie was gracious enough to take time out of her busy schedule recently to meet with me in the Archive area of the Delta Museum in Atlanta, and to answer my many, many questions.  She showed me how they log and catalog new items, many of which are donations from current and former Delta folks--the archives and museum is an independent nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.  The archives consist of five major collections, corporate records (inclcuding Delta Founder C.E. Woolman's letters), art (original art works, etc), print (company and industry publications), media (audio tapes, photos, etc) and objects (furniture, signs, and 2,000 uniform pieces).  These artificats reflect not only Delta but the airlines that make up today's Delta:  Chicago and Southern, Northeast, Western (and its component airlines), and Northwest (which includes Republic, which in turn included another Atlanta airline, Southern Airways). The photo below shows the area with new items yet to be worked.

The breadth of the collection is amazing, and I'd give anything to have our Southwest archives as well orgranized and as centrailized as Marie's efforts, but I think we will get there eventually.  After lunch, Tiffany Meng, gave me a tour of the Museum itself, which is housed in Delta's two original Atlanta hangars.  The first hangar contains a full-size reproduction of Delta's original home in Monroe, Louisiana. 

It also consists of three airplanes, a Stinson Travel Air (which was used during the airline's 75th anniversary to recreate Delta's first flight from Dallas to Birmingham), a Stinson Reliant which belonged originally to Northeast Airlines, and one of Delta's original DC-3s, which was returned from Puerto Rico and restored to flying condition by a team of volunteers.  Inside Hangar One is also part of the fuselage of the Lockheed TriStar prototype, which contains the museum store.

When we turned the corner into the second hangar, there was "my history," and it was an emotional event for me...and one I hadn't expected.  Hangar Two houses Boeing 767-232 N102DA.  This was Delta's first 767 and the airplane that I, along with the other Delta employees, purchased and donated to the airline. It has been repainted into it's original The Spirit of Delta livery, and it looks spectacular. 

I felt the same surge of pride that I had when the aircraft made its first trip to Portland.  Alone in the hangar with Spirit, I had an urge to start organizing the ramp for unloading and loading.  Moving inside the cabin, the galleys, some of the lavatories, the cockpit, first class cabin, and forward coach cabin have been left intact.  The aft cabin contains a conference room that is rented out to various groups for meetings, and the rest of the cabin contains exhibits about Delta's history and the history of the airplane.

On my drive back to Birmingham from Atlanta, I had the time to reflect upon my visit, and I realize how much I use everything I learned at Delta in my daily job here at Southwest.  But seeing The Spirit of Delta reminded me most of the people with whom I worked at Delta.  This includes those who also made the switch to Southwest; those who left us far too early in life; those who taught me how to organize a gate, those who taught me how to bend the rules in favor of a Customer, and those who shared stories of a time when airplanes had props.  My Delta history is part of who I am, and I am proud of it.  I firmly believe that it has made me a better Southwest Employee. 

A huge thank you goes to Marie and Tiffany for their hospitality and assistance, and I hope that I can repay the favor.

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Tags: archives History Southwest Airlines

Family Roots of the Archival Kind was written on Nov 06,2009 at 03:36pm and posted in the categories Under the hood and Working at Southwest

Behind Spirit’s November Issue

By: Jay Heinrichs - Editorial Director Southwest Airlines Spirit

Want to know my favorite part of Southwest’s Spirit magazine? You don’t? Well, I can’t resist telling you anyway: It’s the upfront section called “The Numbers.” In the November issue, we learn the following very important stats:

You use 100% of your brain.
New Orleans was the No. 1 fast-growing city last year.
We flub 6% of all spoken words.
The average American keeps a car for 56 months.
17% of us respond to spam.

The editor who digs that stuff up, Mike Darling, says the hardest part of doing that department is getting genuine, verifiable information. “You don’t just Google this stuff,” he says. “I try to keep up on the latest research. And I read a lot.” And boy, does he know a lot.

The department getting the most raves from readers, though, is our Life Apps section—sort of like iPhone apps, only on paper. The art staff keeps coming up with new apps, like the Agonizer (on health), Gridifier, Snackatron, and Drinkatron. The Drinkatron was originally called “Cocktail,” but when we created the new Life Apps section, we didn’t have anyplace to put that page. So Brody Price came up with an amazing infographic that shows you at a glance how to mix a drink. Other magazines are already plagiarizing it. We’re deeply honored.

We also have a fairly new department called Business Idea. I usually write it myself, but this time I managed to foist it onto a better writer: Chris McDougall, author of the current smash bestseller Born to Run. If you watch Jon Stewart, you may have seen Chris talking about his book—a mix of adventure tale, exposé (about running shoes), and hilarious personal health story. You have got to read this book, and not just because Chris wrote the story for me for free (because I’m supposed to write the column, there was no budget to pay him).

But our cover package is all about winter and why it should be your favorite season. OK, maybe not your favorite, but a cut above fall. You’ll love Nat Reade’s sweet, funny story about organizing a family Olympics in Lake Placid. “We are no longer your parents,” Nat told his two young boys. “We are your opponents. And we are going to crush you like bugs!”

Doesn’t that just warm your heart?

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Tags: Jay Heinrichs November Spirit magazine

Behind Spirit’s November Issue was written on Nov 05,2009 at 01:03pm and posted in the categories Under the hood

Recycled Edition: If You Wear Out This Planet, Where Are You Going To Live?

By: Steve Heaser - Sr. Multimedia Specialist

While our resident podcaster, Steve Heaser, takes some much-needed time off, we took the liberty of "recycling" his podcast all about, well, recycling.

 

This episode of Red Belly Radio is all about the new recycling effort that Southwest Airlines has launched. This is by far the biggest and most wide-spread recycling effort in our history.

The event kicked off with the distribution of blue recycle bins for everyone who works in our headquarters. Our partner, Allied Waste, was on hand to explain recycling to Employees and also held a contest to guess how many pounds were in a “bale” of aluminum—pictured right. Using the comments section, guess how much that thing weighs. I’ll put the answer in a comment in a couple of days.

I speak with Marilee McInnis, from the Southwest Airlines Green Team, Mitzi Green (her real last name, not some recent environment stunt) who manages our facility maintenance at our headquarters campus, and Eileen Wargo from Allied Waste.

This is about Phase I, so look for more recycling efforts systemwide and on Southwest planes as the different phases roll out.

to listen to the podcast: click here.

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Tags: Podcast recycle Red Belly Radio Steve Heaser

Recycled Edition: If You Wear Out This Planet, Where Are You Going To Live? was written on Nov 04,2009 at 12:58pm and posted in the categories Southwest Culture and Working at Southwest

WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR $100?

By: Alice Wilson

If skydiving from a plane in a chicken suit, arm-wrestling a polar bear, or simply drinking milk through your nose is the kind of talent you possess, we have a contest just for you.  We want to put your talent to the test and see what crazy things you would do for $100!

As you know, other airlines charge up to $100 roundtrip for the first and second checked bags.  At Southwest Airlines, we understand the value of a dollar, and we allow our Customers to keep that hard-earned money.  What would YOU do with the money you save flying Southwest? Create a 60-second video to showcase what outlandish things you would do for $100, and be entered to win some fabulous prizes!

Judging will be based on the following qualities:
• Creativity and Originality: 20%
• Entertaining: 25%
• Southwest Appeal: 35% video should reflect our Culture and Fun-LUVing Attitude.
• Appropriateness to Subject Matter (What Would You Do For $100): 20%

So put on your creative caps, make a video about what you would do for $100, and upload your video to the Contest section on the Bags Fly Free tab on our Facebook fan page (http://www.facebook.com/Southwest?v=app_158052684323&ref=ts).  Please see Official Rules for file type and length requirements.  The full contest rules are available on the Facebook page at: http://www.southwest.com/whatwouldyoudo/.

Need some inspiration?  Check out a few of the contest submissions that have already been submitted to the Facebook page!

A panel of judges from both Southwest and our agencies will award FOUR lucky winners (and three guests each) one of four vacation packages:  Ski Package for four to Salt Lake City; Las Vegas Package for four; Walt Disney World Package for four; and a Golf Package for four to Phoenix.  The contest is currently open and will run through 11:00 a.m. CST on November 16, 2009.  Submit your video TODAY!

 

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Tags: Alice Wilson Bags Fly Free Contests Facebook

WHAT WOULD YOU DO FOR $100? was written on Nov 04,2009 at 11:04am and posted in the categories Nutty stuff

Southwest Recognized for its Corporate Social Responsibility

By: Ashley Rogers - Public Relations Coordinator

Southwest Airlines has a long-standing history of being a good corporate neighbor. We try to “Share the Spirit” in all the 68 cities we serve; it’s something we’ve done from the very beginning. Since 1971, Southwest has built a reputation for supporting the needs of our communities, and it’s always nice to be recognized for our achievements.

Southwest Airlines was recently listed on the Top 50 Companies Recognized as Leaders in Corporate Social Responsibility. The Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship and Reputation Institute’s 2009 CSR Index captured the public’s perception of more than 200 companies. We were fortunate to make the list among some other great companies.

Here’s what they say about us:

“While the overall reputation of the American business sector has been tarnished with a broad brush, many individual companies still stand as our responsible leaders in the eyes of the public,” said Chris Pinney, director of research and policy at the Boston College Center for Corporate Citizenship. “To build a reputation as a leader in corporate social responsibility, companies should focus on strong governance practices, positive working conditions, and a commitment to supporting the needs of communities and the environment.”

Our nearly 35,000 Employees display their Servant’s Hearts daily and it shows! Way to go, Southwest! To find out more about what we’re doing at Southwest to be a good neighbor, visit www.southwest.com/cares

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Southwest Recognized for its Corporate Social Responsibility was written on Nov 03,2009 at 02:51pm and posted in the categories Working at Southwest

It's On, Wisconsin!

By: Lindsey Reynolds - Emerging Media Specialist

While most of you were trick-or-treating this Halloween weekend, Southwest Employees have been spreading their Positively Outrageous Service in "Beertown"--that is, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The ferry flight from Dallas took flight on Halloween day, and was greeted with that famous "Midwestern Nice" upon arrival in Milwaukee.

From there our troop of fabulous volunteers went to the local Ronald McDonald House.

Employees from our Dallas Headquarters, Milwaukee station, and even our Rapping Flight Attendant (David Holmes himself!) decorated pumpkin, cookies, and spread good cheer to one of Southwest's beloved charities.

Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful in Milwaukee, so what better way to kick off one of the most anticipated games of the season than with a 1000+ of your closest friends? Southwest Employees, Customers, and social media fans were invited to an outdoor "tailgate" in McKinley Park to watch the Green Bay Packers take on the Minnesota Vikings.  Although the game didn't go quite as our Customers would have liked (thanks, Brett Favre!), we still had quite a bash serving out brats, burgers, and (of course) beer!

As our 68th city in our 35th state, "Beertown" greeted Southwest with open arms when we arrived. I know I speak for all of Southwest when I say we're so happy to finally call Milwaukee "home."

 

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Tags: Brad Hawkins MKE Tailgate Wisconsin

It's On, Wisconsin! was written on Nov 02,2009 at 11:42am and posted in the categories Airports

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" Why, he's no witch at all!

By: Lindsey Reynolds - Emerging Media Specialist

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home, there's no place like..." Southwest on Halloween! Yup, Gary Kelly surprised us all when he showed up at our Headquarters in Dallas dressed as Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz."

Of course, you can't have Dorothy without the entire posse, so the Executive Office is represented by the Tin Man, Scarecrow, Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West, a flying monkey, and even a Munchkin!

My favorite part had to be Toto in his specialty SWA-approved pet carrier. That's right, pets CAN NOW fly on Southwest, and what better way to get the word out about our new P.A.W.S. (Pets Are Welcome on Southwest) program?

So click your ruby slippers, close your eyes, and follow the yellow brick road. Happy Halloween to all!

The entire cast of "The Wizard of Oz."

Dorothy/Gary smiles for the camera.

Herb, dressed as a biker dude, is frightened by Toto.

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Tags: Gary Kelly Halloween

"Are you a good witch or a bad witch?" Why, he's no witch at all! was written on Oct 30,2009 at 05:05pm and posted in the categories Nutty stuff and Southwest Culture

Southwest is a Great Place to Work!

By: Jeff Lamb - Senior Vice President of Administration & Chief People Officer

I was reminded the other day by an Employee at a local blood bank about one of the best things about working at Southwest Airlines.  She was describing her recent change in employment and said, “I’ve been here three months and I STILL love my job.”  That really stuck with me.  

A small testimony to that fact was confirmed today at The Dallas Morning News "Best Place To Work" luncheon.  Southwest Airlines received second place honors as the "Best Place to Work in the Metroplex".  Although this is a local award, it really is an honor for the work environment that ALL of our Employees create because they LUV working here, LUV working with each other, and LUV serving our 90 million+ Customers across 68 cities.

I am so proud of our People and this honor, in part because Dallas/Fort Worth has such a large number of really great places to work, and in part because we have persevered through one of the toughest economic environments in history.  The great attitudes of our Employees give each other energy and optimism to see us through the difficult times.  Another great honor we received was for our CEO, Gary Kelly.  He was named by The Dallas Morning News as "The Best CEO" (for companies with more than 500 Employees).

Congratulations to our Employees and to all the other "Best Place to Work" companies in Dallas/Fort Worth.

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Tags: Best Place To Work Dallas Dallas Morning News Jeff Lamb

Southwest is a Great Place to Work! was written on Oct 29,2009 at 01:06pm and posted in the categories Southwest Culture

An Optimized Halloween

By: Millie Richter - Employee Communications Specialist

In case you haven’t seen the other blog posts, Halloween isn’t just a big deal here at Southwest Airlines—it’s ginormous!  At our Headquarters here in Dallas, various departments plan decorations and practice skits for months...and the competition is always fierce. 

For the third year in a row, I am charged with organizing Southwest’s Halloween festivities.  It starts with securing outside judges, and ends with escorting the judging entourage—including Gary and other members of Southwest’s Executive Office—from skit to skit.  Given that the hallways are as crowded as a busy interstate during a rainy rush hour, this is no easy feat.  

But the hardest part of Halloween planning is determining the Halloween performance and judging schedule.  In years past, it took me a couple thousand post-it notes and the better part of a day to accomplish this hefty task.  After all, we need a schedule that allows the skits to be timed so people can see most, if not all, of the skits and department walk-throughs.  AND the judging schedule must be designed to flow flawlessly throughout the building and allow enough travel time between performances.  

As this year’s festivities approached, all of Bill Owen’s Schedule Optimization blog posts came rushing back to me.  Surely if Southwest’s Schedule Planning Team can get our 3,200 flights a day organized, they could help me with this year's eight skits and six walk-throughs.  With the help of Kerry Jackson in the People Department, I was put into contact with Southwest's Director of Network Strategic Planning: Lee Lipton. 

After our initial meeting, Kerry and Lee were jazzed about the project, and assured me they and the Optimizer program could definitely create a schedule to meet my needs.  A couple of days later, the following color-coded spreadsheet was in my hot little hands.  Total time to create this work of art: one hour.  Without a doubt, with regards to Schedule Planning, the Optimizer kicks my butt.  But the real winners are the Employees and guests that now have a great day ahead of them.   Happy Optimized Halloween—now go out there and make the most of it!

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Tags: Halloween Schedule Planning

An Optimized Halloween was written on Oct 29,2009 at 11:54am and posted in the categories Southwest Culture and Working at Southwest