Blog Alumni

blusk
Author Since 2006

Brian Lusk

Of all our bloggers, I am probably the oldest, but I don’t feel my age. I was born in 1952, just a couple of blocks from the Santa Fe Railway’s main transcontinental line in Clovis, New Mexico to an airline father, so transportation (planes and trains) got in my blood at an early age. As a child, my fondest memories are spending days at work with my dad on the ramp in Amarillo, Texas and on the old observation deck at Dallas Love Field. After graduating from Southern Methodist University in Dallas as a journalism major, I got my first airline job with Delta in 1976. During my time at Delta, I worked at Dallas/Fort Worth (during three separate occasions), Detroit, Oakland, Atlanta (at the old terminal), Portland, Oregon, Paris Orly, and Dayton, Ohio. My 18½ years with Delta were split between ramp/operations and ticket counter/gates. I joined Southwest (thankfully!) in 1995, as a Reservations Sales Agent, but then I moved to the communications group in the Executive Office, where. I corresponded with our Customers on a wide variety of topics, but I also got to work on different projects like this blog. About five years ago I moved into the Communication & Strategic Outreach Department and worked primarily in our social media area. Then in 2011, I got my dream job as Southwest's Corporate Historian. I enjoy sharing and preserving Southwest's past with our Employees and the public at large.

Fun Facts

Languages

English and Blog

Hobbies

Aviation and Railroading

Pets

My basset, Annabelle

High School

El Segundo High School, El Segundo, Ca and WT White in Dallas

College

Southern Methodist

Favorite Sports Teams

Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, Dallas Mavs, SMU, Cowboys

Favorite Travel Destinations

Scotland

Your Favorite Southwest Story

The current week's Flashback Fridays

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Recent Activity Posts

Flashback Fridays: Selling Southwest Airlines Tickets

Sep 17 2010
I’ve devoted a lot of space in these Flashback Fridays postings to airplanes and airports.  That’s not surprising because I love both of those two subjects, and I think that many of you also share my fascination.  But, as John Cleese says on Monty Python:  “Now for something completely different.”  The inspiration for this week’s effort came to me while I was looking through a bunch of digital... read more

September 11--Nine Years On

Sep 10 2010
I just looked at the calendar and realized that tomorrow is September 11.  Nine years ago, that would have only meant that I was seven days closer to my birthday.  All of that changed on a beautiful late summer morning, and now, I dread looking at the September calendar.  I keep wanting September 11 to be just another day, but it is too soon for that. However, over the last nine years, we have... read more

Flashback Fridays: Southwest Airlines Gets Some Good Baltimore Friendship

Sep 10 2010
I am one of those people who wish that the Baltimore Airport  had kept its BAL airport code and the original name, Friendship Airport.  That way, Southwest could serve both Love and Friendship, but I understand the airport’s wish to be associated with Washington D.C.  through the Baltimore/Washington International Airport title and BWI airport code.  Still, it is a nice thought.  Don’t worry, I... read more

Tell Us What Nuts About Southwest Content You Would Like to See More Of?

Sep 07 2010
Our current poll, just below this posting on the home page of Nuts About Southwest asks for your input about content of which you would like to see more.  We hope you will respond, and if you would like to leave a comment about the poll, please do so in this post. read more

Flashback Fridays--Southwest Airlines' Early San Antonio Days

Sep 03 2010
So far in these weekly series looking back at Southwest Airline’s history, we have devoted a lot of space to Dallas Love Field.  That’s understandable because our Headquarters is here and this was our original Crew and Maintenance base.  Most of the photos were taken here because of that.  However, we have two other cities—Houston and San Antonio—that complete the “Texas Triangle” of original... read more

Back to School, My Two Best Schoolyears...Ever

Aug 31 2010
If you are of college age, you probably are getting ready to head back to school.  Or maybe you are a parent getting your kids ready for another school year.  This time of year, Southwest Airlines acts like a big blue and red school bus taking college students back to their campuses.  You are also creating memories that will be important to you when you are an old codger like me. Isn’t it... read more

Flashback Fridays--Southwest Went Hollywood in 1973

Aug 27 2010
On our internal video newscast this week, we are highlighting our Branded Entertainment program where Southwest features prominently in a television series or in a movie.  Thanks to our Branded Entertainment Team, Southwest is featured prominently in the new movie Going the Distance which opens on September 3.  One of our most successful Branded Entertainment relationships was the A&E... read more

Flashback Fridays--Early Star Power on Southwest Airlines

Aug 20 2010
I thought I would “mine” the back issues of Southwest Airlines Magazine one more time because as I was researching last week’s post, I kept running across photos of “unusual people” who were flying our first flights.  I mean unusual in the best possible sense as referring to those folks who are either famous or wearing costumes of some sort.  As you can see from the photos below, my findings run... read more

Southwest Airlines Salutes National Aviation Day

Aug 19 2010
Today August 19 is the 139th anniversary of  Orville Wright's birthday.  Celebrating the birthday of the first man to pilot a powered airplane would be reason enough to recognize the day, but wait there’s more.  Today is also National Aviation Day.  Lest you think this is some kind of modern day manufactured marketing holiday, it isn’t.  It was established in 1939 by President Franklin Roosevelt... read more

Flashback Fridays--Strange Reports From Old Magazines

Aug 13 2010
I love looking at old magazines.  One of my prized possessions is a complete set of Trains magazine dating back to the first issue in November 1940.  My Coworkers think my obsessions are a bit odd, especially when I made a special request of my Fellow Teammembers who were with me in advance of AirVenture 2010 in Wisconsin.  I asked them to take me to 1027 North Seventh Street in Milwaukee... read more