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

Recent Activity:

Recent Activity Posts

Another Write Your Own Caption

Aug 25 2006
We're gonna give Herb a rest this time, and pick on our CEO Gary Kelly.  Last Halloween, he dressed as Wild Bill Hickok, and we know that all you creative geniuses out there in the blogosphere can have fun coming up with a caption for this photo.  (Click on the pic to enlarge.) read more

Yesterday's events

Aug 10 2006
As you might imagine, it was hectic and a little emotional around here on Thursday with the news from London.  Our airports are going to be a bit hectic too, and if you are traveling with us today (or the next few days), please check our Travel Advisory page on southwest.com. read more

What's the Vector, Victor?

Aug 04 2006
I was trying to think of a quick funny post for the weekend, when several of us started spouting dialogue from the movie Airplane.  Hand's down, that's the favorite airplane movie in this office, although personally, The High and the Mighty, is tops in my book.  What's your favorite movie about airlines and/or airplanes and why? And, remember, I told you not to call me Shirley! read more

The Southwest Cure for a Midlife Crisis

Aug 02 2006
When life gives you a second chance, grab it.  I had just finished 18 ½ years at another airline, and my career had "flat-lined."  No growth, no advancement, and little satisfaction.  I was facing a forced transfer to a less-than-desirable location due to cutbacks, and I made the difficult decision to let go, in spite of seniority and what was, at the time, job security.  However,... read more

Our 3-D Scrapbook

Aug 16 2006
  (click on the photos to enlarge) Those of us who work in Southwest's Headquarters building are surrounded by a veritable (gosh, I like that word) treasure trove of Southwest memorabilia and "stuff."  Every hallway is a three-dimensional scrapbook of this great Company, and the building holds 35 years of memories.  Trust me, those memories generate a lot items to be framed and... read more

More write your own caption

Jul 21 2006
While looking through our photo archives, I found this picture of our Executive Chairman, Herb Kelleher, on the tail of one of our aircraft.  (Click on the picture to enlarge.)  Here's your chance to write your own caption for this photo of our beloved Leader of the Pack! read more

The LUV That Never Dies

Jul 14 2006
Although Southwest is a relatively young Company, we have our share of Retirees, especially when you consider that a lot of our folks have come to Southwest as a second career. However, when it comes time to "hang up the old Southwest ID card," it is hard to let go of the Southwest Family, and fortunately for them, and more importantly for us, they don't have to. The LUVers Group was formed by... read more

Write your own caption

Jul 03 2006
I don't know about you, but one of my favorite movies is Airplane, and I just crack up over the scene where the ground crew is wiping the cockpit windows and lifting the nose radome to check the dripstick.  Well, one of our great Customers, Shar Lira, took this photo on June 21 in Phoenix of one of our Captains, who suspiciously looks like our fellow blogger, Ray Stark. Anyway, here's a chance... read more

Flag Day, Old Glory, and Southwest Airlines

Jun 12 2006
Like many of you, Southwest is proud to fly the colors of our great nation, and Flag Day on June 14 is a way for all Americans to reflect on the importance of this symbol of our national values. Each and every day, all 455 of our aircraft take to the sky proudly wearing Old Glory on their fins, but oddly enough, our aircraft didn't always wear the national flag. No, this isn't a case of a... read more

Eat Your (Peanut Butter) Livery

Jun 02 2006
Here's a quick post for the weekend. Be sure and read our newest posts below. On May 30, Southwest kicked off our 35th Anniversary celebration in a big way with a new special aircraft. In conjunction with America's Second Harvest, we unveiled the Spread the LUV aircraft to publicize our drive to gather jars of peanut butter for food banks all across our system. Peanut butter is a lot tastier... read more