We took our “LUV” for the Mile-High State to new heights today by unveiling Colorado One, a Boeing 737-700 emblazoned with the Colorado state flag! The aircraft is a testament to our great relationship with Front Range Customers and a tribute to our Colorado-based Employees.
Colorado One was unveiled at a ceremony at Denver International Airport (DIA) with more than 500 local Employees and community leaders, along with Governor John Hickenlooper, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, and DIA’s Manager of Aviation, Kim Day.
"There is no question about it—Southwest Airlines LUVs Colorado!” said Gary Kelly. “Denver is our fifth largest city and has been the fastest growing city in our history, thanks in large part to our Front Range Customers and our hard-working Colorado-based Employees. What better way to thank them than by dedicating an aircraft in their honor!”
“Colorado One showcases the tremendous partnership our State continues to have with Southwest Airlines,” said Governor Hickenlooper. “It is a testament to the quality of service and dedication Southwest has provided Colorado for the past six years.”
This morning’s ceremony included attendees waving Colorado flags, enjoying locally-made granola snacks, and cheering as Gary Kelly, Mayor Hancock, Governor Hickenlooper, and Kim Day closed the event by christening the aircraft amid fan-fare.
“Southwest Airlines is an invaluable partner, and the City of Denver is thrilled to share in their Employee celebration,” said Mayor Hancock. “In addition to growing its business in Denver, the airline's Employees have brought Denver an ice rink, an outdoor lounge, and a basketball court in Skyline Park for residents and visitors to enjoy. I truly want to thank Southwest Employees for your partnership and commitment to making Denver a world-class city where everyone matters. We certainly can feel the LUV.”
“This day is a source of pride for all of us at Denver International Airport,” said Kim Day. “Southwest Airlines has been a great partner to DIA and to the City, and we have marveled as they were able to grow their business in Denver even when the economy took a downturn. We stand together with the Employees of Southwest Airlines as we celebrate their accomplishments and solidify our continued commitment to face our futures together.”
Comments
leximou,
Sorry the approval process has been slow, the moderators were at the event in Denver. Your question doesn't really apply. Southwest doesn't have any relationship with regional carriers. This is a Southwest Airlines aircraft and is subject to the same maintenance program as all of our other approximately 550 aircraft.
Thank you for the response. I questioned it because Colorado One and Southwest are not the same word. What I wanted to know was the status of maintenance for this not-named-Southwest plane. Its intro implied that it was as a regional addition to your fleet.
I see you did not post my comment on regional carriers affiliation and maintenance. What is your plan on doing so? This is a major ongoing problem between the slack off re: safety of regional carriers and the FAA. It would be nice if Southwest responded. Perhaps a post on Facebook along with a link to the hour long Frontline program on regional carrier lack of safety presented on PBS would help?
Very nice.
I propose that when N352SW Lone Star One -300 is retired, the new Lone Star One should be an -800. We're bigger & better, you know.
I sincerely hope that these planes will come under the same maintenance umbrella as your SW planes. I have seen the way 'regional' airlines circumvent these requirements as 'friends' of the FAA inspector assigned to them.
You are aware that since 9/11 more people in the US have died from crashes on mainline carriers than the regionals that the legacy carriers have capacity contracts with, right? Probably not, because you buy into whatever the media tells you.
This year I'll have around 40 flights on regional carriers, and 20 on the legacy carriers, and at no point have I been worried or at all hesitant to fly on an RJ because they are just as safe, if not more so than SWA.
Did you mean.....THIS maintenance umbrella:
<a href="http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-09-12/FAA-proposes-11-million-fine-for-Southwest-maintenance/50376192/1" title="http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-09-12/FAA-proposes-11-million-fine-for-Southwest-maintenance/50376192/1">http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/story/2011-09-12/FAA-proposes-11-mill...</a>
As a captain for a regional airline, I'm getting a little tired of comments such as these. We want to get home to our wives and kids as much as you, the passenger, and even if the company tried to get us to do something that wasn't necessarily safe, we wouldn't do it. I have yet to see a blatant disregard for safety...passenger comfort maybe, but not safety.
And by the way, you can't seriously be trying to use the words friends and FAA in the same sentence, you almost made me spit coffee all over my keyboard....
Please take the time to watch the PBS Frontline expose on regional carrier safety. I believe you can find it on the PBS.org site under Frontline, and then a sub heading. It can be viewed in its entirety on line. As a member of the general public, we tend to get tired of being lied to by both the government and its branches (FAA).
Ever though maybe it was the media that was misleading you? If you look at the big fines, it's the big carriers, like SWA, who for some time was the recipient of the biggest fine ever handed down by the FAA, that get the bigger fines. Since 9/11 more people have died in the US on mainline carriers than the regional carriers that the legacy carriers use.
Southwest doesn't have regional flights and doesn't codeshare with any regional carriers...every southwest flight is on a 737 operated by southwest....
And no regional carrier operates a mainline aircraft like the 737 anyways....