In the last 13 days, I've worked ten!  That's a lot of flying.  Why?  I wanted to make up for having worked only four days in December BEFORE the 23rd (vacation).  We have had full, busy flights.  I've demonstrated the safety features of the aircraft over and over and served 2,000 plus drinks. That's the nuts and bolts of our work.  Let me share some moments of serendipity that make me smile as I remember them and keep me loving my job.

Children five- to 11-years-old can fly unaccompanied.  Understandably, during the holidays we have a lot of Unaccompanied Minors.  One flight had 15!  With one group, I introduced myself and began filling out their paperwork.  While doing this I asked their names and then said: "And what is my name?"  I had been through the routine five times and when the sixth child had my attention, I didn't ask if he remembered my name.  As I put his papers in his pouch, he looked at me and said: "Aren't you going to give me the test?!"  This same flight I remembered I needed to add something to the first child's paperwork.  I asked him to give it to me and told him I forgot to write something.  With a lisp he asked, "Is THIS your first time?"  Spending time with these children is a joy no matter how many times I've done it.

 Another large group are our Armed Forces.  I can't see these young faces without feeling almost a maternal pride.  As we entered the airport early for our first flight, I noticed a young woman in fatigues.  She was hugging her husband, and they were surrounded by two young children and a baby in a carrier!  I wanted to go in her place! One young man, again in fatigues, boarded last with tears in his eyes.  I said, "Do you need one more good-bye kiss?" and he leaned over and kissed me!  The Ops Agent said the soldier was with his wife and children in the gate area.  I'd love to be on their flights bringing them back home.

 Babies were everywhere!   I've never seen an ugly baby.  There's no better reason to fly than to spend time with grandparents and extended family!  One popular Christmas gift is a trip to Disney World!  It's a lot of fun seeing children's faces as they tell me where they are going! One family had twelve traveling together - grandpa was footing the bill.  A trip to remember.

Some of our flights were over two hours--one was over four hours.  This gives our passengers a chance to get well acquainted.  One particularly friendly group was exchanging addresses and phone numbers.  They agreed it was the best flight they have every been on.  That's the feeling we want our passengers to have.   

I wonder how many wheel chairs are in an airport?  Each flight had a long line of wheelchair passengers.  We had extra Ops Agents and Pilots helping the Sky Caps. Flying is a big deal to a lot of these passengers.  I must tell you about Homer.  He boarded first and sat on the first row by the window.  He is in his eighties--a snappy dresser!  We had time to talk while I was sitting on the jumpseat, plus it was a long flight. He asked me if I would come and live with him.  He paid $60,000 for his house in California, and it was now worth $240,000.00!  Before we landed, I saw him take a business card from the male passenger sitting beside him.  I thought, "How nice; he has made a friend."  Well, he handed me the card as he left.  He had written his name and phone number on the back of the other man's card and added "Call me some time."  I won't forget him and the memory will make me smile.  I hope he will do the same!

Holiday flying is hard work, but the kind that gives you a warm feeling afterward. 

Forget Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Miley Cyrus, or whoever else Barbara Walters selected as "The Ten Most Fascinating People of 2008." My personal pick would have to be Ms. Mary Creason, a Senior Customer Relations Telephone Rep here at SWA Headquarters in Dallas.
 
Mary is one of those people in the midst of what people are calling their "second career." It's a unique life event reserved for women who have gotten married, raised children, and re-entered the workforce. As for Empty Nesters Syndrome? Fuhgeddaboutit! And it turns out she's in good company. A study done by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures, a think tank on baby boomers and their work habits, indicated that many people wish to use their "encore career" not just for income purposes, but to make a positive difference in the world. She's for sure made a positive difference here at Southwest. As for Mary's first career, well, it was a bit of a whirlwind...
 
Mary began working for Braniff Airlines in 1959 at the tender age of 19--against her father's wishes, who warned her Flight Attendants were just "glorified waitresses." She left her hometown of Wichita, Kansas, to fly to Dallas--it was her first time on an airplane, but it certainly wouldn't be her last. Braniff had moved into the newly completed Dallas Love Field Terminal just two years prior--in October 1957.
 
The competition to be a Braniff Hostess (other airlines still used the term Stewardess) was fierce. Women were subject to the strictest of standards: one had to be 18-32, unmarried, and weigh between 110-132 pounds. All this while looking elegant, keeping your hat pinned, and serving drinks to 30-odd passengers--completely alone. Yes, it was one hostess per plane back then, if you can imagine that. Although I'm guilty of glamorizing the golden days of aviation, it was hard work being dressed to the nines and working in an unpressurized cabin with no air conditioning. Until WWII, all attendants had to be registered nurses as well. Hostesses also had to purchase their first uniform, which often cost more than a month's salary.
 
The chances of becoming a Braniff Hostess were one out of 400 back then--and Mary was one of them. When she describes receiving her letter of acceptance in the mail, a wave of emotion washes over her, and her voice falters as she struggles to convey her excitement on that momentous day.
 
Mary worked on reserve out of Kansas City, and had to ask permission from the Flight Handler before even leaving the house to mail a letter. One never knew when they could be called in for a flight. There were frequent layovers in Omaha that could last from 24 to 36 hours. But one such flight to Omaha carried a very special passenger: the one and only Ms. Joan Crawford, whose husband at the time (the CEO of Pepsi-Cola) had just passed. Ms. Crawford was flying to Omaha to dedicate a Pepsi plant in her late husband's honor. Mary remembers her wearing "a green dress, ankle-strap shoes, red hair--and just covered with freckles. She brought an entourage of seven people with her, and a cooler full of drinks, since we didn't offer them on board yet."
 
Mary was a Hostess from 1959 to 1961 before getting married and moving to Reservations. She stayed at Braniff on and off until the airline collapsed in 1982--taking two-thirds of her retirement. Through acquaintances, Mary was offered a job at Southwest in 1996. Even though it was a pay cut, she made the move.
 
"Like Braniff, Southwest is very family-oriented. I've made a lot of lifelong friends." Now on her "third career," Mary has a sassiness and bravado that puts even me to shame. Two of her Braniff uniforms are now hanging in the halls at Southwest--a summer blue suit (once worn with blue-and-white spectators!), and a gray wool for winter. And as much as I'd love to try one on, there is no way I could squeeze into a 1950's size 8--comparable to a size 2 of today.
 
Mary is a well-known figure throughout the Southwest halls, but when you dress as "The Pantless Pilot" on Halloween, how could you not be? If you're really lucky, you just might hear Mary on the end of the line if you call Southwest Customer Relations. As a Senior Telephone Rep, she can spend up to eight hours talking each day to our Customers about concerns or complaints (luckily, we have pretty few!) Our interviewer for the video, Mr. Kim Seale, is of the privileged few who gets to work with Mary every day in Customer Relations/Rapid Rewards. We have him to thank for bringing her amazing life story to our attention.

And if you're ever in Dallas, do visit the Dallas Historical Society. The Clipped B's is a organization of former Braniff Hostesses, and they've donated many of their elegant uniforms to the museum. The name 'Clipped B's' comes from the two Braniff pins Hostesses were given at the start of their career. When you left the airline, you had to give one pin back--but the other "B" was yours to keep.

We're so lucky to have Mary and her aviation history as part of the Southwest Family, and we hope she'll stay on for a "fourth career!"

Happy Boxing Day.  Serioulsy, this New Year's post from Linda Rutherford  will be our last new post until January 5.  We will still be moderating and posting your comments, so keep 'em coming.

When my son was a toddler, we began a fun (well, we think it is) family tradition for New Year's Eve. We aren't big "let's go out and dance the night away" people, so we always opted for the low-key family gatherings. One New Year's Eve, when Matt was a little more than two, we introduced him to the whole New Year's concept. You see, son, this is when the year changes number, you make a New Year's wish, you kiss at midnight, and you "toast" someone with a drink and say "cheers!"
 
I went whole hog. I bought New Year's hats, noisemakers, horns, plastic champagne glasses, and sparkling grape juice. We paraded around the kitchen, blowing our horns, and saying "Happy New Year" over and over. Then, I poured the sparkling grape juice into the glasses and we said, "now, let's have a toast to the New Year!" We looked expectantly at Matt, all smiles like we were the coolest parents ever to be introducing this new tradition to him. He looked befuddled. "Where's the toast?" he said softly. I told him the "clink" of the glasses WAS the toast. "No, I want toast" he said a little louder. "But..." I said trying to give a two-year-old a logical explanation of my actions. "NO, MOM, I SAID I WANT TOAST!!!!!" Then, it hit us. He wanted the slice of bread that magically appears from the toaster, ready to eat. He wanted ACTUAL toast. So, we toasted the boy some white bread and fed it to him. He was happy.
 
Fast forward. We have done our parade every year since. His sister, now 9, has joined in the fun. And, yes, every year, we end the festivities with what all normal people do on New Year's Eve, with a piece of toast (and not too much butter, Mommy).
 
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you will share any New Year's traditions that you have here.
 

We asked our Bloggers to send you some of their Holiday thoughts, and what better time to do that than Christmas Eve.  Merry Christmas from all of us at Nuts About Southwest.

Having the Freedom to Fly gives my husband and me the Freedom to make many special memories.  We have had the opportunity to go so many wonderful places throughout my tenure at Southwest.  We have travelled from coast to coast in the United States and as far away as The Czech Republic and Japan.  At each destination, we are sure to purchase an ornament that captures a memory from the trip.  Now keep in mind, we aren’t looking for the prettiest ornament or the most popular, but the ornament that will make us remember the highlights of our vacation.  So, we have everything from a cowbell from Switzerland to a miniature Cruise Ship from our honeymoon.  Our tradition continues with decorating the tree.  Each year, as we sip on hot chocolate and listen to Holiday music, we adorn our Christmas tree with one ornament at time remembering the fun, and often hilarious, memories from that particular trip.  Our memories are a gift that we continue to give each year during the Holidays,

Beverly Behrens

 To all Mommys and Daddys: How do you make your child's first Christmas special?! James is only four months old, so he's not old enough to understand or remember the holiday this year.

My hubby suggested giving him a super sized bottle of milk in his stocking! Mommy and Daddy hope that Santa brings some extra SLEEP.  We were too tired to deal with decorating a tree and bought a small Charlie Brown tree that's sitting on our kitchen table. We attempted to see Santa three times; each time we arrived at the mall, Santa was on a break! The third time was the charm, and we got the priceless dear-in-the- headlights picture to show James' first girlfriend.

Despite the fact that we're clueless parents, we're very blessed to have our son to celebrate this special time of year together. Oh, by the way, I can't stand Will Ferrell, but I have to admit, Elf is a cute movie!

Happy HoHoHo to you and yours!

Kim Delevett and son James

My friend Juls was dressed in a Santa outfit while working Christmas Day.  She was standing outside the aircraft door when a small boy came around the corner with his parents.  A look of delight crossed the child's face as he ran and threw his arms around Juls' legs.  "Oh Santa, thank you so much for all my toys!"  There's something special about "being" Santa! 

While working Christmas Day, I asked a little boy if Santa had come to see him.  He matter-of-factly said, "No."  What do you say to that?  His parents may simply not celebrate Christmas, but I give toys to Toys for Tots, donate to Salvation Army, and chose an angel from the Angel Tree.

Carole Adams

Do you hear that? It’s the sound…of silence. Since rolling out our Cashless Cabin on September 9th, Customers and Employees alike have been singing the praises of the new credit card or coupon-only inflight drink purchases. No more clinging and clanging of change, just the sweet, gentle beep of a credit card transaction going through.

I sat down with Joe Mendez, Regional Director of Provisioning in Dallas, to get the inside scoop of what exactly went on behind the scenes during the Cashless Cabin roll-out. It turns out the idea had been simmering for awhile, but it had taken more than a year of planning, coordinating, and communicating to bring it to the point of implementation. And with more than 22 Provisioning locations, 500 planes, 1,500 devices, and 9,000 Flight Attendants to train, you can imagine the process took some delicate handling. But on September 9th, the roll-out was (to quote Coffee Talk's Linda Richman) "like buttah."

The secret to CC's success? "Communication. Lots and lots of it," Joe says. In fact, focus groups for Inflight and Provisioning were set up to better gauge their reactions and get valuable feedback. "The end product had a tremendous amount of input from people in every field," he says. Not to mention the 24-hour command center set up at Headquarters for the first three days CC went into effect. Technology and Provisioning were on-call for any concerns, questions, and feedback from the field. The first day was flooded with calls, but quickly tapered off as everyone found their footing. 

Southwest wasn't the first airline to go cashless, and Joe describes the former process as "manual, tedious, time-consuming, with a whole bunch of redundancies." Not to mention the oft-heard cry for help over the intercom on flights: "Please press your call button if you have change for a twenty." But asking for change is thankfully now a thing of the past.

I managed to flag down Dallas-based Flight Attendant Jason Reyna long enough to grill him on the Inflight perspective. He says Flight Attendants caught on quickly to the new gadget, which is impressive considering training consisted of a one-hour online video. Jason had nothing but rave reviews about the change: "It's easier, and at the end of the day, it saves time." He was also more than a little impressed with the tech support during roll-out, raving that "people were on hand constantly to help us out with whatever questions we had." Hmmm...sounds like that Positively Outrageous Service I always hear about.

So far Customer reaction has been varied, but once people get used to the change, Jason expects sales to go up. The most popular drink ordered on Jason's flight? Bloody Mary.

So whether you unwind with a merlot or pep up with a Monster, remember your plastic. Oh, and if you don't have a credit/debit card, you can purchase drink coupons with cash at the ticket counter before boarding. Cheers!

As I sat in the lobby of the Southwest Airlines Headquarters I couldn’t help feeling a little nervous, I mean, who wouldn’t on their first day of work?  Would I like the work?  Would I like the people I worked with?  All legitimate concerns when starting a new job.  I couldn’t help but look around at all the history that adorns the walls of the building.  To see where Southwest came from, to see where it is now, and to know that I was going to be a part of this somehow…I think this is something I want to be a part of.

I have to mention the welcome that awaited me at my new desk.  “Welcome Aboard, Caleb” along with Inflatable Boeing 737s and balloons.  I was definitely impressed.  I felt special enough that someone took the time to decorate my desk.

You hear that Southwest is one of the best companies to work for but you really never realize until you are inside and it hits you.  You know that usually everywhere you work there is that one person who you want to avoid at all cost, I mean, the person that not seeing makes your day better, sort of like Dwight from "The Office"; I have yet to find that individual at Southwest, and I don’t think I will.  Everyone I talk to is one of the nicest people I have ever met, and I especially love the hugs that I get from people I have known a week.  I think this is something I want to be a part of.

Well, my first week really flew by.  Out of the first five days I was here, I have two T-shirts to add to my collection.  I guess it is time to start changing out the wardrobe.  I was able to go to my first event.  Kidd’s Kids in Hanger 5.  What an incredible event to see these kids get to do something so cool with their families.  I must say this is the best first week of my life.  You know what…I think this is something I want to be a part of.

Picture: Millie Richter handing me my first T-shirt here at Southwest at my new desk.  The shirt highlights the best University in the world.

One tradition at Southwest Airlines is that all of the Inflight classes host what we call a “Liquor Mockup.” It has been done as long as I have been around and a lot longer than that.  I went to the liquor mockup for Flight Attendant class 246 to meet some of my new Coworkers and to try to find out when this tradition started and why.

I interview one lady who got back from her honeymoon and started training the next day (pictured right) and during class met singer Richie McDonald from the band Lone Star.

I was determined to find out about the first liquor mockup, did I find the answer from a 28-year Employee? Maybe it was the 30-year Employee? Listen to Red Belly Radio to find out and while you are there, learn about how the koala, the red panda, and the Internet are connected.

What’s that, Flight Attendants not your cup of tea? I can't imagine that, but we now have the opportunity for you to phone in your show ideas. Call our new Red Belly Radio hotline 214 792 4300 and leave me a message. Your voice might be on a future show. Or you can always email me at redbellyradio@wnco.com. 

The first part of Southwest’s summer Schedule is now open for sale, including Memorial Day!  You can now book travel on Southwest from now until June 26, 2009.

Schedule Planning, as usual, has been BUSY, and this schedule change shows it.  We are changing the number of flights we’re offering in 102 markets—not as large a change as we’ve had, say, in March of 2009, but it’s a hefty set of changes.  Many of these frequency alterations are simply a reflection of the airline industry today.  As if you guys hadn’t noticed—the economy is a little difficult these days!  To that end, we’re not planning to grow our fleet next year.  Still, we have to continue to respond to changes, opportunities, and conditions in the marketplace.  In order to do that, again, we’re flexing our schedule optimizer’s cyber-muscles to implement changes to balance the airline “teeter-totter” of meeting the needs of our Customers while maximizing profitability. 

To meet that challenge, we’re adding brand-new nonstop service between our ever-growing Denver franchise and the home of the University of Arizona—Tucson.  We’re also acting big-time on seasonal traffic shifts.  These happen every year, but in the past we weren’t really able to rip-and-tear our schedule to take advantage of them.  This year, we’re all over it!  For example, in this schedule change, we’re reducing capacity (by no more than one flight per day per market) in such warm-weather/”beach” destination markets as Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, Ft. Myers, Tampa Bay, Orlando, and Phoenix—mostly markets in which we added seasonal flights in our January and March Schedules.  Some of these will likely come back in Winter 2009.  Then, on the added-service side, we’re adding service in popular summertime destinations like Oakland, Seattle, and Nashville.  Again, some of these will most likely go away when the leaves start changing in Fall 2009. 

Other schedule changes are just a product of a changing economy, and the need to reduce capacity in some markets to allow growth in others, while keeping our fleet count constant.  We’re discontinuing our nonstop service between Austin and Midland/Odessa (although we’ll retain lots of convenient onestop same-plane and connecting service via Dallas), and reducing service in several others. We’re also adding service in other markets to help connect our network better during the busy Summer season so that we can give more of you guys the “Freedom to Fly” (without hidden fees!!!) across our nation.  Attached to this blog post in the "Attachment" section below is a .pdf file with all of the details.  And if you have questions, just ask by posting a comment—as usual, I’ll be watching for them and answering the ones that I can!

Now because I know you  guys will ask, because you notice EVERYTHING….we’re taking the very unusual (for us) tactic of only opening up our Summer schedule until the end of June Instead of opening it up into August. We’re still working on a few things, so stay tuned.    Don’t worry, we plan to open up the rest of the Summer for sale early next year.  In the meantime, we’re getting ready for nearly any eventuality—remind me to do a blog post one time on the subject of “scenario proliferation!”

Happy booking, everyone….and Happy Holidays, blogosphere!  

I'm about to celebrate my two week anniversary here at Southwest (cupcakes, anyone?) and have had some time to reflect on being the new kid on the block. My first day began with a Wild Turkey Call Contest at lunch--a rite of passage I think everyone should go through. The next day I was treated to a Thanksgiving feast that put my Grammy's down-home affair to shame (sorry, Grammy.) As I'm settling in, I realize the rumors are true. Everyone is incredibly sweet and helpful, a sense of family is prevalent anywhere you go, and there are always snacks in the break room. I look forward to gaining my Southwest Freshman 15. Oh, and I get to go on field trips to faraway, exotic lands: like Studios 21 in Fort Worth, TX for an official Live Chat.

Okay, so it wasn’t necessarily live, but it was a “bright lights, big studio” situation. I had the pleasure and privilege of being a studio audience member on Tuesday, December 1st. Patrick Lencioni, president of the Table Group, sat down with our own Colleen Barrett to get her words of wisdom on the secret of Southwest’s success.

Turns out, there are no secrets. And in the beginning, there was no master plan. In fact, Colleen’s reply to Patrick’s question about retaining their underdog status was surprising. She said if it hadn’t been for bigger and wealthier airlines picking on us, Southwest could have failed within the first year. As it was, our legal battles and early challenges gave birth to one of our Core Values: the Warrior Spirit. Turns out constantly being pushed to search for innovative solutions to early start-up problems was actually a blessing in disguise. So when life gives you lemons, make…Wild Turkey on the rocks? 

As many of you may know, living the Southwest way has called for embracing three Core Values: the Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart, and a Fun-LUVing attitude. But it turns out Colleen was against putting these intangible attitudes into writing for a long time.

“I fought with them eight or nine months,” she said concerning the effort. She felt (and for good reason) that trying to define a company’s spirit in just a few words would limit them. Another anecdote I loved had to do with Herb Kelleher, Colleen, and a bunch of consultants trying to come up with the Company’s mission statement. After hours of frustration, Herb politely asked the consultants to go: “We’ll pay you your money, but just leave. We’ll write it ourselves.”

It’s that can-do, stubborn, entrepreneurial spirit that lives on at Southwest today. And it was a trait Patrick couldn’t get enough of. He praised Southwest’s uniqueness and humility, while emphasizing that he was not on the company payroll! As the president of The Table Group, a consulting firm focused on building healthy organizations, Patrick’s admiration of Southwest was heartfelt. “It’s an outstanding company, but it’s also messy. There are no ‘Stepford Wives’ types there.” As he went on to describe Southwest as “the one family on the block with toys and tricycles in the front yard, and always-open doors,” I felt extremely lucky to have found my way into this “messy” family—tricycles or not.
 
If you happen to have access to the SkillSoft’s Leadership Development Channel, I highly recommend you check this Live Chat out. You can find more information at http://www.skillsoft.com/products/LDC/ I'll be the one waving in the back.

“From the ridiculous to the sublime...” As soon as Doug Lawson uttered those words, I know he’d just perfectly described my first day at SWA. It’s not everyday you see groups of people shamelessly gobbling, squawking, strutting, and clawing the ground—all while a festive crowd (decked out in feather headdresses and paper towel Pilgrim hats) cheered them on. Welcome to the first-ever Southwest Airlines Wild Turkey Call Contest. And welcome to the Southwest Culture, indeed.

I was more than a little impressed by the willingness of people from every department eager to sign up and literally strut their stuff. The originality, creativity, sincerity, and overall sheer volume of each performance were commendable. This being the first-ever Wild Turkey call event, the turnout was impressive as well.

As one of three judges (along with Brian Lusk and Christi Day) I felt honored, and slightly torn, about choosing a winner. We decided to have a “gobble-off” with the top four:

Josiah Beam, Customer Relations
Char Sabin, Culture
Tre Toombs, SOS
Ken Martin, Technology

We went with Josiah as the winner, as his impression of a Turkey Tom with two Jennies was undeniably original. He was awarded a 1.75L liter of Wild Turkey and a $50 Wal-Mart gift card. What more could a guy want this holiday weekend? Still, I must say, Char’s gobble was instrument-free and involved wearing a plush turkey on her head—no easy task. Tre was actually a visitor for the day, and I’m sure his wife must be very proud of his formerly secret skill. Ken wins kudos simply for "scuddling" to the ground, squawking, and scurrying over to harass the judges. It was proclaimed a resounding success by all, and we hope another Southwest tradition has begun.

Speaking of traditions, if I ever need to earn another brain wrinkle, I’ll be sure to visit Doug Lawson in Ground Operations. I had the opportunity my very first day to hear him speak about swarm theory, and his very own self-titled theory: Viv Engineering (VivE for short.) Swarm intelligence studies animal behavioral patterns (including ant colonies, herds, and flocks of birds) and attempts to convert these patterns into algorithms that could make large-scale operations (such as the aviation industry) more intuitive and efficient.

Sounds easy, right? To boil it down into laymen terms, his theory hopes to engineer improvements for the service industry using life system principles. As a rule, people are unpredictable, so trying to make inanimate objects as reactive as Customers can be difficult. But that’s exactly what Doug is trying to do. If you’ve ever wondered who was the brain behind Southwest’s open seating policy, this is the man himself. Doug creates the software that allows engineers to simulate situations online before actually implementing them in real life. Of course, human nature can make this a little tricky. But it’s been implemented in Southwest’s Sky Harbor Phoenix airport successfully, and Doug now has his eyes on another obstacle-ridden, traffic-heavy feature: the ticket counter. So stay tuned.

If this much zaniness could happen in only my first day at SWA, I can’t imagine what the rest of the year will hold. Here’s hoping it involves a gobble or two.

This episode of Red Belly Radio actually began back on October 2 with a telethon to raise funds to send a number of families with special needs kids to the Disney parks in Orlando Florida. Listeners of the Kidd Kraddick syndicated morning radio show pitched in and called a phone bank where volunteers took donations.

Southwest Airlines manned that call center and later flew the families of these special-need kids to Orlando for four days of fun at the Disney theme parks. Before the flight, we hosted the families in one of our hangars where they were treated to food and drink.

This marks the 17 year for the Kidds Kids charity and the third year that Southwest Airlines has been involved. More information can be found at kiddskids.com.

Pictures from top down: the special decal aircraft that flew the families to Orlando and back; Kidd Kraddick with one of the Kids; Spirit and Spirit Jr. with one of the Kidds Kids;

I've talked before about my role on the Board of National Safe Place. I recently had the pleasure of hosting the first HEROES Awards ceremony in Louisville, Ky. This was an event to celebrate heroes who have worked tirelessly to make this world a better, safer place for children. In conjunction with the 25-year Anniversary of the Safe Place program, National Safe Place (NSP) established a recognition program to honor up to ten individuals who have made extraordinary contributions nationally to the services for at-risk youth. This year's award winners, which I was honored to introduce, will comprise the initial "Hall of Fame" class, and one individual will be recognized annually from now on.
 
What the HEROES Award stands for:
H  Hear the voices of at-risk youth
E  Engage in the discussion
R  Respond to the call
O  Observe the need for change and take action
E   Educate and Encourage key stakeholders to make a positive difference
S   Significantly change the lives of at-risk youth for the better

The 2008 winners of the HEROES Awards were:
*Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children's Defense Fund
*Dr. Gary W. Harper, decorated scholar who has dedicated his research to examining HIV risk and protective factors among homeless and inner-city ethnic-minority youth
*Trudee Able-Peterson, author who developed the first outreach project to homeless youth in New York City's Times Square, The Streetwork Project.
*Ernie Allen, President and CEO of the  National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC)
*Larry Wooldridge, Founder, Safe Place
 
Here is a link to the video that was shown at the event: http://nationalsafeplace.org/heroes/

 
And above is a photo of me (third from left) with the honorees:  The lives and work of these individuals provide an opportunity to learn about both the important strides that have been made in serving at-risk youth and the challenges still inherent in the field. It also serves as a celebration, as each of the honorees will have worked toward NSP's anniversary theme of "Building A Safety Net For Youth."

As Thanksgiving approaches, I ask myself what I am most thankful for.  I am most thankful for working for this amazing Company.  Southwest Airlines has given me so many opportunities in my life and will continue to provide that for me.  After reflecting further, I realize that none of this would be possible without YOU!  Our Passengers are the ones that pay each and every one of us, and I am most thankful for YOU!  I wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving.  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!  THANK YOU!

Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday since it involves family, food, and football--all ranked in order of importance.  But Thanksgiving has been a bit different for me as of late since I no longer have any living parents.  So the dynamics have changed, but certainly not the meaning or significance, and I’m thankful for the many loving memories of Turkey Days of the past.  This will be my second year missing out on my mother’s turkey, and my wife and I were lucky enough last year to have my sister (an exceptional cook) step in and cook Thanksgiving dinner for us. 

Now my sister is in college on the East Coast, and my wife and I are left to cook the turkey for ourselves for the very first time and start memories of our own.  This should be an interesting experiment.  I wanted to take the manly-man approach and fry the turkey, but my wife is more of a traditionalist (and even though she won’t admit it, she fears I’ll set the house on fire).  This all lead to another first - I visited Butterball.com.  It appears we are all set and have a pretty good turkey cooking battle plan laid out.  This will be good practice before we actually have kids and people over for future Thanksgivings.

In case the turkey burns our turns out like rubber, our backup plan includes frozen pizza.

This year we are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at my house; my parents are driving up from China, Texas; my sister and brother who live locally will be joining us along with their families; and we are having a few friends over as well. Over the years, I have noticed that our Thanksgiving meals started to become real elaborate, and we started having a lot of fancy casseroles and dishes that I could not pronounce.  So, I decided to go back to my roots with the Thanksgiving meal “China Style”:  Traditional baked turkey, deep fried turkey, Cajun dirty rice, cornbread dressing, and other side dishes and desserts that I grew up with.

When my wife sent out the electronic invitation, we got back some great responses, and everyone was excited about what we decided to do. So it’s going to be very nice to have Thanksgiving with my family like old times. And the other tradition in the Guillory house hold on Thanksgiving Day is watching the Dallas Cowboys; that’s one thing that has never changed no matter how fancy the meal gets.

Hope you all have a Happy and safe Thanksgiving.

Family, the smell of pinion in the outside air, homemade cheeseballs for snacking, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, football on the tv all day, family, mom's big black turkey pan that she has used since I can remember, the china and crystal place setting we see twice a year, family, the STUFFING (my fav), my sister-in-law's sweet potato stuff with the gooey marshmallow topping, my dad eating a dozen rolls himself, family, the urge to dress up my sweatpants so I look nice and can grow in the mid area, feeding the leftovers to the dogs and cats, mimosas, naps, and family.   These are just a few of things that make my memories so happy when I think of Thanksgiving.  

Three things I never wanted to see at work: Hannibal Lector reminding me of the time he had a friend for dinner…with some fava beans and a nice Chianti!; Jason from the Friday the 13th movies swinging his machete at me when I walked by; and Gary Kelly’s Executive Assistant, Gillian Kelley (no relation) wearing a full beard.

Well thanks to our amazing holiday partnership with Spirit Halloween Superstores this year, I got to see all that and so much more!  And honestly, seeing all those things just made one of SWA’s favorite holidays more spectacular than ever before.

You may have seen the decorations at the Southwest Ticket Counters in all 64 of our cities; or maybe you played some Halloween trivia with our Flight Attendants during your travels Halloween day and won a squishy pumpkin, a pen, or some Spirit Halloween sticky notes.  We’re hoping that everyone—Customers and SWA Employees-- put their 20% discount coupons to good use; judging by some of the costumes, wigs, and props I saw around here on Halloween, I’m guessing everyone did!

You couldn’t help but get in to the Halloween “Spirit” (pun intended!) if you dropped by Southwest Airlines Headquarters the week of Halloween—the lobby decorations that Spirit provided, as spooky as they were, were amazing! There was a haunted castle flanked by a grim reaper, a spooky American Gothic-esque farmer and his wife, a cranky witch that stirred up her bubbling cauldron when you made noise, black crows hanging out on the balcony, and, of course, those darn scary movie characters that taunted you when they sensed even the slightest bit of motion.  It was the first Halloween that the lobby had ever been decorated, but I am positive it will not be the last--the decorations were a huge hit.

Of course the most important part of our Halloween collaboration wasn’t to scare our Employees and visitors, it was to make sure Gary Kelly’s 2008 Halloween costume was top notch—and boy did Spirit Halloween deliver!  Check out A Sharp Dressed Man and Southwest Airlines Halloween 2008 to see Gary and his crew (Gillian Kelley, his Executive Assistant; and Nan Barry, his Chief of Staff) in all their ZZ Top glory!  If I didn’t know better, I would have thought the actual band was roaming our halls!

Although it seems like Halloween just happened and we won’t need to worry about it for another year, I guarantee that the wheels are turning at SWA as well as at Spirit Halloween Superstores to make next year’s Halloween events even bigger and better. So in 2009 when you start thinking about your costume, your skit theme, or how you want to decorate your house, remember the LUV we were all shown by the folks at Spirit Halloween in 2008.

Today, Southwest Airlines is launching Rapid Rewards Dining™. As a member of the Rapid Rewards Customer Loyalty team, I am excited to announce this new credit earning opportunity for our Rapid Rewards Members. The program offers Rapid Rewards credits for dining/beverage purchases made at more than 9,000 restaurants, bars, and clubs across the United States and Canada. Members will receive a quarter-credit  after spending their first $25 as an enrollment bonus, and after that, they will earn a quarter-credit for every $100 spent at participating merchants.

This program is administered by Rewards Network  which  has launched dining programs with other major airlines. My boss, Eric Woodson, who joined Southwest Airlines in December 2007, told me about this program and was a strong advocate to bring this service to our Members. At the time, we were in the process of trying to add a new category to the Rapid Rewards program outside of hotels and car rentals, and we thought the dining program would be a natural fit for our Members so they can earn credits doing what they normally would do on a daily basis--EAT!!

We also wanted to stay true to our current “No Hidden Fees” ad campaign. Joining Rapid Rewards Dining is easy and is FREE. Just visit rapidrewardsdining.com to learn more.  If you aren't already a Member of Southwest's Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program, go here to enroll.

File this under "only at Southwest."

A few days ago a bunch of Employees faced that awful vending machine problem: their drinks were stuck.

 Not to worry, their Coworker was sure he could save the day; after all, it was just a little door that wouldn't open all the way.  So when Crew Scheduler Dave Stonecipher marched down the first floor hallway to the breakroom, he had a plan set in place...he would simply stick his hand in the machine and get things moving again.  

Do I even need to tell you what happened next?

Of course his hand got stuck. Did you really think I would blog about things working out the way he planned? I'm pretty sure an e-mail like that wouldn't have made its way around Headquarters as rapidly as the one I received with pictures of Dave with his hand stuck in the coke machine!

The kicker of the story is that when someone finally got a hold of our vending company they said they could send someone out to help--first thing the next morning!

After fellow Employees tried prying Dave's hand out with spoons and using everything they could to jimmy the machine door open, help finally arrived. They actually thought they might have had to break the glass to help him out but, luckily for Dave, a quick turn of a key in the machine lock did the trick.

 I asked Dave if he would mind me blogging about the story; Not only did he not mind, he was pleased as punch to become a celebrity on the blog. He just wants everyone to know that in his seven years as a SWA Employee he has learned a lot of things-he just hoped not to have to learn the lesson about not sticking his hand in a coke machine first hand!  

Veterans Day to me is celebrating, remembering and honoring our heroes that have ALL served in the Military. Honor ALL  Veterans of the US Armed forces, present, past and future. My very own brave solider, SGT Charles Bernard Kitowski, lost his life a year ago, August 12, 2007 while serving over in Afghanistan. My life has forever been changed and I'm so honored to have gained a new family, my Military Family. Charles was a hero to look up to and a man to be admired. He was kind, caring, thoughtful, he had happiness and joy in his heart. He was so good about the little things in life; helping with Habitat for Humanity, Volunteering for Meals on Wheels and enlisting for the Army. Charles made me happy, encouraged me daily, never let me down and to this day I couldn't be more proud of him . Ever since 911, Charles felt duty bound, and never looked back about this decision.

This year on Veterans Day was unlike any that I have ever experienced. I had the opportunity this past weekend to fly to St. Louis and be a part of the Veterans Day Parade, and to honor Charles Kitowski , Michael Fuga (Southwest Employees who lost their lives while serving our Country) and all the men and women who have served in the Military. I along with 30 other volunteers from Southwest helped decorate the float that tenVeterans from the Center for Citizen Leadership would be riding in. As we were walking over to the opening ceremonies for the Parade I couldn't help but notice all the hundreds of Military men and women in uniform, flags, people wearing red, white and blue and that made me proud. My heart now is in a different place than it has ever been, just being part of such an amazing experience and being able to Thank a Veteran for their ultimate sacrifice is so uplifting and rewarding. As we were walking in the Parade, I looked around just watching my fellow Southwest Employees and I couldn't have been more thankful and appreciative. I saw them running up to people passing out peanuts, giving hugs, thanking Veterans, waving and most of all enjoying their day and that made me proud to be a part of such an wonderful Company. This past weekend brought back many memories, and I've made new ones that I plan to make a tradition and be a part of for many years to come. My Southwest family gives me hope.

After the Parade we went to the Veterans day ceremony where Southwest partnered up with a group called Center for Citizen Leadership. Under this Leadership they have several programs that help the disabled and wounded veterans. One program which we are taking a part in is The Mission Continues (TMC); its mission is to place wounded and disabled veterans into volunteer positions in their communities. The goal is to provide service opportunities for wounded veterans who still have the desire to serve their country, but whose disabilities prevent them from continuing to serve in the military. They accomplish this goal by awarding fellowships for volunteer work to veterans who have suffered severe or traumatic injuries in Iraq or Afghanistan. In honor of our two Southwest Employees Charles Kitowski and Michael Fuga, Southwest is sponsoring two Fellowships next year in their name. I am very honored and proud to part of such an amazing event. I had the chance to meet and talk to several Veterans that have been awarded Fellowships. It's so moving listening to how they are serving our country being disabled. One Veteran is helping others through therapeutic horse therapy, another who is paralyzed is helping others learn how to snow ski and yet another one is counseling others. Each individual awarded a Fellowship has a story of how they are teaching/helping our community in more ways than one today after what they have been through. Serving our country wasn't enough for them, and they want to use their disability to do more. Being a part of the ceremony makes you really stop and think about what these men and women have been through and that they still have that desire to do more. Veterans give me hope and a new appreaction to life.

Today and everyday we should honor and thank our Veterans’ for all they have done for our country. Give a salute or even thank a war Veteran today. So this Veterans Day hits very close to home as I reflect on the past years I had with Charles. One thing I will always remember about Charles is his smile. It was worth a million words, contagious, and unforgettable. I am forever grateful to have had Charles in my life and the impact he has had in my life. I hope this past weekend and today on Veterans Day, Charles will be proud of me and everything I have accomplished with him and for him the past year. He was many things to many people, but to me he was my rock, my best friend, my future, and my heart. Charles gives me hope.

(Take a look at the video blog for a video of the event.)

I was recently traveling to Raleigh Durham when I noticed my flight had four Flight Attendants. One more than our normal three, I noticed the fourth had a name tag and realized she must be going through the Inflight training program. I asked one of the Flight Attendants if it would be alright to interview her for Red Belly Radio and he didn’t see any problem.

I knew I liked Jaimy from the minute I met her as she (wisely) questioned my authenticity and asked to see my Employee ID.  At this stage, she was dealing with some ribbing and practical joking from the three Flight Attendants so—like I said, wise to question me. Of course if the prank these guys pulled on Jaimy was to put a sign on her back that read “Tell me I’m Cute” I guess the worst thing is that someone might actually tell her she is cute. BTW—she totally is!

She had never heard of Red Belly Radio (I will be talking to Inflight Training about that) and was of course concerned about saying something that might get her fired—or at that point not hired.

Since I interviewed her, I decided to go see what the Inflight class 245 graduation was all about. I have only been to one other and that was years ago. I got to see Jaimy get her wings and seemed happy to see me again. I presented her with a photo of the prank the Flight Crew played on her and she totally loved it.

The graduation ceremony is a rather large event. Family members attend and if the new Flight Attendant wishes, he/she can select someone to present his/her wings and I did catch and interview a father/daughter pilot/new Flight Attendant couple who will probably both soon be referring their friends to apply.

This podcast has a lot. Manager Inflight Training John Zenici hosted the event; Director of Inflight Training Steve Banegas shared an inspirational poem; Vice President Fuel Management Rob Myrben teaches us the origin of the word "travel;" and Senior Director Inflight Standards and Training David Curry talks about future classes.

The training is lengthy—four weeks—and there are a lot of tests. It is not easy to get picked to go through training and once there, it is not easy to graduate. Congratulations to Jaimy and all of Inflight Class 245!

On the day Americans exercise their right to vote, Southwest Airlines is celebrating the troops who fought hard to give us that Freedom. This morning, I was reminded that the Freedom to vote, along with all of our Freedoms as Americans, came with a price. Many men and women sacrificed their lives to get and keep those Freedoms.

Today, Southwest Airlines threw a party for fifty-five WWII Veterans as they departed Dallas Love Field to visit the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C. Southwest Airlines Employees and Customers gathered in the gate area to enjoy breakfast and celebrate these Veterans. We had red, white, and blue balloons and goodie bags for the special Customers. Before the Veterans boarded the plane, the entire gate area sang the national anthem and God Bless America. It was truly moving.

The Veterans were so thankful for our small tribute to them. We couldn’t do enough to thank them for their sacrifices for our country. So as you vote today, remember what a special privilege it is.

What do you get when you mix 6,000 Southwest Airlines Employees and guests, food and drink, a famous Texas Swing band, a crisp, clear autumn night, and two legends of the airline industry?  You get the Smokin’ Spirit Party held at our Dallas Maintenance Base Monday night (October 27).  Be sure and listen to Steve Heaser’s Red Belly Radio podcast from the event, and you can find it in the little box down there to the right on the main page

This year has been a landmark year for Southwest Airlines as Colleen Barrett and Herb Kelleher gave up their Officer positions, and we wanted to celebrate their overwhelming contributions to our careers and lives in a huge Texas-kind of way.  Instead of our usual spring and fall spirit parties, we planned one gigantic one, and it was quite a night.

Of course, food and drink were provided, along with vendor’s booths, photo stations, and roping experts in western attire, and Employees took the opportunity to catch up with old friends. 

Approximately 6,000 people eventually showed up, and even before the main event, the crowd is getting thicker.  

The guests of the hour, Herb and Colleen, looked like they had just stepped off a buckboard wagon, and they received several surprises during the night. 

The first surprise came from Gary Kelly who announced that we are giving a $50,000 scholarship to Herb’s high school, Haddon Heights High School, in New Jersey.  Colleen’s college alma mater, Becker College, will also receive a similar scholarship. 

Senior Vice President of Communications and Culture, Ginger Hardage, (on the right) and fellow blogger, Sunny Abercrombie, presented Herb and Colleen with trunks full of scrapbooks containing the best wishes of thousands of Employees. 

After Tim McClure of our advertising agency, GSD&M, presented our duo with an artist’s conception of what a combined Herb One/Colleen One might look like, the folks from Incredible Productions performed several songs in Herb and Colleen’s honor.

The Employees were really getting into the spirit of the Spirit Party, with waving the “heads” of Colleen and Herb.

Since Herb and Colleen are legends, the main entertainment needed to be a legend too, and Asleep at the Wheel performed their unique brand of Texas Swing.

Balloons cascading down from the hangar ceiling capped off the band’s performance, and it is time to start planning the next Spirit Party.  However, any future parties have their work cut out to top this one!

Before I began my Internship at Southwest Airlines, I had a preconceived notion that I would be fine-tuning my filing skills, perfecting my ability to make a good cup of coffee and mastering the art of ordering lunch by phone.

Boy, was I wrong.

Since the first day I stepped foot into the Public Relations Department, I’ve been involved arms and elbows in major projects such as Media Day and the Pigskin Plane Pull, and I’m currently working on my third story for Southwest Airline’s inflight magazine Spirit.

Every last drop of my creative juices has been squeezed out of me and any given time of a work day I’m working on five or more tasks--and I’m loving every minute of it. The PR Department has created the perfect learning environment that hones my current skills, challenges me to learn new skills, and gives me a chance to work independently.

Two weeks in as an Intern, Public Relations Manager Brandy King gave me the opportunity to actually create my own PR event. Talk about pressure. From an Intern’s perspective, being given the responsibility to create a corporate PR event from start to finish is a rare chance to really show what we are capable of, and I really didn’t want to disappoint those who I’ve come to think of as my mentors in fear of being stapled and Xerox-ed to death. (Disclaimer: No Interns were harmed in the designing of the event or writing of this blog.)

The goal of the event was to acknowledge one of our Customers who has a very unique hobby--he visits college campuses. Steve Lake, a Las Vegas pit boss at Caesar’s Palace and PR firm owner, began a quest in 1984 to visit 500 universities and colleges nationally and internationally. He said he started this journey because he felt he never fully experienced the “college life,” being that he went to a college in Montreal in a small building rather than a sprawling campus. Twenty four years later, he was about to finally make that goal and visit his 500th college at San Antonio’s Our Lady of the Lake University. Because Southwest Airlines has flown him to many of these colleges, we wanted to congratulate him somehow for his achievement.

I decided to throw him a graduation-themed gate party for when he arrived in San Antonio to fit in with the college motif. Luckily for me, Brandy’s wisdom and guidance was available to tap into, which I did liberally. A few weeks of planning, a couple of nights of sweating, and just a moment or two of crying later, October 11 (the date of the event) rolled around, and it was time to make it happen.

I created a “staff” made up of Internal Customer Care Intern Abby Olmscheid and Dispatch Intern Brent Bowen to help wrangle the crowd, hand out peanuts and inflatables, keep a Monster drink in my hand at all times, and slap me occasionally when I freaked out. Thankfully, the freak-outs didn’t happen often. But having a Team made entirely up of Interns made this event even more special for me. Our Supervisors were letting go of our hands to see if we could take a few steps on our own without falling over. They respected and trusted us enough to create an important memory for one of our Customers without supervision. If that’s not flattering, I don’t know what is.     

We flew to San Antonio, set everything up, and waited for Steve to arrive. The actual event went without a hitch.  I greeted Steve and his wife at the door of the plane and escorted him to the gate where he was greeted by a cheering crowd, hundreds of balloons, a large congratulatory banner, and a mariachi band. Southwest Airlines has a knack for going over the top, and I tried to make the event fit the Culture.   He didn’t know what was in store for him.

After he got over the shock, I congratulated him on his achievement, dressed him in a graduate’s cap and gown and gave him a “Final Exam” that consisted of very simple, but funny, questions. Once he passed (the test was rigged – I didn’t want to embarrass him with difficult questions), I gave him a diploma and two Southwest Airlines tickets and let him soak in the praise and glory of those present.

In an instant, the event was over. It had lasted for about an hour, but only felt like five minutes. However, I learned a lot about the PR and airline world before and during the party – priceless experience to take with me as I begin my path into the professional world.

The next week, I received an e-mail from Steve, thanking me for the “spectacular” gate party and wishing me luck in my future. Even though I threw the event, I have my own thank-you’s to give out:

Thank you to the PR Department for welcoming me with open arms, laughs, and an awesome work ethic. Thank you to Brandy for giving me my very first PR event to stage. Thank you to my “staff,” Abby and Brent, for supporting me and helping make the event happen successfully--I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you to the Graphics team for designing the fabulous banner. Thank you to Nancy Heinz for being the glue and Jacque Mallard for being the Scotch tape of the event. And thank you to Southwest Airlines for giving me the opportunity to participate in the most amazing Internship program in the country.

As a Culture Services Writing Supervisor, I have the privilege of reading several hundred letters each week from Customers who take the time to recognize the hard work and above and beyond efforts of our Employees.  We also receive tons of “fan mail” from Customers who LUV and appreciate our overall service (safe, reliable air travel at an affordable price!).  Most recently, as you can probably imagine, we have received hundred of letters in support of our “No Hidden Fees” way of doing business.  We have received letters of support from loyal SWA Customers; brand new Customers (who have decided to give us a try because of our no hidden fees); Rapid Rewards Members; and so many others that I thought it would be FUN to share a few of them with all of our Friends who frequent the best blog in the world! 

Here are excerpts from a few of our Customers’ correspondence:

Dear Southwest Airlines,
I am writing this letter to you simply to say, "Thank you - please don't change!" I travel frequently for work, usually on Southwest, and have come to regard Southwest as my favorite airline. With all of the nickel and dime fees being added by other airlines (baggage, soft drinks, pillows, etc.), your commitment, quality, efficiency, and customer service stands even taller over your competition. My fellow travelers and I are disgusted with these ridiculous antics being played out in the airline industry, all in the name of "rising energy costs." Then I think of Southwest and smile. When I book a flight on Southwest, I know I don't have to worry. I know that I'm usually going to arrive on time, maybe even early. But most of all, I know that I'm going to be served by people who love their jobs and truly value me as a customer. That is so rare in the airline industry, and it makes a huge difference.

I have always been satisfied with Southwest Airlines including the ease of using the computer for booking flights, I'm not real swift with computers (I grew up watching radio). I like the new boarding procedures and still manage to get the "first class seat” at the over the wing exit on occasion at no extra charge.  The reason I wrote this letter is that Southwest Airlines does not play games for the price of a ticket I really appreciate Southwest pricing the ticket up front at the level needed for Southwest to make a profit and stay in business. Your system of pricing is truthful and honest, and I how how much the flight will cost when the flight is booked by Southwest by not tacking on fees when I arrive at the airport (baggage) or fees, and once on board the aircraft, cokes, peanuts, pillows, blankets, or a cover charge for the entertainment etc. Also no extra fee for changing a ticket.

I wil continue to fly Southwest Airline whenever possible and have always been pleased with the service provided and enjoy your crews, especially the stand up comics onboard. By the way I like your peanuts. I don't how how you could improve your service, but I know that if it is possible you will.,

Dear Southwest:
I want you to know that I do not write letters, ever. What I usually do is just take it all in and let companies make their decisions, and then I make mine based on my needs. I don't complain and can't think of a time I've sent a written compliment. But I believe in this case it is totally necessary, and I've been meaning to do this for awhile now.

I fly almost every week, and my schedule changes frequently based on business needs. I have tried all the airlines, and even made the mistake of giving some a second and third chance, only to be disappointed (at myself by that point).

Your airline is absolutely terrific, and I cannot thank you enough for having the programs in place and the no hassle policies that allow me to do what I do. Without the ability to change my schedule on a dime, apply credit toward the next trip, and not pay all of the fees or deal with incompetent people, makes all the difference in my success on a daily basis or not. I commend you, especially in the industry that you are in and the times that we are dealing with, in your business philosophies and choices.

I have a sales team that travels quite a bit as well, and I can tell you that I have converted most of them over to Southwest. It's only a matter of time before the rest of them drink the Southwest Kool-Aid. Not only because I care about our bottom line (cost saving associated with using you versus the other options), not only because I want my people to be on time to their meetings, but mostly because like you, I care about the people I work with and if they are happy, so are our customers and so am I.

I have frequently found myself selling your company to others as well and I defend you to the highest degree when I hear negative things come out of others. Boy that's a true sign that you are doing things right. I did complain one time on the phone to one of your representatives when you started limiting the number of Rapid Rewards seats, and her answer was "sir we had to do something to be competitive as some flights were full of free flyers". I remember thinking to myself, hey, they've got to make money too.. instead
of defending my position, I was thinking of how I could help you continue to do what you do. I wish my customers were thinking of us this way! Congrats to you. You've earned it.

Thanks for being a terrific business partner!

I know that some of you may be thinking that I had to search through piles and piles of letters to find these awesome commendations, but that was not necessary.  You see, all of the compliment letters we receive are forwarded to the Executive Office for handling (and of course, Gary Kelly sees to it that every SWA Employee commended receives proper recognition), and while we receive approximately 1,000 external commendations (and 1,000 internal—that’s a whole different blog!) each month, every letter is so encouraging and so heartfelt that I was able to select three letters that were already sitting on my desk. 

In the coming months, I will continue to share some of the letters we receive, and I can tell you from experience that the letters you will read will make you laugh, make you cry, and most of all—they will make you glad that you fly (or work) for SWA! 

I had the pleasure of being a part of a wonderful aviation experience for students hosted by Southwest Airlines. We invited students from around the country to show them how our Company operates.

 
The event titled "Continuing the Legacy of Aviation" was made up of students from four different organizations; Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Bessie Coleman Foundation, Inc., Women’s Air force Service Pilots, and 100 Black Men of Greater Washington, D.C., Inc. The students got a wonderful surprise when they arrived to find that we also invited aviation legends from World War II;
Women’s Air force Service Pilot (WASP) Betty Jo Reed, and Tuskegee Airmen Bob Ashby, Robert T. McDaniel, and Calvin Spann.

The students and their parents or group leaders were flown into our Dallas Headquarters for the two-day event which began with a tour of our Maintenance Facility on September 17. The students had a chance to see Mechanics working on the aircraft and were able to ask all sorts of questions; it was a wonderful experience for them.

The following day they toured our main Headquarters and met with Southwest Leaders and visited our Reservations, Marketing, and Inflight Departments. They finished up the day with the most exciting part of the tour, when they got the chance to go into our 737 flight simulators.

Here are some of the things our guests had to say:

 "My experience this week will never be forgotten and I will cherish it for a long time. The maintenance tour you gave was phenomenal. I never knew so much went on in those huge hangers. It was so fascinating to see all aspects of the maintenance facility. Especially going into the gutted plane, going into the cockpit, and seeing the infamous black box. Thank you for dedicating your time to me as well as the other participants and their parents." 
Wesley Dixon (student--Snellville, Georgia)

"Cameron and I utterly enjoyed ourselves at Southwest Airlines last week. It was truly a life-changing experience. I was equally impressed with the caliber of African American male employees and fathers involved in the program. So often, the media distorts the image of the African-American male. So for Cameron to be amongst men at Southwest, the distinguished Tuskegee Airmen, Bessie Coleman, and 100 Black Men of DC, the experience left him with a strong impression and validation that he, too, can be an achiever.
So again, thanks to all! These memories will be with Cameron and me forever."

Sincerely, 
Gloria L. Smith and son, Cameron (Fort Worth, Texas)

I want to personally thank Southwest Airlines for investing in the future of our youth.