Travel Blog

It was a sentimental day over in Dallas yesterday when Herb Kelleher officially stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Southwest Airlines. It won’t, however, be the end of his involvement with the airline. He’s still going to be around for at least 5 years. Apparently he’ll be focusing on getting a more fuel efficient replacement for the airline’s 737s. Rumor has it that the new plane will be powered by Wild Turkey.

Paul Dervan has an interesting post about Southwest Airlines use of Twitter. For those unfamiliar with Twitter, it’s a bit of a mix between an Internet forum and Instant Messaging (watch this video for a better example.) Paul, the interested marketeer, points out that:

Oh boy, the media had a field day with this one. CNN put out an article entitled, “Records: Southwest Airlines flew ‘unsafe’ planes” and Rep Oberstar was quoted as saying that “The result of inspection failures, and enforcement failure, has meant that aircraft have flown unsafe, unairworthy, and at risk of lives.”

Delta, and most of the other network airlines, tends to look the other way when someone unusually tall or wide boards its aircraft. At least one carrier, Southwest Airlines, doesn’t. It requires that plus-sized passengers buy an extra seat (they get their money back if there are empty seats). I could find no policy regarding these oversized travelers on Delta’s Web site, which says to me that your seatmate wasn’t out of line in booking only one seat.

Not that its a bad plan. Pretty smart, actually. Its good for passengers, because you don't have to stand in line to get a good seat. You are called up in groups, and the lower your number, the closer to the front of the line you will be. And they're strict about it. Try jumping in line, and you will get to know those gate attendants really well. And it is good for the airline, because if a person wants to pay more, they can buy their way to a good number. If you purchase a business class ticket, you will pay more, but you will be guaranteed a good number. Its no wonder Southwest Airlines turns a profit. They're actually really smart.

In the early 1970's, flight attendants (then referred to as "stewardesses") who worked for Southwest Airlines dressed like this:

I'm not one to boycott things, except sobriety and chastity, but I definitely won't be flying Southwest anytime soon. It seems wearing an outfit like the one in the picture to the right is enough to get Southwest flight attendants to try to bar you from flying.

A year ago, in a fit of air rage, I blogged about how Southwest Airlines let me down a couple times in Baltimore. Typical blogger rant about bad service, no big deal, right?

This article profiles Southwest Airlines executive Fred Taylor, Jr. Although his official title is Senior Manager of Proactive Customer Communications, as the Times article suggests, this is a euphemism for "Chief Apology Officer." In this role, Taylor spends long hours researching customer service failures at the airline, then sending personal letters of apology (usually including his direct phone number and often enclosing free travel vouchers) to Southwest Airlines customers who suffered the poor experience.

Then tonight we kick things off with a keynote from Davis Ridley. Davis ran customer service for Southwest airlines. In ecommerce, customer service is one of the best ways to distinguish yourself from competitors. In the airline industry, SouthWest consistently beats every other airline in all aspects of customer service so we thought someone that could achieve what Davis has in one of THE toughest customer service industries would be a great way to start the conference.

Southwest Airlines is lucky to have Angela Vargo who spearheaded the Southwest Nuts about Southwest group blog all the way to the executives and now has a thriving group blog that even includes customers blogging. At one point, the CEO left a post brainstorming about changing the open seating policy to an assigned seating policy. There were hundreds of comments that rejected the notion and Southwest was able to build better service from listening to this interactive focus group.

As we took off, my mind wandered to luggage and personal poundage. Most airlines charge for luggage over a certain weight - say, 40 lbs. for carry-on and 50 for checked baggage. Should similar restrictions, and resulting price points pertain to passengers? In 2002, Southwest Airlines began enforcing a program that required folks whose bodies extended beyond the bounds of a single seat belt to purchase two seats. That raised some eyebrows. In fact, I’m not sure we’ll see real “variable” pricing for airline tickets anytime soon (and our “overweight” status I’m sure could have been a function of luggage).

Last weekend I was out in PA visiting with Will, Davis, Griffin and Mundis, and I can honestly say that I had a truly awesome weekend of drinking, talking shit and jamming with the gang. Thanks to Southwest Airlines and their $49 airfare each way, I’m pretty sure this won’t be the only time I fly in to Pittsburgh. Shit. My parking at Midway was as expensive as a one-way ticket, so it’s not like it’s prohibitive. I can’t even drive to Milwaukee and back for less money these days.

For 27 years, the nation’s largest passenger carrier held an edge at its main Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport by preserving an obscure 1979 law that prevented upstart carrier Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV ), then a no-frills intrastate carrier, from flying nationwide from the newcomer’s home base at Love Field, which is closer to downtown Dallas. But the vagaries of power in the nation’s capital, combined with airline industry turmoil, has forced American to accept a painful compromise rather than face the prospect of losing a Capitol Hill showdown with a bitter rival. “We’re fatalistic about it,” says American lobbyist Dan Elwell. “Let’s get on with making this a better airline going forward than expending a lot of effort fighting this.”

If I flew Southwest Airlines, this site would be my new best friend. For less than the cost of your lunch today, Board First will secure your A group boarding pass for you. No more waiting up til midnight.

I spent a very nice weekend up in Connecticut, arriving home last night with much less fanfare than with which I left D.C. (The trip north Thursday involved one mis-set alarm clock, one turned-off alarm clock, two missed trains, two train tickets, a track power outage up and down the Eastern seaboard, a cab ride, a missed flight, mismatched sandals not discovered until the airport, and a very helpful and sympathetic Southwest Airlines who didn’t charge me extra when they could have easily done so).

Boston dignitaries are taking a second look at two airports in New England that aren’t in Boston but want to use the name. First off was the airport in Manchester, New Hampshire, about 55 miles northwest of Boston’s Logan International Airport, and the site of one of the first forays more than a decade ago into the region by Southwest Airlines.

The Whited Curse strikes again — Southwest Airlines is considering scrapping its open-seating policy:

For those of you on a mac that are enrolled in the Rapid Rewards program by Southwest Airlines. The mac version of Ding is now available. You’ll get 2 free points if you keep the program on your computer for 30 days.

A seven-month truce has been declared in the battle over the Wright Amendment. Curiously, this truce was not reached by the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, nor by American and Southwest Airlines. The combatants in this latest skirmish are Members of Congress from the Metroplex and other parts of the U.S. who claim to have an economic interest in the outcome of the Love Field “liberation” battle.

I understand the beef. I can GET that no one should receive special consideration. But I think it is a safe bet that Paula Abdul is not trying to blow up the freaking plane!

There are many examples included, such as Southwest Airlines, the Cirque du Soleil, Curves, and Starbucks…but don’t think that this book is only for big companies, in fact, it is even more relevant to small businesses. This is a new way to look at the potential market place for any business.

For those of you who don’t know (or do know– but have never seen it) I was chosen to be in a Southwest Airlines TV commercial, which to date has almost singlehandedly paid for my car loan. It was a great time– I was flown out to Philly on U.S. Air, put up in a hotel, sat around most of the day, and was on camera for probably a total of 25 minutes.

I flew Independence last June from SFO to its hub at Washington Dulles and loved the service as well as the bargain fares. It competed with discount carriers like JetBlue, AirTran, UAL’s Ted and Southwest Airlines.

I read about a great example of inspiring motivation at a (speaking of good people) Corporate Alliance function the other day. The following text is taken from a full-page ad published on Boss's Day 1994. The ad was paid for by the employees of Southwest Airlines and it was addresses to Herb Keller, the company's CEO:

My company is sending everyone to Reno, NV in January for a fun-filled three day trip of doing whatever you want to do in Reno, for three days as part of a gift for doing so well this year. I’d really like to go, however, there’s one thing stopping me: Southwest Airlines. Like most airline carriers, they have a policy that basically states if you encroach on the person’s seat that is next to you, you must pay for an extra seat. I’m not one of those fat person fanatics that think whoah, whoah! Discrimination! I mean, really, if you’re too large to fit into the space, maybe you should consider getting an extra seat. Is it really fair for the person next to you to have to suffer through your fat rolls because you’re gushing over the armrest? Now when I illustrate this, I’m talking someone pretty extreme.

Southwest Airlines passenger Lorrie Heasley was wearing a T-shirt with a picture of Bush, Cheney, and Rice that bore the caption “Meet the Fuckers.” Other passengers, gravely offended, tattled on her and Southwest Officials kicked her off the flight.

Okay, well I’m currently away from my home base, this time for business reasons. Before I delve into my weekly update, I’ve made a few observations while traveling so I think I’ll share. First, people in the service industry in the D.C. area aren’t terribly polite. Now, I am both generalizing and understating here. These bammas are flat out RUDE. Me: “‘Scuse me, can you tell me where the soap is?” Them: *blank stare* Me: “Umm, do you work here?” Them: “Ugh, I’m on the phone, if you can’t find it by the sign, then you gonna haveta wait a minute. *eye roll combined with suck teeth* Jeez. The San Diego airport, in an effort to make us all feel like 90 year old grandmas, has lined its Terminal 2 with rocking chairs. ROCKING CHAIRS!!! At first, I was taken aback by these old-style wooden beauties lining the waiting areas. Then I noticed people comfortably sliding back and forth with looks of peace and tranquility plastered on their faces. Peace and tranquility in an airport? “There must be something to this,” I thought as I scootched on over to the nearest vacant chair. Rock…mmmmm…rock…ooohhh…rock…aaaaahhhh. Oh my freakin’ God, these things work! Shocking. Two minutes after being slightly perterbed by the airportness of the place, I am rocking my way to absolute nirvana. Who knew?!? One last observation. This one’s about us–excuse me, US. Maaaan, I get on the plane in Vegas (layover) and I’m sitting next to two entrepeNegros who are doing, apparently, quite well for themselves. In fact, I’m hoping to meet up with Wife entrepeNegro to discuss hear more about what they do. But why, why, WHY did they act like we were on Southwest Airlines (what I refer to as “the Greyhound of the Skies”). I have ridden Southwest, will probably ride again because it is so dang cheap, so I’m not here frontin’ like it’s beneath me or something. But that said, WTF? I mean, if you’ve ever flown SWA you know EXACTLY what I’m talking about. We get on the plane–mind you i saw these cats in the waiting area and they were sitting there at least as long as I was–we get on the plane, and they pull out their burger king and commence to grubbin’. I wish I could say that they were throwing pickles or being really obnoxious, you know for the fun of the story, but they weren’t. They were just funkin’ up the joint with their stinky food that they could have easily consumed before getting on the plane.

I’m willing to board like Southwest Airlines or continue to hope there will be an First Class upgrade that I can buy at the last minute. I’m willing to accept that I’ll only get nuts or a cookie when I used to get a little sandwich. I’ll overlook their baggage handling uncertainty. I’ll even put up with the rude and annoying ticket agents (I’m experiencing them more and more). I’ll ignore it all and stick with the brand if it means Alaska Airlines Management and Leadership keeps key strategic assets like their pilots, but more importantly, their flight attendants. That’s how much I appreciate the flight attendants. Oh, the trials and tribulations of brand loyalty; it sucks, but sometimes we have to believe in something. I don’t believe in Airlines Airlines, but I believe in their flight attendants who are the heart and soul of the Alaska Airlines brand.

A few months ago, I thought of a great way the CTA could improve its service. If the El is delayed, I'd like to get a message on my cell phone, and I'd like the CTA to provide a service for sending out SMS messages. I envisioned a service where I would indicate my interest in a rail line (Red Line, Purple Line), days of the week (M-F), and perhaps type of delay (major/minor).

We got back yesterday from a trip to Pennsylvania to visit the in-laws. Steve had a business trip, so Emily and I tagged along on my Companion Pass and a reward ticket. Gotta love Southwest Airlines! Well, some of the time, anyway.

From a Southwest Airlines employee: “Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don’t know how to operate one, you probably shouldn’t be out in public unsupervised.”

A note to people that need to travel by air: check Expedia.com or Southwest Airlines’ site for tickets exactly one week to the day before you want to fly. I found that Southwest and Expedia both offer CHEAP fares on a 7-day advance purchase. Note, also, that it depends on how full the flights are on the day you want to leave. My cost was $118.10 for a one-way ticket from CC, TX to Baltimore, MD, with only one layover. The same exact ticket, if I would have purchased it the day before, would have cost me $316.

What’s the take home? Southwest Airlines needs to get a better site. I mean, I need to concentrate when money’s invovled. Or I shouldn’t do two things at once? I can’t decide. Too many ideas are running in my head now.

The DMN letters to the editor from a few days ago address the proposal to remove the Wright amendment, both for and against. One of the other strange claims laid out by Wright supporters is voiced by Mike Luckock, who writes:

This is not about flying anywhere we want; this is about Southwest Airlines' refusal to move to D/FW, where it has been offered a year's free lease.

Sorry, Mike. Southwest is under no obligation to move from where it is. You need to be asking yourself why you're so afraid of Southwest actually being able to compete with American.

Yesterday I returned from my second trip to Las Vegas, NV. Five of our six man group flew to Sin City via Southwest Airlines. I always hear people saying "flights to Vegas are dirt cheap" but the last two times I've gone my ticket has been at least $350 and that seems like a lot, especially for an airline that bills itself as a low cost carrier. Granted, it was Memorial Day weekend, but we bought the tickets well in advance and for the hell ride Southwest gives you, it seems like a bit much.

As Larry points out, in the airline industry, the airlines in bankruptcy or on the brink of bankruptcy are not hedging, but the profitable Southwest Airlines (my "hometown airline") is profitable, and so is able to hedge. Because it is able to hedge, it becomes even more profitable. The airlines who cannot afford hedging programs incur more losses.

From a disgruntled Southwest Airlines employee.... "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight XXX, to YYY. To operate your seatbelt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seatbelt, and if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with two small children, decide now which one you love more. Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, noboby loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."

Low-cost airlines are likely to double their market share in the US over the coming decade, capturing 50 pct of the domestic market, a study by Standard and Poor’s said. … traditional carriers, American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, US Airways …

So how do we have fun at work? First, stop taking yourself too seriously, advises Veeck and Goodman. "We're all enamored with the idea that what we're doing is terribly important," says Veeck. Just let that go, they say. To that end, Goodman recommends that workplaces should applaud mistakes to reduce the fear of failure. He mentions Southwest Airlines as a great example of an organization that encourages employees to have fun and has reaped huge business benefits, including a reputation for great customer service, as a result.

I not only flew ATA,I signed up for ATA's frequent flyer program. Now linked with Southwest Airlines, I can earn a companion ticket by just taking 3 trips. I can earn a free ticket with just 6 round trips. So my 6 trips to Chicago are as valuable to this airline as if I traveled 25,000 miles on Northwest. I like that.

The pilots' appeal was backed by low-fare carrier Southwest Airlines, which argued in a friend-of-the-court filing that FAA data shows older pilots are "as safe as, and in some cases safer than, their younger colleagues."

"The 1950s-era age 60 rule, coupled with the FAA's rigid implementation of it, arbitrarily deprives Southwest Airlines of some of its best pilots at the peak of their careers," the airline wrote.

If you ever fly Southwest Airlines, ask for Brenda, the funniest flight attendant I've ever seen (or heard.) During the pre-flight safety instructions, she went through the usual smoking not being permitted in the lavatories: "There is a $2000 fine for smoking. For that price, you could've flown Delta. If you really want to smoke, you can go out on the wing. If you can light a cigarette, you can smoke it." She also said, "For those of you travelling today with small children, I'm so sorry."

As a devoted Macintosh user, I hestitate to mention this cool new Southwest Airlines offering because it only works with Windows machines...ggrrrr. But I'll put my jealosy aside and mention it here anyway. DING! is a small utility that sits quietly on your desktop and alerts you to last-minute and VERY limited-time sales on Southwest flights. And from some of the fares I've seen, the savings can be stunning. If you use a Windows computer, check it out and let me know how it works. Register and download DING!

Delta shares have lost more than 90 percent of their value in the last four years, reducing the market value of the company’s stock to only about $500 million. By comparison, discount carrier Southwest Airlines Inc.’s market capitalization of $11.5 billion is 23 times larger.

A judge has set a trial date in a discrimination lawsuit filed against Southwest Airlines by two black passengers who were upset when a flight attendant recited a version of a rhyme with a racist history.

The new aircraft will allow Ryanair to increase its passenger numbers from an expected 34 million this year to 70 million in 2011, creating 2,500 jobs and taking it ahead of British Airways and Air France. Ryanair reported profits of £20m in the last quarter of 2004.

"Southwest Airlines would like to welcome you to Los Angeles." I never thought I would be so happy to hear those words. My trip to Nashville was actually great. It was the plane ride home that was a nightmare.

Here's a headline you don't see much these days in the airline business: "First-Quarter Earnings Triple." But that's just what Southwest Airlines announced this morning, attributing its good fortune to lots of passengers, cost cutting, and, mostly, lower fuel prices. It's that last point that sets Southwest so far ahead of its competitors--the airline wisely hedged fuel prices long before oil climbed to more than $50-a-barrel. For example, 83 per cent of Southwest's fuel needs the second quarter of this year will only...

According to McCartney, Mr. Grinstein decided that airlines, e.g. Delta, didn't pass muster according to Cosco's standards. He noted that JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines (again!) "offer good value from their tickets: Vacationers get cheap deals while last minute business travelers pay more -- but not 10 times more. JetBlue and Southwest often aren't the cheapest, but consumers don't care." (I'm quoting McCartney's paraphrase of Grinstein's comments.)

Questions such as Hamel’s are a staple of management thought at Southwest Airlines, which has long wreaked havoc on a very mature industry. Southwest’s management team is famous for its ability to attract, hire, develop, and truly inspire A players at every level. Every pilot, every flight attendant, every baggage handler, and every check-in clerk is an A player – someone who sets the industry standard for what they do.

From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised.

Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."

Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City: The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault ...it was the asphalt."

I am a flight attendant for Southwest Airlines. In an average day I come accross many interesting people and see some cool places. In my space on the web I'm going to share funny and not so funny stories in the life of a flight attendant. I get to go to a lot of cities in the US and go to some cool sometimes out of the way places such as, nice resturants, cool museums ect, which I will also discuss in my blog. Hopefully this will be as fun and entertaining to others as it will be for my self. I love to write and thought...

Thanks to Southwest Airlines for excellent service. Even when misinformation from their codeshare partners threatened my plans, Southwest made sure I got to DC on time.