Southwest Airlines facts for kids
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| Founded | March 9, 1967 (as Air Southwest) |
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| Commenced operations | June 18, 1971 (as Southwest Airlines) |
| AOC # | SWAA304A |
| Operating bases |
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| Frequent-flyer program | Rapid Rewards |
| Fleet size | 815 |
| Destinations | 121 |
| Headquarters | Love Field, Dallas, Texas, US |
| Key people | |
| Revenue |  US$26.1 billion (2023) |
| Operating income |  US$224 million (2023) |
| Net income | US$465 million (2023) |
| Total assets | US$36.5 billion (2023) |
| Total equity | US$10.5 billion (2023) |
| Employees | 74,806 (2023) |
Southwest Airlines Co. is a big airline in the United States. It's known for being a low-cost airline, which means it tries to keep prices affordable. Its main office is in Dallas, Texas.
Southwest flies to many places, with over 120 destinations in the U.S. and 10 other countries. In 2018, it carried more passengers within the U.S. than any other airline. It is currently the third largest airline in North America by the number of passengers it flies.
The airline started on March 9, 1967, as Air Southwest Co. It became Southwest Airlines Co. in 1971. At first, it only flew within Texas, connecting Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Later, it grew to fly across the country and to Central American countries. Southwest is special because it uses a "point-to-point" system instead of a main hub. It also lets you check two bags for free! The airline uses only Boeing 737 planes.
Southwest Airlines has almost 75,000 employees. During busy times, it operates about 4,000 flights every day.
Contents
History of Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines was started in 1966 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King. It was first called Air Southwest Co. in 1967. Other airlines tried to stop Southwest from flying. They didn't want Southwest to offer lower prices by flying only within Texas.
In 1971, the lawsuits were settled. The airline changed its name to Southwest Airlines. It began flying regularly between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. In 1975, Southwest added more cities in Texas. After new laws in 1979, it started flying to nearby states.
In the 1990s, Southwest expanded to the East and Southeast U.S. In 2006, it began flying to Denver, which is now a very popular destination. Southwest was successful for many years, making a profit from 1973 to 2019.
Where Southwest Flies
As of 2024, Southwest Airlines flies to over 100 places. These include cities in 42 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.
Southwest does not use the common "hub-and-spoke" system like other big airlines. Instead, it uses a "point-to-point" system. This means planes fly directly between cities. It also uses a "rolling-hub" model in its main cities.
Southwest's Airplanes
Southwest Airlines uses only one type of plane: the Boeing 737. This helps them save money on training and maintenance.
Your Flight Experience
Southwest only offers economy-class seats. They do not have business or first-class sections. However, they offer many good things for passengers.
You can check two bags for free on Southwest flights. You can also change your flight up to 10 minutes before it leaves without paying extra fees. If your flight is canceled, you get a travel credit. This credit never expires and can be used for future flights or vacations.
Southwest offers free non-alcoholic drinks during flights. You can buy alcoholic drinks for a small fee. Sometimes, on holidays like Valentine's Day or Halloween, alcoholic drinks are free for adults. They also give out free snacks on all flights. Southwest is known for its fun flight attendants. They sometimes make funny announcements or even sing!
Before 2007, Southwest had a different way of boarding planes. Passengers were put into groups A, B, or C. They would line up and board when their group was called.
In 2007, Southwest changed how people board. Now, each passenger gets a letter (A, B, or C) and a number (1 through 60). Passengers line up in number order within their letter group. Then, they can choose any open seat on the plane. A study in 2012 found this method to be the fastest way to board a plane. It was about 10 minutes faster than other methods. In 2020, Southwest was ranked number one on the Airline Quality Rating list.
Southwest also has a "customer of size" policy. If a passenger needs more than one seat, the cost of the second seat is refunded.
In-Flight Entertainment
As of September 2023, Wi-Fi costs $8 on Southwest flights. With Wi-Fi, you can watch live TV and movies. You can also stream music and use messaging apps like iMessage and WhatsApp.
Southwest started testing in-flight Wi-Fi in 2009. They began adding it to their planes in 2010. They also tested streaming live TV and movies in 2012 and 2013. Now, live TV, movies, messaging, and flight tracking are available through Wi-Fi. Full internet access is available for a fee.
Rapid Rewards Program
Southwest started its frequent-flyer program in 1987. It was called The Company Club. This program gave you credit for each trip you flew, no matter the distance. In 1996, Southwest renamed it Rapid Rewards.
The first Rapid Rewards program gave one credit for each one-way flight. If you collected 16 credits in 24 months, you earned a free round-trip ticket. This ticket was good for 12 months.
On March 1, 2011, Rapid Rewards changed to a points system. Now, you earn and use points based on how much your ticket costs. The new system also means there are no "blackout dates" (days you can't use points). There are also no seat limits or expiring credits. Since October 2019, your Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as you are alive. This gives you more ways to use your points.
Southwest's Business
Headquarters
Southwest Airlines' main offices are located at Dallas Love Field in Dallas. These offices are seen as a showcase for the company's unique culture.
In 2012, Southwest started building a new training and support center. This building includes a Network Operations Control center. This center can handle strong storms like an EF3 tornado. It also has offices and training rooms. This project was finished in 2014.
In 2016, Southwest began building another new facility called Wings. This includes a large office building and the Leadership Education and Aircrew Development (LEAD) Center. The LEAD Center is a new training place for pilots. It can hold many flight simulators. This building opened in 2018. Southwest has plans to expand the LEAD Center even more.
Working at Southwest
As of June 2022, Southwest Airlines had over 62,000 full-time employees. The company looks for people with a "Servant's Heart, Warrior Spirit, Fun-LUVing Attitude." They also believe in putting "employees first, customers second."
Bob Jordan became Southwest's CEO in February 2022. He took over from Gary C. Kelly, who is now the chairman. Many important leaders have worked at Southwest over the years, including founder Herb Kelleher.
About 83% of Southwest employees are part of a union. This includes pilots, mechanics, customer service agents, and flight attendants.
Southwest is often named one of the "best places to work." Its employee culture is praised by magazines like Travel and Leisure and Forbes. The company was also named one of Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies" in 2021.
Southwest has never had to lay off employees. During the COVID-19 pandemic, some employees chose to take early retirement or long breaks. However, the company did not force anyone to leave.
Influence on Other Airlines
Southwest's way of doing business has inspired many other low-cost airlines around the world. Their strategy focuses on being very efficient. They get planes ready quickly and keep costs low.
Airlines like Europe's EasyJet and Ryanair have followed Southwest's model. Other airlines that use a similar system include Canada's WestJet, Malaysia's AirAsia, and India's IndiGo.
Competing with High-Speed Trains
Southwest Airlines has sometimes worked to stop high-speed rail projects. They see these fast trains as rivals for short flights. In the 1990s, Southwest argued against a high-speed rail system in Texas. They believed it would harm their affordable flights and need a lot of public money. The train project was eventually canceled. Many people think Southwest's strong efforts played a big part in this.
Advertising and Slogans
Southwest has always used humor in its advertisements. Some past slogans include "Love Is Still Our Field" and "You're Now Free to Move About the Country." As of 2022, their slogan is "Low fares. Nothing to hide. That's TransFarency!"
In 1992, Southwest had a friendly competition over a slogan. Another company, Stevens Aviation, used "Plane Smart." Southwest started using "Just Plane Smart." Instead of a lawsuit, the CEOs of both companies had an arm-wrestling match! Southwest's CEO, Herb Kelleher, lost the match. But the winner, Kurt Herwald, let Southwest keep using the slogan anyway. This showed the fun and friendly spirit of Southwest.
Safety and Incidents
Southwest Airlines is considered one of the safest airlines in the world. No passenger has ever died as a result of a plane crash.
There have been a few incidents over the years. These include planes going off the runway during landing or small holes appearing in the plane's body during flight. In these cases, the planes landed safely.
Sadly, there have been a few deaths related to incidents, but not from crashes. For example, in 2005, a plane slid off a snowy runway and hit cars, causing one death on the ground. In 2018, a piece of an engine broke off and hit a window, causing a passenger to be pulled partly out and sadly pass away. These events led to investigations and safety improvements. Southwest continues to focus on keeping its flights safe for everyone.
Images for kids
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Southwest's boarding process at an airport gate
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Southwest Airlines' headquarters at Dallas Love Field in Dallas
See also
In Spanish: Southwest Airlines para niños
- Air transportation in the United States
- Southwest Airlines State Fair Classic
- Southwest Effect
- Transportation in the United States
- Nuts!
