The Start :
Rollin King and Herb Kelleher decided to form a new type of airline over 30 years ago. Their idea was that people would forego some of the luxuries afforded by other airlines in order to pay a cheaper price. All that was important was that the passenger arrived at the destination in a timely manner and had a comfortable flight. Their increasing success since their inception proves just how right they were.
The Company :
The airline began service June 18, 1971 with flights to Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. Hence the name Southwest. Southwest has grown to become the fourth largest U.S. airline, becaming a major airline in 1989 when it exceeded the billion-dollar revenue mark. The fly more than 64 million passengers a year to 58 cities (59 airports) all over the "Southwest" and beyond.
The airline has consistently become known for offering some of the cheapest domestic flights on the market. They usually serve only peanuts and minimal refreshments in order to cut costs, but their service otherwise is marked by friendliness and a refreshing sense of humor. Unlike many airlines where seats are purchased at the same time as the ticket, your reserve a seat on a flight, but then seats are filled at a roll-call; first come, first serve. Sometimes Southwest is referred to as The Greyhound of the Skies, as it fulfills the need of air-travel for middle and lower-middle class clientele. Southwest flights are not for the claustrophobic, and overbooking ensures the necessity of an early arrival to the airport, but considering the general state of air-travel today, Southwest remains one of the best options for air-travel.
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Headquarters:
P.O. Box 36611
2702 Love Field Drive
Dallas, TX 75235
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Daily Departures : Nearly 2,800 flights a day
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Employees : More than 35,000 total Employees throughout the Southwest system.
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Stock : Common stock is traded under the symbol "LUV" on the NYSE.
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Fleet: Southwest currently operates 377 Boeing 737 jets (as of March 31, 2003).
TYPE NUMBER SEATS
737-200 27 122
737-300 194 137
737-500 25 122
737-700 131 137
Top Ten Airports Served :
DAILY NUMBER NONSTOP
AIRPORTS DEPARTURES OF GATES CITIES SERVED ESTABLISHED
Phoenix - PHX 182 21 39 1982
Las Vegas - LAS 173 19 41 1982
Baltimore - BWI 154 21 34 1993
Houston - HOU 141 17 23 1971
Chicago - MDW 132 15 30 1985
Dallas - DAL 130 14 13 1971
Oakland - OAK 122 13 18 1989
Los Angeles - LAX 114 12 19 1982
Nashville - BNA 86 10 28 1986
San Diego - SAN 79 9 15 1982
www.southwest.com