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Philadelphia Phillies Trade Places with Southwest Airlines Employees

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Two Philadelphia Phillies players entered the “major leagues” of airlines as they traded places with Southwest Airlines Ground Ops Employees Tuesday at Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). Phillies outfielders Shane Victorino and Ben Francisco, along with broadcasters Larry Andersen, Scott Franzke, Gary Matthews Sr., Tom McCarthy and Scott Palmer made gate announcements, interacted with Customers and Employees, helped bring a plane into the gate, and also helped push back a flight bound for Orlando.

Southwest Airlines is the official airline of the Philadelphia Phillies; however this was the first time Phillies players “traded places” with Southwest Employees. The players took their new duties very seriously! Ben Franscisco did a great job marshaling the plane into the gate, but he was later teased by fellow teammate Shane Victorino about the plane being a little left of the centerline. Shane did his best to make any boarding announcements while being bombarded by fans and the media. Customers were lined up in all directions with cameras and cell phones to catch a glimpse of their favorite players.

Shane and Ben were great about making time to sign autographs and hang out with Southwest employees and Customers on the tarmac and in the boarding area. “It was nerve-racking getting the people in and out,” said Shane Victorino.  In the end, he didn’t send anyone to the wrong city...

The Philly Phanatic also made an appearance on the tarmac, hanging out with Employees and dancing atop the custom- painted Phillies’ edition Tug created by PHL Ground Ops Employees.

Not even the Pilots were spared from his antics! More Trading Spaces events are in the works with other teams, including the Texas Rangers and Baltimore Orioles. You never know who you might run into when you fly Southwest this summer! 

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