09-29-2009
08:12 AM
271 Loves
Disney’s current ad campaign is “What will you celebrate?” My answer is “Disney VoluntEARs!” I had the distinct pleasure of welcoming and witnessing the childlike excitement of 20 Disney VoluntEARs arriving at Chicago Midway. The Disney VoluntEARs from Orlando along with our MDW Employees partnered to get down and dirty by refurbishing a local elementary school. The enthusiasm for the task ahead was contagious. We welcomed them in typical Southwest Airlines style. The gate area was decorated with my favorite Mickey Mouse balloons and magical banners. Also, to add to the excitement we were there to cheer and support the arrival of those coming to help improve our hometown. You might ask why Southwest Airlines and Disney would work together on this project and the answer is that we both believe in celebrating community service. We are supporting spreading the word about Disney's new program called "Give a Day, Get a Disney Day" by providing transportation for a 20-city tour that takes the volunteer program to major cities throughout the United States. Through this program Disney hopes to inspire families to volunteer in their communities in 2010 by giving a free one-day admission ticket to Disney parks to one million people who perform volunteer service for a participating organization. It is a really cool idea, and I am glad that Southwest Airlines gets to do a small part by spreading the word and giving back to the communities we serve. While the “Give a Day, Get a Disney Day” program kicks off January 1, right now guests can learn more about the program and how to get their free one-day admission to a Walt Disney World or Disneyland theme park by visiting www.DisneyParks.com (for the United States and Puerto Rico) or www.DisneyParks.ca (for Canada).
... View more
08-12-2009
08:19 AM
190 Loves
One of the reasons I enjoy working in Field Marketing for Southwest Airlines is the fact that I get the opportunity to interact with many of our Customers through their travels. I have the privilege to hear the stories behind why they fly, whether it is for business or pleasure. One early morning, I was working at Chicago Midway making luggage name tags for our Customers, and I had the distinct opportunity to hear a unique and heart warming story about a group of guys (big guys) headed to Vegas. The tale will appeal to anyone who has ever played team sports and knows the impact that any coach can have on his or her players. The following is one such story told by a man named Steve Sularski who made a promise one day as a young football player and got to honor that promise later in life through a Southwest Airlines flight. I asked him to send me his story: "I played High School Football at LaPorte High School in LaPorte, Indiana . I was on the varsity team since my freshman year so this gave me an extra couple of years of bonding time with some of these coaches. We all had a great, respectful relationship with each other. One day during my career, we had won a big game and thought, wouldn't it be neat to go to Vegas to celebrate!!!!!! Well, being underage I couldn't go, and it was somewhat of a dream for the coaches. Sitting on the couch in the coaches’ office, I made a promise to them that I would take them to Vegas to celebrate one day in the future. Fast forward 14 years and we are at the LaPorte Slicer Football Hall of Fame Banquet. Coach Severs was being inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the night, the promise was brought up, and I told them I was ready to make it happen. I had received an invitation to play in a slot tournament at the Mirage and asked if all of us could get into it. They answered yes, so now I had my dates for the trip, plus we had something fun to do. Coach Severs ended up in fourth place and received $1,500 in Freeplay. As a group total we had made $4,000 so we shared with everyone. The trip was a blast." (Left to Right Front Row-Robert Schellinger Jr. and Gregory Fruth. Left to Right Back Row-Robert Schellinger Sr., Bo Belden, Coach Robert Severs, David Stafford, Stephen Sularski, Robert Sularski) Clearly these coaches were men of impact and also a bit lucky in Vegas! I am glad that Steve chose Southwest Airlines to fulfill a promise that he made as a young player and thank you for sharing your story!
... View more
07-16-2009
08:12 AM
375 Loves
Having moved to Chicago into the heart of Wrigleyville I am just now coming to understand the passions of a true Cubs fan. Come rain or shine, there is always a gathering outside Wrigley prior to a game. The noises of the ballpark have become synonymous with my summer in Chicago. One of the best parts of my summer thus far has been the opportunity to provide a CUBS experience for one of our frequent fliers…the once in a lifetime opportunity to throw out the first pitch from the mound of Wrigley Field. As a proud sponsor of the Chicago Cubs, our Chicago Marketing Team had the distinct pleasure of hosting many of our Rapid Reward Members for a hospitality evening within the “Friendly Confines” of Wrigley Field. We invited 100 of our Chicago area Rapid Reward Members to a Cubs v. Braves game last week for the Cubs 70’s Theme Night. It was a great opportunity to have FUN with our frequent fliers and treat them to an evening of Baseball… SWA style. The event started two hours prior to the ballgame, and we ate hotdogs and chips at the Sheffield Grill inside Wrigley Field. Our RR Members had the chance to get a baseball card made with their photo and RR stats on the back. They also got to register to win the opportunity to throw out the first pitch. This is a once in a lifetime event for any Cubs Fan! Sharon Ryczek was the lucky winner of the opportunity to throw out the first pitch… actually she was kind enough to allow her husband Larry have the privilege. Larry is a lifelong native and Chicago Cubs fan. He said that he had been practicing with his dog for weeks prior to the game just in case he won. Lucky for him he did! The practice paid off and his pitch was a straight shot to catcher Jake Fox. Not only did he get to throw out the first pitch but he also received complimentary A-List status for his wife who travels with Southwest Airlines for company business. She is a huge Southwest Airlines Fan! So thank you to everyone who came out for the ballgame and congratulations Larry and Sharon. We hope to see you on your next Southwest Airlines flight.
... View more
07-02-2009
07:53 AM
278 Loves
Last weekend I saw Freedom in its most natural form at the Dog Park on Montrose Beach. My husband and I recently moved to Chicago with our mutt Charlie and were told about the dog park along the shore of Lake Michigan. Since summer is clearly here we decided to give it a try and see how our Lab/Golden Retriever mix would take to the experience. Let me just say that he LUVed it! What I witnessed put a smile on my face as I saw Yorkies, Great Danes, Bulldogs, Terriers and even a Chihuahua enjoy the freedom of the Montrose Dog Beach. All the various breeds were off their leash and able to swim in the water, run in the sand, and play among themselves, all to the pure amusement of their owners. You could not help but chuckle at Charlie’s enjoyment as there was no leash to hold him back. All you could see for a quarter-mile stretch was tails waging and spirits abounding as they leapt to catch a tennis ball or crashed into the cold lake. I had to practically carry my 100-pound Lab out of the water in order to get home in time for dinner. It was pure joy to watch these dogs experience Freedom. As we celebrate the 4th of July which commemorates the Freedom we have to live our lives in this great country I hope that I can get rid of the burdens that hold me back (at least for the weekend 🙂 and experience that “Happy Dog” Freedom that I witnessed on the Montrose Dog Beach. If you are a dog LUVer and a Southwest Airlines LUVer you need to bring your pet up to Chicago Midway and take Fido to the Dog Beach. Believe me… it will put a smile on your face.
... View more
I had the distinct pleasure of joining the fifth grade class of Dawes Elementary School on their field trip tour of our Southwest Airlines Operation at Midway Airport . Why was Dawes Elementary so lucky? Well... the answer is that they earned it along with their Adopted First Officer Tyrone Ward! The fifth graders were graduating from the Adopt-A-Pilot program, and the culmination of their achievement was a fun-filled day with Southwest Airlines Pilots, playing games like “pin the tail on the Boeing” and cupcakes…there was also a bit of education involved! If a field trip like this would have existed when I was younger I would probably be flying the skies instead of writing this blog! " What is Adopt-A-Pilot," you might ask? The Adopt-A-Pilot Program reaches fifth grade classes in each of our destination cities and the classes adopt their own Southwest Airlines Pilot for a four-week educational and mentorship program, containing curriculum that covers geography, math, science, civics, history, aviation, creative writing, and research skills. “Adopted” Pilots mentor students and communicate a key message: Education is important in reaching personal goals, and that message was communicated thoroughly throughout the day. Chicago Midway was chosen sight for this particular field trip because the Chicago Flight Operations Base won the "2009 Ace Pilot Base" award for having the highest percentage of Pilots register for the Adopt-A-Pilot program. Go MDW! As an award for the winning base, Adopt-A-Pilot sponsored a field trip for the class of an adopted Pilot from the winning Base. This year AAP sponsored First Officer Tyrone Ward's classes from Dawes Elementary. The day started with students listening to our Midway Assistant Chief Pilot Art George talk about the Midway Operation and the 1,000 Pilots based at Chicago Midway. He then dismissed the Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Delta, Echo and Foxtrot groups (Yes, the students learned the Phonetic Alphabet!) to go on a tour of Midway. They also got to board a Boeing 737 and sit in the cockpit like a real Pilot. They also got to visit the Pilot’s Lounge and hear from the Chief Pilot Tony Dorsch who briefed the students about the average day of a pilot. Students were able to view flight manuals and see real time weather updates. The best part of the tour was the opportunity to hear from a legendary Tuskegee Airman. The Tuskegee Airmen were America ’s first black military airmen and were trained in Tuskegee , AL from 1941-1946. They served in WWII, and the students had the opportunity to hear from the 85-year-old veteran pilot, Lt. Williams, who talked about his experience during the war and about how these fifth grade students were the future of the country. What an inspiration! The students also had the opportunity to see and pet Midway’s Canine Unit drug dog named Nicky. His owner, Officer Alaniz, gave an example of how the dog uses his sensitive nose to find illegal items in the airport. In addition, Representative Glen Toby from The Book Bank Foundation gave each student a hardback book to further the foundation’s goal of literacy among youth. Finally the big moment arrived, Adopt-A-Pilot graduation! All the students graduated with flying colors from the Southwest Airlines Adopt-A-Pilot program, learning lessons of science and the physics of flight, hopefully to inspire their young minds to start thinking about their future. Believe me…after meeting these students the sky truly is the limit!
... View more
03-02-2009
08:53 AM
234 Loves
I recently relocated to the Chicago Field Marketing Office for Southwest Airlines and made the move to Chi-Town with my husband and Charlie the dog. I made the move for a Company that I love, but I still remind my Coworkers everyday that the cold is not quite so strong anywhere else in the world (I know it is a bit of an exaggeration). The locals tell me that this is the coldest winter in 125 years and that we have had a record snow fall…but the summers are great! I moved from the rolling hills of Tennessee to the frozen tundra located west of Lakeshore Drive. I can honestly say that the cold snap of the Windy City was never completely comprehended until now. It stings, and I have gone into hibernation. Even Charlie who loves the snow and is fascinated by the idea of going to the bathroom on concrete is eager to get back inside the warmth of indoors. I keep telling my parents that it is pathetic when you hear the weatherman say a warm front is moving through and we will reach a high of 30 degrees. Despite the cold, the longer I live here, the more I am thawed to why people love this city. The food is incredible, the shopping options never end, and the sports fans are not lacking. I have yet to find the one and only SEC sports bar, but that will come with time because I hear it does exist. Lucky for me and Southwest Airlines, I believe the harsh winters cause more and more people to travel to warmer destinations. I was at Macy’s the other day and was astounded by how busy the luggage section was as crowds of experienced travelers picked out numerous carryons and talked about the different features of the luggage. I admit that there was a sale but what isn’t on sale with the state of the economy? Fortunately, our Chicago Customers love to travel, and I am excited to begin my new job, marketing the LUV Airline to the travelers of Chicago . I am hoping that the cold will help me in my endeavor…. By the way did you know we have nonstop flights out of Chicago Midway to Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, Ft. Myers, Las Vegas, Orlando, Phoenix, Tampa Bay, San Diego…the list goes on and on. Watch out Chicago , I am on the marketing trail in my big puffy coat and snow boots.
... View more
12-23-2008
10:11 AM
353 Loves
Miss Dorothy Jean Siegrest (she prefers to go by "Jean being from Kansas") and Mr. Charles Leroy Novak wed on December 24, 1948 in Haddam, Kansas in a tiny courthouse during the middle of an intense midwestern snowstorm. It wasn’t a very ceremonial affair like people have today. It was just a simple, small ceremony with a judge and a few friends as witnesses. She wore a fancy corsage and her nicest dress to signify the occasion. Granny says that the fact that it was Christmas Eve made it a magical evening affair. From that night on, my Granny became known to my Pops as “my little woman”. He says her nickname with a fondness that only exists between a woman and man who have been married for 60 years. Granny loves to talk about that night, and instead of reading the Christmas Story every Christmas Eve, we get the pleasure of hearing Granny speak about her marriage ceremony as she serves her famous pecan pie. Her face lights up and her mind drifts back to the past as she shares their beautiful love story. So this Christmas Eve will certainly be a momentous occasion. Not only will my family exchange Christmas presents under the glow of the Christmas tree but we will more importantly get to celebrate a 60-year marriage filled with the kind of love that all of us have tried to emulate in our own relationships. Happy Anniversary Granny and Pops and thank you for showing us how to simply love.
... View more
Announcing New Service in New Orleans has always been exciting, but announcing new service from NEW ORLEANS to DENVER was really exciting. Denver is one of the fastest growing cities in our system, and the new route provides a link between two fantastic destinations. You have the bourbon to the beer, the hot to the cold, the jazz to the rock n’ roll, and the Mississippi River Delta to the towering Rockies. The new nonstop service started on August 4, and I had the distinct pleasure of celebrating the Inaugural Flight with our Denver bound Customers. We played gate games for Denver prizes--Who would have known that U2’s Performance at Red Rocks was named one of Rolling Stone's list of the “50 Moments that changed Rock and Roll”? Well one of our New Orleans Customers did! The highlight of the celebration was a visiting bear that handed out Little Debbie Snow Puffs to all our passengers as they boarded the aircraft. If some of you are thinking, “Wow, a trained bear that hands out goodies to people” you would be wrong. I was the “cute bear” or at least that is what the label on the costume read. Why a bear, you might ask? Well, in comparison to all the other wildlife in Colorado such as the lynx, mountain lion, or western rattlesnake, the bear was the easiest and cutest costume to find. Sweating underneath my bear head, I was able to witness the imaginations of children come to life (only one child was scared), and the twinkle in our Customers' eyes who had no idea what to think but laughed anyway. The fact is that we definitely have FUN at Southwest Airlines! As the airplane pushed back from the gate, and our Denver Customers headed west I removed my bear head, smiled and thought, "At what other Company could I possibly wear this in front of our Customers?” Only at Southwest Airlines! So let the good times roll New Orleans … all the way to Denver and back again.
... View more
06-27-2008
08:05 AM
422 Loves
I remember the day I first learned The Columbus, Ohio was a great place! It was my first day of a college internship when my supervisor yelled “O…H…!” on our way to drop off a package at FedEx. I, of course, asked if the box was too heavy and if he needed me to help carry it. He looked at me and with as much passion as any loyal Buckeye fan (I now know this) and said “Ashley, if you are from Columbus, you know the appropriate response that follows in any Buckeye-blooded crowd is I…O…!”. What a loyal fan! How ironic is that in the future that I would end up working for Southwest Airlines and be charged with marketing Southwest to the community that is The Columbus, Ohio. Not only have I come to admire that most famous cheer, but also the many wonderful things and people of Columbus. Recently, Southwest’s very own CEO, Gary Kelly, had the privilege (or maybe not since Gary is a longtime Texas Longhorns fan) of hearing the cheer multiple times when he visited the great city of Columbus. Gary landed and was warmly welcomed by TEAM Columbus! They had decorated the station with banners, balloons, and served up a most delicious BBQ lunch to welcome him to Columbus! Gary enjoyed spending the morning interacting on the frontline and the hardworking Employees enjoyed showing Gary around the station. He then headed over to the beautiful OSU campus to meet with the charismatic football legend, Archie Griffin. Following that meeting, he discussed the attributes of a good leader and gave insight to the success of Southwest Airlines to MBA students at the OSU Fisher College of Business. After a great question and answer session, each student was given a $25 off discount coupon toward their next Southwest Airlines flight and one lucky student was the big winner of our “Inflate the Airplane” contest AND two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines. Gary was then off (you did know Southwest Employees were the most productive in the industry, right?) to a fabulous dinner that was hosted by the Columbus Airport Authority. The next morning, Gary was the keynote speaker at the Columbus Chamber of Commerce first Annual Breakfast Speaker Series. He spoke to the Chamber Members about the current state of the industry and answered questions from the group. The attendees were invited to try Southwest Airlines’ Business Select product (our new fare that offers priority boarding, an extra Rapid Reward credit and free drink) and given a discount coupon off their next Business Select flight. Finally, one lucky Chamber member won two roundtrip tickets anywhere Southwest flies. Yes, Gary left Columbus with plenty of OSU gear, but more importantly, he left with a sense of what makes The Columbus, Ohio a great community. It’s very apparent the people of Columbus have a passion for their city and the aviation industry (after all, Ohio is the “Birthplace of Aviation”). Southwest Airlines is proud to be the hometown carrier of Columbus and will continue to have that same passion to provide the best Customer Service to our Ohio Customers! I hope to one day be given the opportunity to “Dot The I,” which is a huge privilege as I have learned, but until then I will simply say “GO BUCKS”, despite my love of the SEC!
... View more