Spirit Magazine - April 2013 - (Page 10)

On April 14, for the very first time, Southwest Airlines is expanding our footprint beyond the continental United States by launching service to San Juan, Puerto Rico. It’s a momentous step for a little airline that started on a cocktail napkin. Southwest has long aspired to take our low fares and Legendary Customer Service beyond the 48 contiguous states. We officially acquired AirTran Airways in May 2011, and we are in the process of integrating AirTran into Southwest. AirTran’s presence in San Juan and multiple near-international destinations has given us a running start in launching Southwest-branded service to these popular places. When our new service begins, Southwest will offer daily nonstop flights between San Juan and both Orlando and Tampa Bay, Florida. AirTran will continue to serve the market with flights between San Juan and Baltimore/Washington, Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, and Atlanta. Eventually, as we move toward the full integration of our two airlines by 2015, Southwest will assume all of AirTran’s San Juan routes. This is a monumental occasion for our Company and Customers. Over Customer Service in Action I received a commendation for one of our Customer Service Agents in Tucson, Arizona. A Customer had tried to checkin at a kiosk at Tucson International Airport. When she was unable to do so, our Agent offered to help and looked up her reservation, only to find that the Customer was actually scheduled to travel out of Phoenix, not Tucson. To make matters worse, the Customer had lost her wallet with her ID, and she did not have any money to pay the difference in fare. Our Agent changed the flight and paid for the difference in fare out of her own pocket—a wonderful example of Customer Service in Action. our nearly 42-year history, Southwest has built a strong brand based on low fares, Positively Outrageous Customer Service, Safe and reliable operations, and a convenient flight schedule. What started as an intrastate airline serving three Texas cities has grown to carry more Customers than any airline in the United States. Our opportunities for growth now lie beyond U.S. borders. San Juan is merely the first wave of our foray off the shores of the “lower 48,” which means there are some very warm, very attractive Southwest destinations in our future. While Puerto Rico is not exactly international, we are building the capabilities to serve international destinations at Southwest Airlines. We’ve already completed some of that work, which was necessary to launch service to San Juan. There is a considerable amount of work in front of us in order to offer international service, including various government and regulatory approvals, updates to our fleet, and a complete overhaul of our reservation system. I’m pleased to report that all of that is well underway, with the goal to launch international service via Southwest next year. Southwest started out with the lofty but attainable goal of giving Americans the Freedom to Fly, and we’ve been doing so for more than 40 years. This month, we embark on a bold, new mission to share that Freedom with the rest of the world— with San Juan as the first stop on our journey. We hope you’ll come along for the ride. Gary Kelly Chairman, President, and CEO Southwest Airlines 10 spirit april 2013 PhOTOgrAPhy By DAn SellerS Gary’s Greeting Destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spirit Magazine - April 2013

Spirit Magazine - April 2013
Contents
Gary’s Greeting
Gary’s Greeting en Español
Star of the Month
Freedom Story
From the Editor
Your Words
Your Pictures
Media Center
Eat Drink Sleep
The Numbers
Wise Guide
Business
Almost Famous
Not So Fast
Your Adventure In...
Promotional Series: Destination Texas
Promotional Series: Spirit of Golf Reno Tahoe
Promotion: Spirit of Franchise Opportunities
Calendar
Fun!
Spotlight
Community Outreach
Route Map
Terminal Maps
Rapid Rewards Partners
Flight Service
The “If” List

Spirit Magazine - April 2013