Southwest Airline Flight Attendant Jobs
Southwest Airline Flight Attendant Jobs
Coordinates: 32°50′48″N 96°51′40″W / 32.846666666667°N 96.861°W / 32.846666666667; -96.861
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is an American low-cost airline. Southwest is the largest airline in the world by number of passengers carried per year (as of 2009). Southwest maintains the third-largest passenger fleet of aircraft among all of the world's commercial airlines. As of May 3, 2009, Southwest operates approximately 3,510 flights daily. Southwest has its headquarters on the grounds of Love Field in Dallas, Texas.
Southwest Airlines has carried more customers than any other U.S. airline since August 2006 for combined domestic and international passengers according to the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Southwest Airlines is one of the world’s most profitable airlines, posting a profit for the 37th consecutive year in January 2010.
Southwest's successful business model involves flying multiple short, quick trips into the secondary (more efficient and less costly) airports of major markets, and using only one aircraft type, the Boeing 737.
The Southwest Effect
Main article: The Southwest EffectThe success and profitability of Southwest's business model led to a common trend being named after the company, the Southwest Effect . Since Southwest's original mission in Texas was to make it less expensive than driving between two points (in the early 1970s, during the first major energy cost crisis in the U.S.), it developed a template for entering markets at rates that allowed the airline to be profitable, yet only on the basis of lean operations and high aircraft use. The key concept to the Southwest Effect is that when a low-fare carrier (or any aggressive and innovative company) enters a market, the market itself changes, and usually grows dramatically. For example, when fares drop by 15% from their historical averages, the number of new customers in that market may not just double, but actually quadruple, or more.
Southwest has been a major inspiration to other low-cost airlines, and its business model has been repeated many times around the world. Europe's EasyJet and Ryanair are two of the best known airlines to follow Southwest's business strategy in that continent (though EasyJet operates two different aircraft models today). Other airlines with a business model based on Southwest's system include Canada's WestJet, Malaysia's AirAsia (the first and biggest LCC in Asia), Sir Richard Branson's and Australia's Virgin Blue (although Virgin Blue now operates two aircraft types), Qantas's Jetstar (although Jetstar now operates three aircraft types), Thailand's Nok Air, New Zealand's Freedom Air, Mexico's Volaris and Turkey's Pegasus Airlines. Although Southwest has been a major inspiration to many other airlines including Ryanair, AirAsia and Jetstar, the management strategies, for example, of Ryanair, AirAsia and Jetstar differ significantly from those of Southwest.
History
Southwest Airlines was originally incorporated to serve three cities in Texas as Air Southwest on March 15, 1967, by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. According to frequently-cited story, King described the concept to Kelleher over dinner by drawing on a paper napkin a triangle symbolizing the routes (Dallas, Houston, San Antonio).The original aircraft proposed for the service was the Lockheed Electra turboprop.
Some of the incumbent airlines of the time (Braniff, Aloha Airlines, United Airlines, Trans-Texas, and Continental Airlines) initiated legal action, and thus began a three-year legal battle to keep Air Southwest on the ground. Air Southwest eventually prevailed in the Texas Supreme Court, which ultimately upheld Air Southwest’s right to fly in Texas. The decision became final on December 7, 1970, when the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the case without comment.
The story of Southwest’s legal fight was turned into a children’s book, Gumwrappers and Goggles by Winifred Barnum in 1983. In the story, TJ Love, a small jet, is taken to court by two larger jets to keep him from their hangar, and then to try and stop him from flying at all. Taken to court, TJ Love’s right to fly is upheld after an impassioned plea from The Lawyer. While no company names are mentioned in the book, TJ Love’s colors are those of Southwest Airlines, and the two other jets are colored in Braniff and Continental’s colors. The Lawyer is designed to resemble Herb Kelleher. The book was adapted into a stage musical, Show Your Spirit , sponsored by Southwest Airlines, and played only in towns serviced by the airline.
Southwest Airlines founder Herb Kelleher studied California-based Pacific Southwest Airlines extensively and used many of the airline’s ideas to form the corporate culture at Southwest, and even on early flights used the same "Long Legs And Short Nights" theme for stewardesses on board typical Southwest Airlines flights. The original flight attendants that worked for Southwest Airlines were chosen by a committee of individuals that included the same person who had selected hostess for Hugh Hefner’s Playboy jet. The selection resulted in a group of female flight attendants that were described as long-legged dancers, majorettes, and cheerleaders with "unique personalities". Southwest Airlines and Herb Kelleher proceeded to dress these individuals in hot pants and go-go boots.
The airline adopted the first profit-sharing plan in the U.S. airline industry in 1971. Through this plan and others, employees own about 10 percent of the company stock.
The airline is about 87 percent unionized. The pilots are represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association, a union separate from the much larger Air Line Pilots Association.
First flights
In early 1971, Air Southwest changed its name to Southwest Airlines, and the first flight was on June 18, 1971. Its first flights were from Love Field in Dallas to Houston and San Antonio, short hops with no-frills service and a simple fare structure, features that became the basis for Southwest’s popularity and rapid growth in the coming years.
The start of service in June 1971 was accomplished with three 737-200 aircraft; a fourth was added in September of the same year.
Over time, Southwest has added improved 737 variants but has stayed within the Boeing 737 family to hold down operating costs. Because this technique simplified training, maintenance, and ground operations, it revolutionized the industry’s approach to building aircraft fleets.
In January 2005, Southwest retired its last 737-200, the oldest type in its fleet. To celebrate "putting the -200s to bed", selected employees donned Southwest pajamas for an early morning flight to celebrate the final landing at Dallas Love.
Early losses and financial troubles
The rest of 1971 and 1972 saw operating losses. One of the four aircraft was sold to Frontier Airlines and the proceeds used to make payroll and cover other expenses. Southwest continued to operate a schedule predicated on four aircraft but using only three, and in so doing the "ten minute turn" was born, and was the standard ground time for many years.
Southwest has used financial techniques such as fuel hedging to bolster its profitability and counteract many of the fiscal disadvantages of operating an airline.
In 1975 Southwest was headquartered at the 1820 Regal Row building in Dallas, by Love Field.
By 1979, Southwest flew to all of the cities they currently serve in Texas, including El Paso, Amarillo, Beaumont, Corpus Christi, Harlingen, Lubbock, and Midland/Odessa. Interstate service began to New Orleans in 1979, and Albuquerque in 1980. Oklahoma City and Tulsa were added shortly thereafter. In 1981 Southwest co-launched the 737-300 with USAir. In 1982, the first expansion beyond the Texas area took Southwest to the West Coast, adding Phoenix, Las Vegas and San Diego. In late 1984, the 737-300 was placed into service. Chicago Midway and St. Louis service began in March 1985, spreading to Midwest markets.
Southwest hired its first African-American pilot, Louis Freeman, in 1980. In 1992, he was named the first African-American chief pilot of any major U.S. airline.
Wright Amendment
Main article: Wright AmendmentAfter the opening of Dallas-Fort Worth Regional Airport, which was the original name of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in 1974, Southwest was the only airline to remain at Love Field.
When airline deregulation came in 1978, Southwest began planning to offer interstate service from Love Field. This caused a number of interest groups affiliated with Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, including the city of Fort Worth, to push the Wright Amendment through Congress to restrict such flights. Under the restrictions of the amendment, Southwest, and all other airlines, were barred from operating, or even ticketing passengers on flights from Love Field to destinations beyond the sta
Flight Attendant Jobs Forum - BEST AIRLINE TO WORK FOR ...
BEST AIRLINE TO WORK FOR AS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT. Flight Attendant jobs forums. ... I know several people who are flight attendants with Southwest Airlines and ...
Flight Attendant Jobs Careers begin at AirlineCareer ...
Now Featuring 54 airlines (many offering flight attendant jobs): Air Canada, Air Wisconsin, AirTran ... Ryan Int'l, Ryanair, Shuttle America, Singapore Airlines, Skywest, Southwest ...
Southwest Airlines - Southwest Careers
Book a Flight; Special Offers; Where We Fly; Low Fare Calendar ; Check In Online ... As Corporate Relations Manager, Terry Eisenbart serves as the bridge between Southwest Airlines ...
Airlines jobs | Airline Industry Employment | JobMonkey
... Pilot Qualifications >>Pilot Training >Flight Attendant ... American Airlines Jobs: Southwest Airlines Jobs: United Airlines Jobs ... Airline Jobs & Other Airport & Airline Industry ...
American Airlines cutting 921 flight attendant jobs ...
Texas/Southwest; Nation/World; Religion; Obituaries ; Data Center; Lottery ... American Airlines cutting 921 flight attendant jobs . 07:49 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Buzz Watch: Southwest Airlines’ Rapping Flight ...
jobs - new and improved ... I like Southwest Airlines. The video embedded above reinforces that feeling. In it, Southwest Airlines’ Rapping Flight Attendant, David Holmes ...
Southwest Airlines Rapping Flight Attendant Does Leno ...
Southwest Airlines flight attendant David Holmes continues to enjoy his newfound fame, thanks to his hip ... Jobs at WSJ.com; Future Leadership Program; WSJ.com: Site Map; Home; World; U.S. ...
Southwest Airlines - Company Profile on LinkedIn
More Southwest Airlines info » Common Job Titles: Flight Attendant: 20% Pilot ... LinkedIn Jobs; Jobs Directory; Company Directory; By using this ...
Southwest Airlines Jobs and Employment Opportunities
The latest aviation job info on Southwest Airlines. Pilot jobs, flight attendant careers and mechanics positions.
Southwest Airlines’ Freestylin’ Attendant | The Big ...
Multimedia; Archive; Jobs ... opens with Southwest flight attendant David Holmes giving a spirited announcement as passengers take their seats on Southwest Airlines flight ...
