Southwest Airlines is a major U.S. airline and the world's largest low-cost carrier. The headquarters are in Dallas, TX. The airline was established in 1967 and took on their current name in 1971. The company employs more than 46,000 people. They operate more than 3,000 flights per day and it carries the most passengers, domestically in America. Southwest has over 80 destinations in over 40 states and Puerto Rico. The Airlines has exclusively used Boeing 737s, except between the years in the 1970s and 1980s, when they used Boeing 727s. In 2012, southwest is the largest operator of the 737 international with over 500 planes in service, each making an average of six flights per day. In 2011 the airline acquired Air Tran Airways, with addition of the carriers expected to be complete by 2014. Unexpectedly in 2012, the airline was issued a single operating certificate, theoretically making the two airlines into one airline. In 2011, the airline gain purchased Air Tran Airways. (Southwest History, 2013)
The Culture
The culture of Southwest is spelled out in their mission statement which states:
Dedication to the highest quality of Customer Service delivered with a sense of warmth, friendliness, individual pride, and Company Spirit.
And the mission goes on to address the employees by stating:
We are committed to provide our Employees a stable work environment with equal opportunity for learning and personal growth. Creativity and innovation are encouraged for improving the effectiveness of Southwest Airlines. Above all, Employees will be provided the same concern, respect, and caring attitude within the organization that they are expected to share externally with every Southwest Customer.
The southwest company is dedicated to the development, improvement and refinement of the originality, individuality, identity, and personality of a given people. They have a