Tag Archives: Boeing 737-8H4

Southwest celebrates 50 Years with a new “Freedom One” logo jet on N500WR

Credit: Stephen M. Keller, 2021

Southwest Airlines just announced:

Southwest Airlines today celebrated the 50th Anniversary of its first flight by thanking Employees by offering a gift of 50,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards® points. The Nation’s largest domestic carrier also unveiled Freedom One, a Boeing 737-800 (Boeing 737-8H4 N500WR, msn 36898) emblazoned with a stylized flag of the United States of America.

“The word ‘freedom’ has significant meaning to the People and history of Southwest Airlines,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest Airlines’ Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. “We’re eternally grateful to those who have served and are currently serving in our Armed Forces— including the more than 7,400 veterans and 1,500 military spouses in our Southwest Family. Our Purpose is to connect People to what’s important in their lives through friendly, reliable, and low-cost air travel. We simply couldn’t fulfill our Purpose if not for the sacrifices and dedication of our military men and women. We appreciate their service and bravery in providing a blanket of freedom for our country.”

Freedom One was unveiled to Southwest® Employees during a Company celebration at the Southwest Airlines® Technical Operations Hangar at William P. Hobby International Airport in Houston, where attendees included Southwest Military Ambassadors, Military Council, winners of the Company’s prestigious President’s Award, and others. Military Ambassadors are Southwest Employees who are veterans and military spouses. They serve as a resource for the Company to foster inclusion for veterans and service members.

The specialty plane features 50 stars and 13 stripes and becomes a high-flying tribute to 50 years of Southwest Airlines service with a symbol of unwavering pride for our Nation and its heroes. It is the first Boeing 737-800 to join the airline’s unique paint schemes. Other special paint schemes on Southwest Boeing 737-700s include: Arizona One, California One, Colorado One, Florida One, Illinois One, Lone Star One (Texas), Louisiana One, Maryland One, Missouri One, Nevada One, New Mexico One, and Tennessee One.

Before unveiling Freedom One, Kelly announced Southwest is offering an Employee gift to recognize and appreciate active Southwest Employees in the milestone moment for Southwest Airlines: 50,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points deposited later this year into the account of each Employee who chooses to accept the gift.

“Southwest revolutionized the travel industry since our very first flight on June 18, 1971—a time when less than 15% of Americans ever had traveled by air,” said Kelly at the Employee celebration. “The People of Southwest democratized the skies with friendly, reliable, and affordable air travel, and what better way to honor you, our Employees, on our 50th Anniversary than by offering a gift of 50,000 Rapid Rewards points.”

Southwest’s first flights operated on what was known as the Texas Triangle, between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio. Throughout the next fifty years, Southwest grew to become the nation’s largest domestic airline, carrying up to 1 in the 4 travelers in the United States. Today, Southwest operates one of the world’s largest fleets of Boeing 737s, serves 121 destinations throughout North America, Employs more than 56,000 People, and is consistently ranked among the best airlines and best employers in the world.

June 18, 1971

Southwest Airlines begins service to DAL, SAT, and IAH. Our flight schedule starts with six roundtrips DAL-SAT and 12 roundtrips DAL-IAH with $20 one-way fares.

The early intrastate routes in Texas:

Following the Southwest Employee celebration, Freedom One departed Houston, headed for Dallas. Pilots and Flight Attendants onboard are Southwest Employees who served in the military or in the reserves. Additionally, a military veteran dispatched the flight from Southwest’s Network Operations Control facility in Dallas. As the aircraft approached Dallas, it followed the Federal Aviation Administration’s HERBZ navigational flight path to the airport, recently named in honor of Southwest Founder Herb Kelleher.

Video: The painting of N500WR:

Southwest to fly from Oakland to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta starting on February 12, 2017, extends schedule through late April with new routes

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/World-Airline-News/World-Airline-News-August-2016/i-7vZpWGT/A

Beginning on February 12, 2017, Southwest Airlines will fly nonstop daily between Oakland and both San Jose del Cabo/Los Cabos, Mexico and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

In addition, beginning on March 9, 2017, Southwest will add daily service between Houston (Hobby) and Omaha and between New York/Newark and Ft. Lauderdale./Hollywood.

Also starting on March 11, 2017 and furthering its network development of the carrier’s near-international service, Southwest has published new nonstop service to operate seasonally on Saturdays between Denver and Belize City, Belize.

Also on March 11, 2017, Southwest launches nonstop service to operate seasonally on Saturdays and Sundays between Dallas Love Field and Jacksonville.

This coming weekend, on Sunday, August 7, 2016, Southwest will inaugurate international service from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to Nassau, The Bahamas.

Southwest files to fly from Los Angeles to three Mexican resort destinations

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/World-Airline-News/World-Airline-News-June-2016/i-dKL29B3/A

Southwest Airlines has filed an application with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to extend the carrier’s low fare reach into México markets with new international service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

Southwest is proposing new service to México: twice-daily flights to Cancún and San José del Cabo/Los Cabos, and once daily service to Puerto Vallarta to begin on November 6, 2016, contingent upon route authority approval by the end of this month. Shortly following approval, the carrier intends to offer the flights for sale on Southwest.com.

The application requests extra-bilateral authority from the DOT to allow the carrier to sell and serve the new markets during an interim period while the governments of the United States and México take final diplomatic steps to bring the pending liberalized Aviation Agreement between the two nations into force.

Southwest Airlines pilots file suit against Southwest for pursuing non-contractual aircraft

https://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/World-Airline-News/World-Airline-News-May-2016/i-9DTdR5s/A

SWAPA, the union representing the pilots of Southwest Airlines on May 16, 2016 filed papers in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to obtain status quo protection due to unlawful tactics of Southwest Airlines. The carrier is ramping up negotiations pressure by threatening to force its pilots to fly aircraft not listed in the collective bargaining agreement.

Southwest Airlines is the launch customer of Boeing’s new 737-800 MAX aircraft (“the MAX”) with scheduled deliveries beginning the first half of 2017. The pilots assert that Southwest may not operate or threaten to operate the MAX without a contract provision for this aircraft. SWAPA asserts that Southwest Airlines is violating federal law by threatening to proceed unilaterally if an agreement is not reached before the MAX is delivered for use by the carrier.

“Each new type of 737 that has joined the Southwest fleet over the years has required contractual agreement, whether in Section 6 negotiations or through an amendment to a current contract,” said SWAPA President, Captain Jon Weaks. “We believe Southwest Airlines, in planning to fly the MAX without a contract for it, is threatening a breach of status quo under Section 6 of the Railway Labor Act. Pilots cannot be forced into labor without a contract in place.”

Southwest has a firm order for 200 MAX aircraft between 2017-2027 with options on an additional 191 over that same time frame.

“Over the past 10 years there have been multiple instances where our contract was reopened to accommodate the use of a new aircraft, whether it was the 737-700, 737-800, or the B717,” continued Captain Weaks. “The MAX is certainly no different and we expect management to finalize a contract with its pilots expeditiously so that this new aircraft can be flown.”

The pilots have been negotiating with Southwest on a new contract since 2012. Currently in federal mediation, hundreds of pilots will descend upon Chicago on May 18 to engage in informational picketing both on Michigan Avenue and near Chicago Midway airport.

Located in Dallas, Texas, the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association (SWAPA) is a non-profit employee organization representing the more than 8,300 pilots of Southwest Airlines.