Organizational Business Culture of Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines is well-known for its pared-down, unconventional business model. Its focus on punctual arrivals and departures, and no-frills, yet friendly service, has helped the airline to thrive in a time when many others are failing. Southwest's approach may not be for everyone, but those looking for a great value and dependability find Southwest to be the perfect choice.
Other People Are Reading
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Focus on Fun
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Southwest is known for its flight attendants' and pilots' kooky in-flight announcements and playful attitudes. Even the CEO has a sense of humor; his Halloween costume choices are based on customer responses to his blog, and he has dressed as a rock star, a pirate and a woman with a beehive hairdo. Southwest proves that it is possible to have a good time while saving money.
Employee Satisfaction
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Southwest is dedicated to keeping its employees happy, and it shows in the lack of turnover. After September 11, 2001, most airlines laid off employees due to sagging sales, but Southwest kept all of its personnel. This loyalty, combined with a profit sharing program and a much higher ratio of supervisors to employees than most airlines, explains why employees perform so efficiently and enthusiastically.
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Aircraft
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Southwest uses only one model of plane, the Boeing 737, and has a fleet of over 500. This means that the airline does not have to train mechanics on up to 20 different models, like some airlines, which helps to keep costs down.
Seating
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Southwest is famous for its lack of assigned seating. While some, especially those boarding last, lament the inability to choose a seat, it is one reason the airline is able to board its passengers so quickly. Southwest considered adopting assigned seating after complaints from frequent business travelers, but simply modified it instead. Open seating is still used, but now customers are assigned a number in line, so that less standing time is required when passengers go to the appropriate queue (A, B or C, depending on check-in time). The company found that people move much more quickly when they need to find their own seats, rather than settle into assigned ones.
On-Time Arrivals and Departures
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Southwest ranked second in the U.S. Department of Transportation's 2008 study of on-time performance. Hawaiian Airlines came in first, largely due to the lack of delays due to bad weather. Southwest was one of only three airlines with an on-time percentage of 80 or higher.
Ticket Purchases
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Tickets can only be bought directly through Southwest's secure site, either by phone or at Southwest.com, and vacation packages are available. The site always offers Internet specials.
Other Southwest Differences
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Southwest was the first airline to have its own website. An employee also came up with the pioneering idea of having an automated kiosk for checking in for a flight. Their Rapid Rewards program is different from most frequent flier systems in that it is based on flying a certain number of times in a specified period of time, rather than miles traveled. Southwest has recently maintained one highly competitive aspect of its service by keeping the first two checked bags free.
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