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History Behind The Heart Of Southwest Airlines

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History behind the “Heart”

Southwest Airlines, often recognized by its heart-shaped logo, was founded in 1967 by Rollin King and Herb Kelleher. Initially, the airline was established, and only flew within, the state of Texas. The Wright amendment, which was a federal law that governed air traffic in Dallas, originally limited nonstop flights to within Texas or its neighboring states. In order to better accommodate its customers and employees, Southwest began a lawsuit in the early 90’s to overturn the amendment. On October 13, 2014, Southwest was granted permission for “freedom of flying”; adding new nonstop flights to various states across the country. They employ approximately 43,000 employees and service more than 100 million customers annually (“About Southwest”).
The company’s success is founded on two primary goals: providing exemplary customer service and helping its employees do so by giving them the same respect and accommodations. As the aviation transportation landscape has slowly changed, so has Southwest. Whereas they initially focused on “no frills” flying by eliminating frivolous amenities, they have slowly transitioned into a more competitive airline by adopting programs aimed to tailor customer experience. The Southwest of 2014 is different from the Southwest Airlines of the past, but their strategic plans have remained focused on customer service and employee retention.

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Current Organizational Mission

Southwest’s mission statement is

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