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of it all. Southwest had been founded to earn money-however not at the expense of its employees but in cooperation with them. Even though there are currently almost 35,000 employees, Southwest has still preserved the kind of family spirit that other companies find hard to create.
Since 1980, Southwest has time and again won awards for being the most customer-friendly airline. It proves that the spirit of an airline does not primarily come from marketing and PR gags but relates to the charisma of the leaders just as much as to the motivation of the staff. Since the 1980s, fun has become the predominent idea behind Southwest. It is fun to fly to advertise and fun to have passengers. And the balance sheets show the success of this concept as early as 1986, Southwest transported thirteen million passengers. At the time, the fleet comprised forty-six Boeing 737-200s, the first sixteen 737-300s had arrived with nineteen more ordered. In 1988, Southwest became the "official airline of Sea World of Texas" and the first special 737 livery called "Shamu One" was created. The powerful body of the killer whale matched the fuselage of the powerful rocket 737 perfectly-Southwest had managed to give life to a perfect symbiosis.

Up:A flying whale named Shamu One with a killer whale look.

Side: Boeing 737-700 winglets sported the Canyon Blue paint scheme.

In 1990, the first billion in turnover was generated and in 1994, Southwest grew-only once so far in its lifetime-by taking over airline. The route network provided by Morris Air from Salt Lake City fitted perfectly into gaps that were waiting to be closed by expansion . Also in 1994, Southwest became the first airline to sell fares without conventional tickets on the internet. In 1996, it made its debut on the worldwide web with its own internet address and became the first customer for Boeing's "new-generation" 737. Between 1997 and 2001, no less than sixty-three jets of the 737-7H4 series were added to the fleet. In 2001, a year of fate, especially for the USA, Southwest introduced its new basic livery called "Canyon Blue" but the first jets that sported the livery ended up in the Mojave desert in California. September 11, 2001 also affected Southwest-but its structures and the many faithful customers who preferred it to "America's company planes" brought Southwest back on track faster than the others. And all Boeing 737-700s delivered by Boeing since 2003 carry the new attractive winglets, while the other jets of this type are being equipped with them after the other.

HOW AN EXOTIC EXCEPTION BECOMES A SUCCESS STORY
While many people initially thought Southwest to be nuts, its concept has been copied by airlines around the globe. In Europe, the spectacular rise of especially Ryanair and easyJet was in part thanks to the unorthodox, if not sometimes even a bit rude behavior of their company leaders. In South America, Asia and Australia, similar concepts were realized. There, however, they have by and large not yet won the hearts and minds but rather look like loveless companies that would do anything to give cheap fares. In the USA too, all copies have so far failed. The big "trunk carriers" have founded subsidiaries with similar structures but for decades no competitor has come close to challenging Southwest. Nonetheless, today's volatile US aviation market can get even such a traditional no-frills carrier into difficulties. But Herb Kelleher has prevented that just as well as his commercial "offspring" Colleen Barrett who has taken over the lead in the meantime. And let us not forget that Southwest has become used to unfriendly attacks since its foundation and has always been able to fight back.
   "We are committed to providing 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 customers" says Colleen Barrett.
   Such a commitment by management is something rather unique. Classic airlines such as United, Delta and US Airways are on the blink of bankruptcy, while their management and employees hardly cooperate the way they should. Eastern, Pan Am and TWA have already vanished from the market for the same reason. This experience bags the question whether those who still cling to the most old fashioned values of entrepreneurship are not, after all, better prepared for the future than those whose greatest concern is the share price.
   If there is an airline that is really inspired by the often invoked entrepreneurial spirit, it could well be Southwest Airlines. The reward is the success-for the company as well as for its employees. Let us see what the future will bring for Southwest:ex-citement, confidence and certainly a huge portion of fun. END

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