The LUV Airline: Southwest the "Different" Kind of Airline
May 15, 2004
Southwest differentiated itself from other airlines in many ways and not assigning seats to the passengers was only one. Passengers are allowed to sit where they like as long as the passenger meets the FAA requirements otherwise they can sit elsewhere in the plane that is not already occupied. They were the first major airline to use an efficient no-seat-assignment boarding process to facilitate quick turnarounds (Southwest). This idea is one that is to save time and confusion about where the passenger is going to sit. Now they can choose when they get onto the plane. Southwest believes that if the customer gets to his destination at the lowest possible fare and has a good time going, he will be a repeat customer. Being new to the industry in 1971, Southwest had to be creative in order to be noticed.
Southwest used the word love as a promotional approach, which costs nothing. In the starting of the airline the owners did not have much money for advertising, but they had plenty of ideas that would get them recognition in the industry. The airline implemented a plan that would get them free press instead of an expensive advertising campaign that costs a fortune. They had ideas that would let them stand out regardless of their advertising budget. The airline used a heart as their logo. This was the start of an attitude that definitely differentiated them from the others. The airline has over one thousand married couples in their employment at that time. That alone would make them known as the love airline. The company expounded on the idea of the heart as a way to have love as a catch phrase. We love you. We love to fly. The airline went so far as to incorporate ...