Southwest LUV

So, Jessica asked "What do you love about Southwest?"

Oh I am so loving Southwest...given that I have been and will be airborne more times during the months of July, August, and October than I have in the past 4 years combined.

I love to fly.
Seriously. Love. to. fly.
Take offs make me positively giddy.



From the momentary pause at the end of the runway, when I imagine the pilot saying "here we go" and then everything starts to rumble maliciously. I love that pedal-to-the-metal feeling, when you know you have to commit RIGHT NOW. When, in that instant before the nose lifts up off the runway, you know that you absolutely can't turn back now. Too much runway has been burned up...take off is inevitable now.

Then the front wheels lift off, and there's that moment when you are suspended between--half-up and half-down...and then it's gone. The rear wheels lift up off the ground and the climb starts.
The climb. That initial asscent into the wild blue yonder...the momentary miracle that propells the tin can into the sky...

When cars begin to look like Hotwheels...and I imagine children in cars on the interstate, looking out their windows and saying "look, Mommy, it's an airplane!"...just like my children do.

When swimming pools dot the landscape like raindrops.

When the things on the ground take on an oddly organized look--subdivisions make more sense from the sky...they look like rows and paths made of stepping stones all curled around into each other.

When the magic of flight thrusts you into the clouds and then burst you forth above them...and they look like the softest, most luscious marshmallows ever...

Life seems simpler in the air--like it's easier to see the big picture.

Anyway, I do enjoy flying, especially with Southwest. I adore open seating. Open seatingmay just be the smartest move made by any airline since the birth of human flight back at Kitty Hawk. Seriously.

I like the ease of checking in online the day before, I like that they have boarding down to a science, I like that the pilots and flight attendants all seem to approach things with a sense of humor...

The pilot on my last trip from Tampa to Nashville came on the intercomm at the beginning of the flight and said "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 1234 with continuing service to Baltimore...never fear, we'll be making a pitstop in Nashville for gas and directions..." Little stuff that makes a flight a little more enjoyable...

And the fact that they have the best record of all airlines for getting there on time and getting out of the gate on time...gotta love that.

I like that they take good care of soldiers.

So that's my love for Southwest.
And flying in general.