Southwest Airlines Named A 2018 Military Friendly® Employer By Victory Media

DALLAS, Dec. 8, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) announced that it has earned the 2018 Military Friendly® Employer designation by Victory Media. To achieve this prestigious designation, Southwest Airlines® was evaluated in four different categories using publicly available data from federal agencies, personal opinion data from veteran Employees, and proprietary Military Friendly® survey data from participating organizations. Southwest Airlines is pleased to share it has received the "friendly" label in all four categories, earning the overall Military Friendly® Employer designation.

• Military Friendly Brands: ranked #1 in the Trucking & Transportation industry
• Military Friendly Supplier Diversity: ranked  #1 in the Trucking & Transportation industry
• Military Friendly Employer: ranked  #6 in the Trucking & Transportation industry
• Military Spouse Friendly Employer: ranked  #4 in the Trucking & Transportation industry

"Southwest Airlines is committed to being a military friendly Company, and this designation is an honor," said Julie Weber, Vice President People at Southwest Airlines. "We owe everything to the dedicated service members whose sacrifices and bravery give us freedom to fly, connecting People to what's important in their lives."

Ratings methodology, criteria, and weightings for these categories were determined by Victory Media with input from the Military Friendly® Advisory Council. Final ratings were determined by combining Southwest Airlines survey score with an assessment of its ability to meet thresholds for Applicant, New Hire Retention, Employee Turnover, and Promotion & Advancement of veteran Employees. Southwest Airlines will be showcased along with other 2018 Military Friendly® Employers in the December issue of G.I. Jobs® magazine, the January 2018 issue of Military Spouse magazine, and on MilitaryFriendly.com.

In addition to earning the 2018 Military Friendly® Employer designation, Southwest Airlines is honored to have also earned the following throughout 2017: named Most Valuable Employer for Military according to CivilianJobs.com; on the list for Military Times' Best for Vets: Employers; recognized for Extraordinary Employer Support by Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR); and named one of U.S. Veterans Magazine's Best of the Best Veteran-Friendly Companies.

ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.

In its 47th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 55,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 115 million passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 100 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals.

Southwest coined Transfarency^® to describe its purposed philosophy of treating Customers honestly and fairly, and low fares actually staying low. Southwest is the only major U.S. airline to offer bags fly free^® to everyone (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply, some carriers offer free checked bags on select routes or in qualified circumstances), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft, all of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi. Customers who connect to the WiFi network may use their personal devices to view on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV.

With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 44 consecutive years of profitability, Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for a triple bottom line approach that contributes to the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities they serve, and an overall commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2016 Southwest Airlines One Reporttm can be found at SouthwestOneReport.com.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.