We Want Media

Southwest Airlines is known for its laid back style and informal approach to flying. Perhaps this is what puts Southwest ahead of other airlines in terms of being in touch with its customers, providing down-and-dirty customer service.

Besides being one of the first commercial airline to have a Homepage (waaaay back in 1995), they have now moved into the internet's new favorite form of communication—blogging! That's right, Southwest introduced a blog on their Homepage, right next to flight reservations and flight status.

The blog, Nuts about Southwest, provides employee insight into the airline. Writers include pilots, flight attendants, maintenance crew and upper management. An excerpt from the first post (from April 2006) reads: Our goal is for this blog to go beyond the facts and numbers to give you insight into our fantastic Employees: what motivates them, how they do their jobs, and a look into the way they serve you, our Customers. In other words, we want this to be a place where you can see just who we are and why we are Nuts about Southwest.

The concept follows in line with Southwest's approach to customer service. I doubt that other commercial airlines would be as apt to provide such witty and informal insight. However while the concept might be progressive, I wonder how readers and customers are responding. Does anyone really care about the new type of nuts being served on their flights?