I had a blast last month attending the AgChat Foundation Conference in Kansas City. We had just over 100 people in attendance; mostly farmers, ranchers, and those who provide support for Agriculture industries.
Everyone had such a great time meeting in real life, those who we had networked with online. Because so many of us are operating on smaller budgets, it’s great when we can find airlines who provide dependable service and affordable rates. For so many people in attendance, that meant flying with Southwest Airlines!
Every time I’ve flown across the country, I’ve been on a Southwest plane. I can spot that Southwest Canyon Blue plane as I’m driving past an airport and looking up in the sky. I’ve flown through Amarillo, Dallas, Houston, Little Rock, Phoenix, Denver, Midway (Chicago), Nashville, and now Kansas City! Every employee with SWA has been a great sport.
I usually get the EarlyBird Checkin, just at the right time to snag a seat by the Emergency Exits. This is pretty important for a guy who is 6’4″ with extra long legs. The flight attendants always greet me with a smile when I ask about sitting there. I’ve only been delayed on two flights, and that was because we were flying in and out of Houston as a hurricane was approaching from the Gulf. Usually, I get to the airports ahead of schedule with Southwest Airlines!
One thing that’s really cool these days is the number of companies using social media to connect with their customers. Southwest Airlines goes above and beyond with this on their Facebook page! (They even tweeted me back during my trip, but I’ve failed to find a screenshot of the tweet.)
How cool is it that Southwest supports their communities! Being a huge Texas Country fan, I thought it was pretty cool how this Dallas-based company supports the Boot Campaign for our troops and their families. Jack Ingram even performed on one of their flights. Maybe one of these days I’ll get to see an in-flight concert.
I always enjoy the conversations on the flights, no matter how brief the flight may be. Everyone on an airplane has a story. An easy conversation starter is a simple, “Where are ya headed?” The conversations usually get around to agriculture when I talk about what I do in life, but it’s a great opportunity to listen to others’ stories and hear their thoughts on farming. Most people have some connection to farming. Even if it’s a few generations back, most have an appreciation and fond memory.
So here’s to YOU Southwest Airlines! THANK YOU for bringing myself and so many of my farming friends to and from Kansas City at the end of last month! Your great rates and friendly service helped us network and learn to better use Social Media to share our stories of Agriculture and answer our customers’ questions about food and farming!
Have you had a positive experience while flying Southwest? Share the LUV and let em know about your experience!
