DALLAS, Sept. 16, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest
Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today renewed its ongoing
commitment to supporting the well-being and comfort of its
Customers and Employees by announcing that the carrier will
continue limiting the amount of seats sold on every flight to allow
middle seats to remain open through Nov. 30,
2020. Additionally, as part of The Southwest Promise, the
airline requires face masks to be worn at all times, has
implemented physical distancing measures in airports and onboard
aircraft, and maintains a stringent cleaning schedule of its
facilities and aircraft throughout each day.
"As we transition into autumn and the upcoming Thanksgiving
holiday season, we want Southwest Customers to have the confidence
of knowing that middle seats will remain open through Nov. 30 to accommodate their fall travel plans,"
said Ryan Green, Southwest's Senior
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. "Southwest has been
operating flights with middle seats open throughout the summer and
has added thousands of flights to in-demand destinations to provide
extra seats for on-board physical distancing and added
comfort."
As always, Southwest Customers may choose their own seats. In
Southwest's open seating environment, families, or those traveling
together, may still sit together and occupy a middle seat for their
convenience. Previously, middle seats were open through
Oct. 31, 2020.
The Southwest Promise: A Multi-Layered Approach to Cleaning
and Comfort
In addition to keeping middle seats open this fall, Southwest
continues supporting the comfort and well-being of Customers and
Employees by executing a multi-layered approach to cleaning and
physical distancing.
Prior to Travel:
Face Coverings Required: All Southwest Customers and
Employees over the age of two are required to wear a covering over
their mouth and nose throughout the travel journey. If a Customer
does not have a face covering, the Southwest Team will have face
masks available at the airport and onboard our aircraft to ensure
compliance with the policy.
Customer Health Declaration: Customers are required to
acknowledge an awareness of the carrier's face covering policy and
confirm they do not have symptoms of COVID-19 and have not been
diagnosed with, or exposed to, COVID-19 in the 14 days prior to
travel. They also are required to confirm they do not have a fever
when they travel. The declaration appears during the online
check-in process via the Southwest app, Southwest.com, the
carrier's mobile website, SWABIZ.com, and airport kiosks.
In the Airports:
Airport Cleaning: Southwest is cleaning ticket
counters, gates, kiosks, and baggage claim areas multiple times per
day. Additionally, the airline is utilizing electrostatic sprayers
to apply a disinfectant to Southwest's airport areas at least once
per week.
Physical Distancing in Airports: Southwest is now
boarding in smaller groups of 10 to allow for distancing and
queuing only on one side of boarding poles in the gate areas.
Additionally, new airport signage and floor markers highlight and
encourage proper distances throughout the boarding areas. Southwest
also has installed Plexiglas® at ticketing and gate counters and
baggage service offices to provide more protection during in-person
transactions and interactions between Employees and Customers.
Don't Forget Your Hands: Hand sanitizer is available
at check-in kiosks, ticket counters, and gates.
Onboard our Aircraft:
HEPA Filters: Every aircraft is equipped with a
sophisticated air recirculation system that introduces fresh
outside air into the cabin while inflight, resulting in a complete
exchange of cabin air every two to three minutes. Southwest uses
HEPA filters onboard that remove 99.97% of airborne
particles*—similar to the technology found in hospitals (*measuring
0.3 micrometers or greater in diameter passing through the
filter).
Enhanced Overnight Aircraft Cleaning: Southwest deep
cleans each plane from nose to tail for nearly six to seven labor
hours every night, including all high-touch surfaces such as seat
belt buckles, tray tables, air vents, arm rests, galleys, and
lavatories.
Electrostatic Aircraft Spraying: Both an
electrostatic disinfectant and an anti-microbial spray are applied
on every surface of the aircraft, killing viruses on contact and,
then, forming an anti-microbial coating, or shield, for 30
days.
Cleaning Before Every Flight: Sani-Cide EX3, a
broad-spectrum disinfectant, is used to clean all onboard
lavatories and every tray table before every flight. Additionally,
cleaning wipes are available for Customers onboard, upon
request.
Southwest continues relying upon a data-driven,
science-based approach to develop and
evaluate operational policies and practices and reviews the
latest research and recommendations from both internal and
third-party experts. We invite you to learn more about our
efforts at www.southwest.com/promise.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 50th year of
service, Dallas-based Southwest
Airlines Co. continues to differentiate itself from other air
carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than
60,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 130 million passengers
in 2019. 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. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest
operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 103
destinations in the United States
and 10 additional countries. Southwest will begin service to
Steamboat Springs, Colo. on
Dec. 19, 2020, and also recently
announced intention to serve Palm
Springs, Calif. and Miami,
Fla.
The carrier issued its Southwest® Promise in
May 2020 to highlight new and
round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees
wellbeing and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning
efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, facemask requirements for
Customers and Employees, and capping the number of passengers on
every flight to allow middle seats to remain open through
Nov. 30, 2020. Additional details
about the Southwest Promise are available at
Southwest.com/Promise.
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). Southwest does not
charge change fees, though fare differences might apply.
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. Learn more about how the carrier gives
back to communities across the world by visiting
Southwest.com/citizenship.
Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online
at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
View original content to download
multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/southwest-bolsters-the-southwest-promise-by-keeping-middle-seats-open-for-fall-travel-301132122.html
SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.