Southwests Struggle to Gain
SOUTHWEST’S STRUGGLE TO GANIN A MARKET FOOTHOLD
In June 1971, Southwest initiated its first flights with a schedule that soon included 6 round-trips between Dallas and San Antonio and 12 round-trips between Houston and Dallas. The introductory 20 one way fares to fly the Golden Triangle, well below the 27 and 28 fares charged by rivals. attracted disappointingly small numbers of passengers- some days the total for all 18 flights would be less than 250 people.
Money for parts and tools was so tight that, on occasion, company personnel got on the phone with acquaintances at rival airlines operating at the terminal and arranged and enthusiasm remained high. company personnel displayed can-do attitudes and adeptness at getting by on whatever resources were available.
To try to gain market visibility and drum up more passengers, Southwest decided it had to do more than just run ads in the media:
Southwest decided to have its flight hostesses dress in colorful hot pants and white knee- high boots with high heels. Recruiting ads for South-west’s first group of hostesses were headlined “Attention, Raquel Welch: You can have a job if you measure up”. Two thousand applicants responded, and those selected for interviews were asked to come dressed in hot pants to show off their legs- the company wanted to hire long-legged beauties with sparkling personalities. More than 30 of Southwest’s first graduating class of 40 flight attendants consisted of young women who had been cheerleaders or majorettes in high school and thus had experience performing in front of people while skimpily
In June 1971, Southwest initiated its first flights with a schedule that soon included 6 round-trips between Dallas and San Antonio and 12 round-trips between Houston and Dallas. The introductory 20 one way fares to fly the Golden Triangle, well below the 27 and 28 fares charged by rivals. attracted disappointingly small numbers of passengers- some days the total for all 18 flights would be less than 250 people.
Money for parts and tools was so tight that, on occasion, company personnel got on the phone with acquaintances at rival airlines operating at the terminal and arranged and enthusiasm remained high. company personnel displayed can-do attitudes and adeptness at getting by on whatever resources were available.
To try to gain market visibility and drum up more passengers, Southwest decided it had to do more than just run ads in the media:
Southwest decided to have its flight hostesses dress in colorful hot pants and white knee- high boots with high heels. Recruiting ads for South-west’s first group of hostesses were headlined “Attention, Raquel Welch: You can have a job if you measure up”. Two thousand applicants responded, and those selected for interviews were asked to come dressed in hot pants to show off their legs- the company wanted to hire long-legged beauties with sparkling personalities. More than 30 of Southwest’s first graduating class of 40 flight attendants consisted of young women who had been cheerleaders or majorettes in high school and thus had experience performing in front of people while skimpily