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Southwest Headquarters Tour

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Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#91

Post by corywright »

matthewhull wrote: post #54

I don't know if if it's still there, but there used to be a really huge display of memorabilia and photos in their pilot training center along their first floor hallway that went on forever with photos spanning their history: from crewmembers dressed up in toga at company parties to NASA astronauts that became pilots, some of it really throwing back to their old school wild west culture. Highly recommend reading Hard…

I read Hard Landing a few months ago and really enjoyed it. I was interesting to see how everyone in the industry admired Herb and SW during those years.

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#92

Post by gavinsyancey »

doctoboggan wrote: post #28
legitster wrote: post #8

I adore behind-the-scenes tours. I get there's a lot of work that goes into making it happen, but when you drop into a place where people work, you'll learn so much about real life problems that never make it to the Internet. The greatest tour I ever had was at the Smokejumper base in remote WA. At any time when they're open, you're allowed to drop in for a tour and whoever is there that day is obliged to give you on…

Yes, field trips were always my favorite part of school. The "How its Made" show scratches a similar itch. I've noodled with the idea of starting a "fieldtrips for grownups" group but I feel like a wastewater treatment plant is more likely to open their doors for a group of third graders than a group of thirty somethings.

The Oakland wastewater treatment plant offers tours open to the general public: https://www.ebmud.com/wastewater/collection-treatment/wastew...

Wouldn't be surprised if others do as well, or would be willing to if you asked the right person nicely.

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#93

Post by bigstrat2003 »

Jordan-117 wrote: post #6

Being a "superfan" of a corporation is already kind of questionable, but especially so when its leadership has been steadily dismantling so many great customer-friendly things that distinguished them from the competition. I'm glad at least something like this has survived long enough for you to have a neat experience.

I was certainly surprised to learn that Southwest even still has fans, given how they went out of their way to undermine any reason one would want to do business with them.

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#94

Post by bigstrat2003 »

LastTrain wrote: post #74
neonstatic wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The "sadly" comment in the article is also a narrative. No offense.

It isn't a narrative, it is simply a point of view. Are we happy there aren't more women pilots? That would be your POV.

I don't care how many women pilots there are. Nor should anyone. What's important is that women have the opportunity to become pilots if they so choose, not how many women actually make that choice.

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#95

Post by geostupid »

sephamorr wrote: post #78
schoen wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I highly recommend the tour of the Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric dam in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (well, it's also in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, but the tour starts from the Brazilian side). https://turismoitaipu.com.br/en/ Get the "special tour" which takes you inside the dam. An absolutely incredible spot and incredible achievement. They will take you into a room with a turbine shaft that's mechanically transmitting…

Seconding this! Make sure you get the "special tour". It was an absolute highlight of my trip. If you are interested in power infrasture it's a must see. If you're afraid of heights, perhaps not so much.

Could you kindly elaborate on the "afraid of heights" aspect? Was there a lot of catwalks or anything of that nature?

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#96

Post by ctippett »

ctippett wrote: post #16

I was given a similar tour of Qantas's headquarters, including a walkthrough of their engine workshop and the chance to roam freely inside one of their A380s that was parked up for maintenance. I took heaps of photos, I suppose if this stuff is interesting to others I really should think about sharing them.

Found some old photos from "Cathay City" aka Cathay Pacific's headquarters in Hong Kong.

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c2fhRSXwnIe7SrgOgSG0-wPw

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#97

Post by mapt »

kijiki wrote: post #71
schoen wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I highly recommend the tour of the Itaipu Binacional hydroelectric dam in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (well, it's also in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, but the tour starts from the Brazilian side). https://turismoitaipu.com.br/en/ Get the "special tour" which takes you inside the dam. An absolutely incredible spot and incredible achievement. They will take you into a room with a turbine shaft that's mechanically transmitting…

Seconded enthusiastically. That dam tour is amazing. Did it in 2007 or so. Expect potential weirdness though. My wife was wearing a (not particularly short) skirt, and the lady at the office selling tour tickets made her step back and spin around, then said she couldn't go in like that. There is a gift shop that sells dam branded pants, so she bought a pair and we were cleared to go in. After all that, one dude in th…

Long skirts (or other loose clothing) around big, spinning mechanical load transmission elements are an easy way for the rest of your life to become a cautionary Youtube video on workplace safety.

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#98

Post by gordon_freeman »

legitster wrote: post #8

I adore behind-the-scenes tours. I get there's a lot of work that goes into making it happen, but when you drop into a place where people work, you'll learn so much about real life problems that never make it to the Internet. The greatest tour I ever had was at the Smokejumper base in remote WA. At any time when they're open, you're allowed to drop in for a tour and whoever is there that day is obliged to give you on…

I had one such tour at Toyota's TMMK (Georgetown, Kentucky) manufacturing plant and witnessing the efficiency with which they were making cars blew my mind!

Re: Southwest Headquarters Tour

#100

Post by schoen »

geostupid wrote: post #95
sephamorr wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seconding this! Make sure you get the "special tour". It was an absolute highlight of my trip. If you are interested in power infrasture it's a must see. If you're afraid of heights, perhaps not so much.

Could you kindly elaborate on the "afraid of heights" aspect? Was there a lot of catwalks or anything of that nature?

There is one part where you are invited to walk on a catwalk that's very high up (an outdoor staircase sort of like a fire escape). My recollection is that walking on it is not mandatory for the tour, but I'm not absolutely certain of that.

You're also invited, but not required, to look over the edge of the dam from the top, which is also very far down.

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