Southwest Airlines 50th Birthday Bash

Southwest Airlines’ birthday week festivities are always a big to-do for employees, but as the brand approached the big 5-0 this year, grander celebrations were in order. Rising to the occasion, the airline hosted a hybrid 50th anniversary rally at a massive airplane hangar in Houston that included the reveal of its newest aircraft, Freedom One. The anniversary program also included an employee afterparty, a VIP charter flight on the Freedom One and consumer-facing airport activations. And if the attendee feedback is any indication, Southwest’s strategy made for a smooth landing.