Removing Financial Barriers: Southwest Airlines Delivers Gift Of Travel For Medical Patients And Caregivers

Carrier donates 7,500 roundtrip tickets to nonprofit hospitals and medical transportation organizations throughout the United States

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Southwest Airlines Co.

Mar 02, 2021, 12:00 ET

DALLAS, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today announced it has donated 7,500 roundtrip tickets to help remove the financial burden for those who need to travel for life-changing or specialized medical care. More than 75 nonprofit hospitals and medical transportation organizations across the United States received the tickets through Southwest's® Medical Transportation Grant Program, allowing them to bring patients and caregivers closer to much-needed medical care.

"As the airline with Heart, we have a passion for making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve," said Laura Nieto, Director of Community Outreach. "Through our Medical Transportation Grant Program, our hope is to ease the financial burden of air travel expenses and provide a critical lifeline for patients and caregivers, allowing them to stay focused on medical treatment and recovery."

This year, Southwest is supporting hospitals in 26 states, providing access for patients and their caregivers.

"Southwest's generous gesture of aloha provides much-needed help to our patients and their families who travel for essential medical care," said Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN, President and CEO of The Queen's Health Systems in Honolulu, Hawaii; one of two new hospital groups in Hawaii to join Southwest's Medical Transportation Grant Program in 2021. "Southwest's donation provides assistance and peace of mind where it is most needed by making health care more easily accessible."

To view the full list of participating hospitals and charitable organizations for 2021, visit Southwest.com/medicalgrant. Since this signature program's inception in 2007, Southwest has donated nearly $39 million in transportation value, helping to remove the financial costs associated with travel for more than 96,000 patients and caregivers. Visit Southwest's 50^th Anniversary website to see the Medical Transportation Grant Program at work.

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 56,000 Employees to a Customer base that topped 130 million Passengers in 2019. Southwest has a robust network of point-to-point service with a strong presence across top leisure and business markets. In peak travel seasons during 2019, Southwest operated more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 101 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. In 2020, the carrier added service to Hilo, Hawaii; Cozumel, Mexico; Miami; Palm Springs, Calif.; Steamboat Springs; and Montrose (Telluride), Colo. Thus far in 2021, Southwest began service to both Chicago (O'Hare) and Sarasota/Bradenton on Feb. 14; and will begin service to both Savannah/Hilton Head and Colorado Springs on March 11; both Houston (Bush) and Santa Barbara, Calif. on April 12; Fresno, Calif. on April 25; Destin/Ft. Walton Beach on May 6; Bozeman, Mont. on May 27; and Jackson, Miss. on June 6.

The carrier issued its Southwest^®Promise in May 2020 to highlight new and round-the-clock efforts to support its Customers and Employees well-being and comfort. Among the changes are enhanced cleaning efforts at airports and onboard aircraft, along with a federal mandate requiring every person to wear a mask at all times throughout each flight. 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.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.