Southwest Airlines and National Wildlife Refuge Association Partner to Help Wildlife Recovery in the Gulf

DALLAS, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines and the National Wildlife Refuge Association (NWRA) today announced its "Help Us Help Them" giving program in which Southwest will donate $1 from every EarlyBird Check-In purchase from today through Oct. 4, 2010, up to $100,000, to help the NWRA with its Gulf wildlife recovery efforts.  As the Official Airline of the NWRA, Southwest is proud to support the Association's goal of conserving America's wildlife heritage for future generations. To view photos of wildlife efforts and read a blog post, visit www.blogsouthwest.com.

"Giving back and protecting our planet is very important to us," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Vice President of Communication and Strategic Outreach.  "This giving program is particularly relevant as oil spill recovery efforts will continue far into the future.  We're celebrating the first anniversary of the Early Bird Check-In product and decided that an investment in our communities was the best gift to both our Employees and our Customers."  

The National Wildlife Refuge Association is committed to building strategic relationships that further its goal to strengthen the ecological integrity of our national wildlife refuges and thus ensure a diverse spectrum of plants and wildlife well into the future.

"As the official airline of the National Wildlife Refuge Association, Southwest is again making a positive difference for America's wildlife," said Evan Hirsche, President of the Refuge Association. "The EarlyBird giving program is a winner for Southwest travelers and for the wildlife that depend on the health of Gulf coast wildlife refuges and the National Wildlife Refuge System. We're grateful for this extraordinary pledge of support, which will help pelicans, manatees, terns, sea turtles, and a host of other species."

EarlyBird Check-In is a low-cost option (just $10 each way) that gives Southwest Airlines Customers the convenience of automatic flight checkin. EarlyBird Check-In Customers have a better opportunity to select a preferred seat and have greater access to overhead bin storage for carryon luggage than the general boarding Customers.  The partnership with the NWRA also commemorates the program's one-year anniversary.

For more information about the EarlyBird Check-In giving program, visit www.southwest.com/nwra . To learn more about the National Wildlife Refuge Association, visit www.refugeassociation.org.

About Southwest Airlines

After 39 years of service, Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers--offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and now serves 69 cities in 35 states. Southwest also is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/cares to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,200 flights a day and has nearly 35,000 Employees systemwide.

About the National Wildlife Refuge Association

The mission of the National Wildlife Refuge Association is to conserve America's wildlife heritage for future generations through strategic programs that protect, enhance, and expand the National Wildlife Refuge System and the landscapes beyond its boundaries that secure its ecological integrity. NWRA works across the U.S. to conserve the most biologically sensitive landscapes, enlisting the support of local citizens and diverse state and federal partners. In addition, NWRA provides training and guidance to more than 250 local refuge "Friends" volunteer groups that are vital to creating public support for national wildlife refuges and wildlife conservation.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines

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