Southwest arrives

By Jim Fair  

MARCH 10, 2011 1:33 p.m. (0)

Southwest Airlines and Upstate community and business leaders will be doing a lot of celebrating this weekend to commemorate the historic arrival of the low-cost carrier to Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

The weekend includes private receptions, a plane pull, a progressive dinner in downtown Greenville, a community service project, First Flight certificates and a round of media conferences.

The service project, a signature event of Southwest’s entering a new market, will be tree plantings in Greenville and Spartanburg counties. Perhaps the most sentimental of the events will be the planting of a tree at GSP at the beginning of a Monday media conference in honor of Roger Milliken. Milliken was the only chairman of the airport commission until his death this past December. The tree plantings are symbolic of GSP and Southwest planting new roots together.

The official ceremonies begin with a private reception Friday at 6 p.m. at The Upcountry History Museum in Greenville. Southwest President and CEO Gary Kelly will be among the guests.

Southwest will officially arrive at 3:15 p.m. Saturday with about 50 employees including Senior Vice President David Ridley and Vice President of Marketing Kevin Krone.

The plane will taxi onto the FedEx ramp area where the Clemson pep band, cheerleaders and the Tiger have been invited to welcome the guests. Greenville, Spartanburg, Greer and Anderson Chambers of Commerce representatives and 40-50 guests from each will be among the welcoming party.

A plane pull will include 12 chamber members and three Southwest employees on each team. The public is invited to the events that will conclude at 4:30 p.m.

Southwest representatives will sample three or four restaurants in downtown Greenville Saturday with the progressive dinner beginning at 6 p.m. A cameraman and a social media specialist will be chatting live about their food experience in Greenville as well as taping other segments to be included on the Southwest website, Facebook page and Twitter.

The public also is invited to Falls Park Saturday evening following the progressive dinner for music, a cash bar and light refreshments.

Only ticketed passengers will be allowed at the boarding gates Sunday when Southwest begins its service with the departure of its inaugural flight to Baltimore/Washington International (BWI), at 6:45 a.m. Gate games, ticket giveaways, fun photos and first flight certificates are among activities planned from 5:30 a.m. to 1:25 p.m.

News conferences at GSP will be held 2 p.m. Sunday to introduce the community service concept and Monday at 9 a.m. Gary Kelly, CEO and president of Southwest, will participate in a news conference that includes Dave Edwards, executive director of GSP, Minor Shaw, Chair of the GSP Airport, and commission members.