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Air Transport World (ATW) Magazine revealed the winners of its inaugural 2012 Eco-Aviation Awards, naming Southwest Airlines as the Eco-Pioneer of the Year for the airline’s focus on efficiency long before environmentally-sound business practices were understood or recognized. Whether it’s diverting more than 7,300 tons of material equal to the weight of about 173 Boeing 737-700 aircraft from landfills and into recycling facilities since August 2008 with its co-mingled recycling program, or unveiling Evolve, the carrier’s all-new eco-friendly cabin interior that emphasizes comfort and personal space, Southwest continues to operate with a green filter.
Since Southwest’s beginnings more than 40 years ago, the LUV airline has always approached business differently—the ten-minute turn, Bags Fly Free, no change fees—the list goes on and on. One thing that has remained constant since Southwest took to the skies four decades ago is doing the right thing for the carrier’s triple bottom line focused on Performance, People, and Planet.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.