Why is Southwest's two letter code WN?

[Tweaker]

Why is Southwest's two letter code WN?

 

[i'mbatman]

I dont know if this is right or not but I think it has something to do with colleen barrett liking Willie Nelson.

 

[biggerguy]

When the business plan was developed on a bar napkin, the bartender threw in a buck as his initial investment toward the company. The bartender's repayment in stead of stock was the code. His name was Wilford Numbly!

 

[BEfly]

"SW" was taken. I think by some airline in Africa

 

[Slug]

Why Not


If that bartender one is true, that guy Wilford lost out on his buck investment big time.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

I thought it was because Herb really likes Wayne Newton.

GP

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

Actually, this goes back to the Wisconsin Northern Railroad, which has an AAR reporting mark of "WN". That railroad was supposed to carry cattle from point to point, bypassing the hub & spoke system of moving cattle across the country. The railroad failed, Southwest took its WN marker, and there you have it.

 

[Mach 80]

Good story, but the reason, as someone else said, is that "SW" was already taken by a foreign airline.

 

[AlbieF15]

Because "Ugly Airplanes that make a lot money" takes up too much space!

Seriously...flew through SLC today and saw the elegant NWA A319 and a host of pretty Delta birds. The CRJ in UAL colors was also elegant. And that wingleted 737 in two tone brown just looked dirty. I know SWA is a superior airline--and full of great people. But couldn't those birds paint schemes be just a tad "prettier" without hurting the shareholders or employees? Shamu and the Lone Star bird stick out as "paint done right..." IMHO. How about a little of that SWA creativity applied to the designs?

 

[StopNTSing]

Because "Ugly Airplanes that make a lot money" takes up too much space!

Seriously...flew through SLC today and saw the elegant NWA A319 and a host of pretty Delta birds. The CRJ in UAL colors was also elegant. And that wingleted 737 in two tone brown just looked dirty. I know SWA is a superior airline--and full of great people. But couldn't those birds paint schemes be just a tad "prettier" without hurting the shareholders or employees? Shamu and the Lone Star bird stick out as "paint done right..." IMHO. How about a little of that SWA creativity applied to the designs?

It has been. Most of the planes are blue now. You need to fly a little more during the day.

 

[Reebo]

It has been. Most of the planes are blue now. You need to fly a little more during the day.

Trust me they are painting the fleet. Got JA'd the other night to drop one off and pick one up from KPAE

 

[Reebo]

How about a little of that SWA creativity applied to the designs?

Are these creative enough for you?


http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1243116/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1206960/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1237482/L/

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1057903/L/

And the "Classic" lives on!!!!

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1202701/L/

 

[roughneck]

It's because We'aint Northerners. (Except Herb who moved to Texas as fast as he could)

 

[bugchaser]

Tell you what, that 700 painted in the "classic" theme, looks pretty sharp. they put some metal flake in the paint and made the ol corn dog shine. Really, it looks pretty nice shining in the morning sun.

 

[OPNLguy]

Southwest's original 2-letter code was "OE" and nobody liked it. SW was indeed in use by an airline in Africa, and other alternatives were sought. I have it on good authority (a dispatcher fossil and original employee) that "WN" was chosen because it was the only availble code that had a "W" in it, and they wanted a code that had one so that they'd remember "SouthWest".

The WN code was years prior to the "We're Nuts" book, and it has no other significance.

 

[dash8driver]

it stands for "without nipples" -- because herb has no nipples....its true!



.

 

[Hpilot]

WeeNer.
It's been shortened from it's original because, well... it's a short weener

 

[JimNtexas]

Southwest should hire the designer of the Express Jet paint job to redo their livery.

 

[Rickindfw]

Southwest should hire the designer of the Express Jet paint job to redo their livery.[/quote

I think the Express Jet paint scheme is ugly. New US Air is nice.

 

[tubelcane]

The last TWA paint job was top notch!

 

[JimNtexas]

Southwest should hire the designer of the Express Jet paint job to redo their livery.[/quote

I think the Express Jet paint scheme is ugly. New US Air is nice.

The Express Jet scheme is so ugly it goes beyond the use of the word 'ugly'. Since WN, otherwise a fine airline, likes these weird and ugly schemes I just think they should try and top Express Jet (also a fine airline that I use in preference to WN, but not because of its paint job) and go even uglier. If that's possible.

 

[AA717driver]

"Why Not" is the correct answer. That's what the FA's used to say when the pilots hit on them.

Now, they just slam-click like all the other airlines... TC

 

[wings421]

The last TWA paint job was top notch!

I agree!

 

[007]

Didn't it have something to do with the buyout of Winair??

 

[avoidingmyboss]

who no's = wn

 

[Jonny Sacko]

What color is the morning sun?