Southwest Airlines Joins Luck Reunion As Presenting Sponsor For Second Year; Continued Support Of Rising Artists

DALLAS, Jan. 24, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines Co. LUV will return for a second year as the official presenting sponsor of the Luck Reunion, a boutique music festival taking place on Thursday, March 15, 2018, outside Austin, Texas. The continued partnership marks both brands' commitment to the music community and to elevating burgeoning artists.

Demonstrating the initiative to propel up-and-coming artists, Southwest is joining forces with Luck Reunion to extend the carrier's Artist On The Rise platform, which is dedicated to supporting the careers of developing artists. Today, Southwest and Luck Reunion begin the search for their next Artist On The Rise.

"Connecting with our Customers through an aligned passion for supporting the music community is what makes our partnership with the Luck Reunion incredibly special," said Linda Rutherford, Southwest Airlines Chief Communications Officer. "It's about connecting People to what is important in their lives, supporting artists on the rise, and creating memorable experiences that last."

"We are honored to have Southwest Airlines as part of our Luck Family for a second year," said Larry Murray, Luck Reunion Director of Brand Partnerships. "Southwest Airlines 'Artist On The Rise' platform is an industry leader in its support of the music community, and is unrivaled by any other airline partner. This genuine and thoughtful initiative to create unique avenues for talent is contributing greatly to Luck Reunion as a platform, and we are grateful that they both trust in, and share, our vision."

Southwest will play a major role in the festival's Road to Luck. In addition to helping artists reach their destination and spotlighting flourishing artists, the carrier will also host an unprecedented live stream revealing the much-anticipated Luck Reunion 2018 lineup scheduled for Monday, Feb. 12. Fans can tune in to the direct-to-fan live stream on facebook.com/SouthwestAir to hear from one of the airline's 2017 Artists On The Rise, Devon Gilfillian, as he unveils the festival roster and performs a few songs from the "Luck, TX" Ranch.

Gilfillian made his Luck Reunion debut in 2017, an appearance that awarded the performer a Southwest Artist On The Rise title. Since being tapped by the program, Gilfillian has participated in the carrier's Destination: Red Rocks concert where he opened for headlining band, The Fray; garnered national media attention including major magazine features; signed a recording contract with Capitol Records and joined forces with William Morris Endeavor which afforded him a myriad of opportunities for exposure including a tour with Parker Millsap. Gilfillian will hit the road with Anderson East in the spring.

On the ground at the "Luck, TX" Ranch, Southwest will round out the Luck Reunion experience with dynamic activations onsite, including the airline's Porch Sessions with Luck Artists and engaging activations for Luck Reunion attendees to interact with the airline.

For more information, please visit www.luckreunion.com. Tickets are released on a rolling basis via Luck Reunion and participating partners. Future ticket roll-outs will be announced on Luck Reunion's social media channels.

About Luck Productions

Willie Nelson and Luck Productions came together with a shared vision for creating distinctive live music experiences and groundbreaking content. In 2016 Luck Productions began its expansion outside of its flagship event, Luck Reunion at Luck TX, with a weeklong residency in Nashville during AmericanaFest. Stay tuned for additional activations at www.luckreunion.com.

About Southwest Airlines Co.

In its 47th year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. LUV continues to differentiate itself from other air carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by more than 55,000 Employees to a Customer base topping 115 million passengers annually, in recent years. Southwest became the nation's largest domestic air carrier in 2003 and maintains that ranking based on the U.S. Department of Transportation's most recent reporting of domestic originating passengers boarded. During peak travel seasons, Southwest operates more than 4,000 weekday departures among a network of 100 destinations in the United States and 10 additional countries. Southwest has announced its intention to sell tickets in 2018 for service to Hawaii, subject to requisite governmental approvals.

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), and there are no change fees, though fare differences might apply.

As launch customer of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 in North America, the Company operates the largest fleet in the world of Boeing aircraft, all of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi. Customers who connect to the WiFi network may use their personal devices to view on-demand movies and television shows, as well as nearly 20 channels of free, live TV.

With a bold new look first unveiled in 2014, Southwest is progressing through a multi-year refresh of its fleet to showcase the carrier's Heart: a new logo, aircraft livery, interior design featuring new seats, Employee-designed uniforms, and an updated airport experience, all of which showcase a dedication of Southwest Employees to connect Customers with what's important in their lives.

From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With 44 consecutive years of profitability, 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.

Book Southwest Airlines' low fares online at Southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.

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SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.