It’s not because they are the first US airline to begin testing onboard broadband internet (although, seriously, kudos). It’s the fact that Southwest Airlines honors their customers. Southwest doesn’t need to state what customers deserve from flying SWA because they actively demonstrate this honor and respect through every touchpoint.

The company’s “Nuts About Southwest” blog is a group blog in the largest sense of the word. It features posts not just from employees all over the company – boasting titles from “Sr. Manager of Proactive Customer Service Communication” to “structural mechanic”, but from customers as well. In particular the blog has been featuring the adventures of a customer through his Persian gulf deployments and has continued to “adopt” the other servicemen onboard the USS Nimitz. Yesterday’s post from the USS Nimitz’ Marco Meloni isn’t the stuff of slick PR, but it demonstrates a genuine respect for the people who keep Southwest in business – their customers.

Updated 9:30am:  Southwest also listens.  They sent a kind comment of thanks within 2 hours of this initial post.