To Assign Seats or Not to Assign Seats

       Southwest Airlines Announces the Fate of Its Open Seating Policy

    WHAT:      Join Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly as he announces the
               Company's much anticipated decision on whether or not it will
               buck its 36-year history of not assigning seats.

    WHEN:      Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2007
               11:00am - 12:30pm

    WHERE:     Southwest Airlines Headquarters -- Freedom Hall
               2702 Love Field Drive
               Dallas, TX  75235

    OTHER      Southwest Airlines' unique open seating policy has been around
    FACTS:     since the airlines' earliest days.  Last fall, Southwest
               Airlines began testing various seating and boarding methods in
               San Diego.  The airline extended those tests last month in San
               Antonio with a full-scale evaluation of yet another
               boarding/seating approach.

               Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV), the nation's largest carrier in

               terms of domestic passengers enplaned, currently serves
               64 cities in 32 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently
               operates more than 3,300 flights a day and has more than 33,000

               Employees systemwide.

**For those unable to attend the press briefing, media materials will be distributed at the close of the event.

    Media: Please call Public Relations (214) 792-4847

                           http://www.southwest.com

SOURCE Southwest Airlines

Released September 18, 2007