Southwest Airlines Named One Of America's Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces By Dave Thomas Foundation For Adoption

DALLAS, Sept. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) was named as one of America's best adoption-friendly companies by the Dave Thomas foundation for adoption. Southwest Airlines offers Employees up to three weeks of paid leave and $2,000 per adopted child with a $4,000 lifetime maximum amount of financial reimbursement. To see the complete list, visit http://www.davethomasfoundation.org/what-we-do/adoption-friendly-workplace/2012-best-adoption-friendly-workplaces-by-industry/

"At Southwest, family comes first, and we know how adoption can make a difference in our Employees' life," said Jeff Lamb, Southwest Airlines' Executive Vice President and Chief People and Administration Officer. "Our adoption-friendly policy provides our Employees a total of 12 weeks for an Adoption of Child Leave of Absence. As the only airline listed, we know our policy is one of the best in the industry."

Every year the Foundation announces America's top 100 adoption-friendly employers, the top 10 by size, and the leaders in each industry from its annual survey of U.S. employers. Rankings are determined by an analysis of a company's adoption benefits, including the maximum amount of financial reimbursement and paid leave for families who adopt. The top 100 are featured in the September issue of Employee Benefit News, a SourceMedia publication that is the leading source of information for benefits decision makers.

There are more than 100,000 children in the U.S. foster care system waiting to be adopted. Every year, nearly 30,000 children in foster care turn 18 and leave the system without families to call their own. The release of the sixth annual Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces List helps the Foundation increase foster care adoption awareness while celebrating those businesses that support adoptive families.

About Southwest Airlines

In its 41^st year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers by providing a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service.  Including wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways, the Company now serves 97 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, six near-international countries, and employs more than 46,000 People.

Visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™ and see how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen while underscoring a commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet.

Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines, one of the most honored airlines in the world, is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded.  Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and serves the communities around 74 airports in Southwest's network of domestic destinations.  To book a flight, visit southwest.com.

AirTran Airways

AirTran Airways, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest Airlines Co., has been ranked the top airline in the Airline Quality Rating study three times in the past five years. AirTran offers coast-to-coast and near-international service with nearly 700 flights a day on North America's newest all-Boeing fleet. The airline's low-cost, high-quality product also includes assigned seating and Business Class. To book a flight, visit airtran.com.

About the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption

The Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption is a national nonprofit public charity dedicated to dramatically increasing the adoptions of the more than 134,000 children waiting in North America's foster care systems. Created by Wendy's® founder Dave Thomas who was adopted, the Foundation implements evidence-based, results-driven national signature programs, foster care adoption awareness initiatives and research-based advocacy efforts. To learn more, visit davethomasfoundation.org, or call 1-800-ASK-DTFA.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines