As it planned events to announce its new Florida service in three Florida cities, Southwest Airlines [LUV] added a community service component to attract further media attention.
The Fort Worth, Texas-based airline flew a group of school children, for free, between two of the cities where it was adding service. Working with a local social service organization, Southwest's local PR firm, Zynyx Marketing Communications Inc., Miami, arranged for a group of schoolchildren to fly for free round-trip between Fort Lauderdale and Tampa on Jan. 22, the day Southwest inaugurated service between the two cities.
The children's free trip received both print and broadcast media coverage in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, said Lisa Mozloom, an account executive at Zynyx.