Southwest Airlines certainly knows how to put on a party.

I stopped by Southwest headquarters during our recent trip to the GBTA Convention in Dallas as they hosted an “open house” gala, of sorts. Ladies in Champagne dresses welcomed guests at the front entrance; fun, casino-style games were available on multiple floors; food and beverages were at every turn; and special artists were available for caricature drawings (including a “booty art” caricature, where you turn around and an artist draws your backside; not for me, but I’m not here to judge!).

The energy was high and the crowd was strong. The view from the offices also showcased the gates at Dallas Love Field, the birthplace of Southwest Airlines.

Another highlight was seeing the variety of flight attendant uniforms on models who lined the hallway. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the different styles and evolvement of taste throughout the decades.

However, my favorite part of the event was the welcome.

As I stepped out of the car, Southwest employees were lined up along both sides of a red carpet with drums, pom-poms, signs and noisemakers. Dressed in Southwest t-shirts and their best smiles, all the employees were cheering and dancing, giving the most unexpected and overwhelming greeting to everyone who arrived. It absolutely set the tone for the event and made a huge impression on me. I was laughing out loud, dancing a little myself, and in a great mood as I entered the party!

Executive vice president and chief commercial officer Ryan Green also spoke during the GBTA Convention. Ryan’s speech was warm and compelling, sharing old TV commercials from Southwest Airlines in the 1970s and ’80s before giving away several free ticket vouchers to a room full of business travel planners and providers during a working lunch.

After the difficulties Southwest experienced over the December holidays last year, I’ve heard Ryan Green say they’ve made numerous investments to improve the travel experience in preparation for this year’s holiday season. Those improvements should be completed by October.

Last December I found myself in the middle of Kansas with canceled flights between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. However, in my mind, Southwest “made it right” by giving reimbursements for my travel expenses plus 25,000 additional miles in my Rapid Rewards account.

Time will tell if Southwest Airlines can fully recover after last year’s disruptions and earn back traveler’s trust. But in my opinion, if employee enthusiasm and engagement is any barometer of a company’s ability to succeed, I’d say Southwest is fully on board.

— Carrie Cox, account executive