Category Archives: Making a Difference

Apr 08

SkyWest Captain Praised for Little Act of Kindness

SkyWest people are the best in the industry! Just check out this story that was shared on Facebook after one SkyWest CRJ captain helped a young family with their sleepy toddler.

We landed at midnight and both kids were fast asleep. We waited until we we were the last ones on the plane and woke up…

Posted by Jennifer Braithwaite Cowley on Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Interested in working with incredible people like this captain? Find out more about flying with SkyWest here!

Check out more stories about SkyWest people making a difference!

Mar 31

SkyWest Mini Indy 2016 Wins Big for Charity

The engines revved and the checkered flag flew at the Ridgetop Raceway in St. George, Utah as 34 teams from around the globe recently vied for racing fame at the 2016 SkyWest Mini Indy! The airline industry’s premier charity event, Mini Indy includes Indy-style cars racing up to 25 MPH, a finger-lickin’ BBQ pit master’s competition and golf against the scenic backdrop of Southern Utah’s unmatched beauty – all to benefit those in need!

Since its inception 16 years ago, the SkyWest Mini Indy has raised more than $1 million for United Way Dixie. Those donations have helped countless people in need in Southern Utah, with 100 percent of the proceeds staying in the community to help those who are struggling to meet their basic physical and emotional needs.

In conjunction with the event, nearly $50,000 was raised in 2016 to benefit the SkyWest Scholarship Program through the Mini Indy Golf Tournament and a drawing to win a CAN-AM Outlander Max 400 4-wheeler, generously donated by Bombardier. In the last 15 years, the SkyWest Scholarship Program has helped hundreds of SkyWest employees and their family members achieve their higher education and professional goals.

Mini Indy is just one of the many ways SkyWest gives back to the community. To get more information on the excitement and the partners involved in Mini Indy, visit www.miniindy.org.

Mar 14

Leading Team SkyWest in the Fight Against Parkinson’s

Patrick Altree, a San Francisco-based SkyWest captain, first noticed that something was amiss when his right hand would tremble slightly as he was trying to hold something steady, like pouring a can of soda into a glass. He dismissed it as stress or caffeine since it would come and go. But as the problem began to occur more frequently over the next year, he and his girlfriend (now his wife) started a voyage of self-diagnosis. While all the signs pointed to Parkinson ’s disease, Patrick continued to dismiss the idea.

Patrick went through a series of tests he refers to as the “Parkinson’s Field Sobriety” where a patient is asked to walk, open and close their hands, recite the months of the year backwards, touch their fingers to their nose, etc. Based on the results, Patrick was diagnosed with Young Onset Parkinson’s at the age of 38. Since being diagnosed six and a half years ago, he has refused to sit on the sidelines and has taken an active role in learning more about the disease and is raising funds to bring awareness to and find a cure for Parkinson’s.

Every April during Parkinson’s Awareness Month, Patrick heads up Team SkyWest in the Paws for Parkinson’s 5k in San Diego. To date, Patrick’s SkyWest team has raised nearly $20,000 for Parkinson’s related research and has become one of the top 10 teams in terms of total money donated.

“The majority of these donations were from individual employees, many whom I’ve never met,” says Patrick. “These are some of the best examples of what the spirit of SkyWest is all about. The generosity and compassion from perfect strangers has been particularly humbling.”

Parkinson’s patients are often diagnosed when they’re in their 60s. Patrick’s battle with Parkinson’s began when he was in his 30s and illustrates how the disease can affect anyone. Fortunately for Patrick, he responds well to the only FAA-approved treatment using a drug called L-DOPA. This medication, coupled with running and a good diet, has kept Patrick relatively stable.

“Parkinson’s is relentless. It is degenerative, progressive and there is no cure,” says Patrick. “It is all of those things and so much more. Parkinson’s has been a blessing to me. It has taught me the importance of the here and now, the relevance and finite nature of time and that there are things in this world much bigger than myself. It has taught me patience and gratitude, and just how valuable simple kindness is.”

Patrick’s fundraising efforts support Parkinson’s research, including determining what causes Parkinson’s and how to prevent the disease, developing new treatments and eventually finding a cure.

The next Paws for Parkinson’s 5K will be held on Saturday, April 16 at Liberty Station Park in San Diego, right next to San Diego Lindbergh Field. You can also learn more by visiting Patrick’s team page here.

Dec 31

SkyWest’s Top Service Moments of 2015

As 2015 comes to a close, it’s time to take a look at some of the exceptional service that SkyWest employees have provided during the past 12 months. The following are seven of SkyWest’s top service moments of 2015.

Flight Crew Brings Family Together One Last Time

When the Vandenberg siblings received a call that their mother’s health had taken a turn for the worse, they immediately booked their flights to reach her. When a delay made it seem like they would never make their connecting flight in Denver, the SkyWest crew on board went above and beyond to help get the Vandenbergs onto their next flight moments before it left the gate. Thanks to the efforts of crewmembers on both flights, the Vandenbergs were able to spend precious final moments with their mother.

“The little things in life matter, as they add up to big things. And, in doing the little things very well, your flight crews allowed us the precious moments with our mother that we would have missed otherwise,” wrote Thom Vandenberg. “For that, we want to express our heartfelt thanks and recognize a job very well done.”

First Officer Gives Wings to Young Cancer Fighter

A brave six-year-old girl was fighting cancer and having a tough day when she met Joe Myers, a SkyWest first officer, on the shuttle ride to the airport. Joe immediately began trying to make her day better and by joking with her. He even removed the wings from his shirt and pinned them on her, telling her he was making her an honorary pilot. The little girl’s parents said that she wouldn’t part with the wings and even slept in her shirt that night with the wings safely secured on it.

“I was blessed that night,” said Joe. “That little girl touched my heart and gave me far more than I could have ever given her. When I pinned my wings on her, I told her that she could fly with me anytime. Maybe with some prayers she will be able to fly for SkyWest someday!”

SkyWest Flight Attendant Runs to End Thirst

Before she started training for her first half marathon in 2013, Kelsey Galiano, a Minneapolis-based SkyWest flight attendant, had never run a race and didn’t really care for running. Even now that she has trained for and run multiple races, including a marathon, there are plenty of days she doesn’t want to run. But Kelsey continues the grind because of the cause that fuels her: helping to provide clean water for people in Africa who don’t have access to it.

“There are many days I detest running but I detest people not having something simple like clean water even more,” said Kelsey.

Not having access to clean water takes the lives of hundreds of children every day and is the number one preventable cause of death in the world. To help, Kelsey joined Team World Vision in 2013 with the goal of bringing clean water to as many people in Africa as possible. Thanks to the efforts of World Vision and people like Kelsey, one new person is receiving clean water every 30 seconds.

Kelsey’s personal goal is to provide clean water access to as many as 200 children.

“I donated to provide clean water for two children and I’m hoping to find 99 others to match my donation,” she said. “Just $50 is enough to provide one child with clean water for life!” And with the global water crisis expected to end in 2030, Kelsey hopes she will only need to run for this cause for 15 more years!

Since joining Team World Vision, Kelsey has run the 2013 Monster Dash Half Marathon in St. Paul, Minnesota, the 2014 and 2015 Minnesota Half Marathon in St. Paul, the 2015 Hood To Coast Relay in Portland and the 2015 Twin Cities Marathon. While most of these races were in Minnesota, Team World Vision participates in races all across the U.S.

Kelsey with her World Vision team.

Whether it’s helping a co-worker or sending aid around the world, Kelsey’s focus on giving back is one shared by many of SkyWest’s more than 11,000 employees. If you are interested in donating to Kelsey’s team or joining Team World Vision, no matter your location, go to Kelsey’s fundraising page. More information about World Vision can be found at www.worldvision.org.

Dec 21

SkyWest Flight Attendants Deliver Holiday Magic

It was one of the most amazing acts of sheer kindness she had experienced in a long time – her family’s own Christmas magic. That’s how Jaimi Nielson described SkyWest flight attendant Erin O’Shea’s actions after Jaimi’s son, Owen, left his bag at a gate in San Francisco before boarding a recent flight.

A prized collection of LEGO sets, his “best friend” (a well-loved stuffed lizard) and favorite storybooks were among the possessions that five-year-old Owen accidentally left in SFO. After realizing what happened, he was heartbroken and cried the whole flight.

The Nielsen’s searched for a way to retrieve the bag, but what they found wasn’t good. The bag had to be picked up in person and the cost of a flight to reclaim the items would cost well over $1,000.

Enter Erin O’Shea, a SkyWest flight attendant.

Flight Attendant Erin O'Shea with the bag of toys.

Erin O’Shea with Owen’s bag of toys.

Erin met Owen while he was flying from San Francisco to Salt Lake City and offered to help. After she finished her trip with a flight to Chicago, Erin jumped on a different flight back to San Francisco, rather than flying directly home to Salt Lake City. In SFO, she was able to work with TSA to ensure all the security requirements were met and picked up the bag. Erin then flew back to Salt Lake and delivered it to Owen’s family.

“We asked her why she would be willing to do this,” Jaimi explained, “and she simply said, ‘Because he captured my heart.'”

Thanks to Erin’s quick thinking, Owen was overjoyed to find his most treasured possessions back at his side when he woke up the next morning.

But Owen wasn’t the only young boy who experienced some holiday magic this month. More than 1,000 miles away, in Minneapolis, five-year-old Ethan and his younger brother were on their way to live with their Nana in Duluth, Minnesota. There were sure to be a number of changes in store and the one thing Ethan really looked forward to was snow.

Having lived in Mississippi, Ethan had never seen snow before and he couldn’t wait to get to his Nana’s house to have a snowball fight! When his flight from Minneapolis to Duluth was delayed due to weather, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed. Ethan told Linzie Clayman and Jacie Vonada – Minneapolis-based SkyWest flight attendants all about his plans for the snow. But as the hours passed by, Ethan’s excitement turned to frustration.

“Their Nana looked pretty stressed out,” Linzie said. “When the snack cart rolled around, Jacie and I helped her get some snacks for the boys, but Ethan still seemed pretty sad.”

That’s when Linzie and Jacie concocted a plan – a secret mission to make Ethan’s day special.

They talked to the first officer for the delayed flight, and within a few minutes, he returned with a snowball, just for Ethan.

Ethan’s first snowball!

Ethan’s whole face lit up at the sight of his first snowball. But he wasn’t the only one. Other travelers around the gate area saw the exchange and couldn’t help but smile as Ethan carried his snowball around until it melted. That simple act of kindness helped keep Ethan’s spirits high until he was able to arrive at his new home.

The actions of Linzie, Jacie, Erin are repeated by countless other SkyWest employees on a daily basis as they work to provide incredible customer service for every passenger, especially during the busy holiday travel season.

Dec 14

Now Boarding SkyWest’s Fantasy Flight to the North Pole

SkyWest’s ninth annual Fantasy Flight took of this weekend in Colorado Springs, bringing the Christmas spirit to underprivileged children and their families.

“This event is cherished by everyone involved,” said Lori Hunt, SkyWest’s vice president – People. “Every year SkyWest employees help provide treasured holiday memories for children whose families struggle to meet their basic needs.”

This year, more than 40 children were able to participate in the Fantasy Flight where they took a 30-minute flight from Colorado Springs Airport (COS) to the “North Pole” (Gate 11 at COS). There, the little passengers were greeted by Santa Claus himself, who presented gifts to each child in attendance. The night also included dinner for the children and their families, as well as appearances from local Olympians and Sox the Fox, photos with Santa, a petting zoo and more!

What makes this SkyWest tradition even better is the incredible efforts of the employees and members of the community who volunteer to make the entire night special for everyone involved. In fact, the aircraft, fuel, gifts, dinner and more is all donated to the event. And seeing the excitement of the kids involved makes it all worth it.

Children aboard the Fantasy Flight are enrolled in the Community Partnership for Child Development early childhood education programs. These children live below the poverty level, have an identified special need, or have a home situation that puts them at risk for school failure. To learn more about the organizations SkyWest partners with to make this event possible, visit www.jlcoloradosprings.org and cpcdheadstart.org.

Dec 02

SkyWest Movember Mustaches

There have been a few more mustaches than usual among SkyWest employees this past month. No, the trend does not signal a change in uniform requirements. The increase in facial hair was part of Movember, a health initiative designed to bring more awareness to men’s health throughout the month of November.

Salt Lake City CRJ Captain Jon Warner

Nick Pearson, a Los Angeles-based CRJ captain, led Team SkyWest in supporting Movember, rallying other employees to also participate in improving awareness and encouraging conversations surrounding men’s health.

“When I heard about this cause, I thought it’d be great to contribute,” said Nick. “I also used to be very fond of growing a winter beard but the mustache is the only facial hair we’re allowed to have as pilots, so I looked on this as the next best thing!”

Los Angeles CRJ Captain Nick Pearson

Movember challenges men to alter their appearance by growing a mustache for 30 days to raise awareness and educate about men’s health issues. SkyWest employees were encouraged throughout the month to look into their own health, including screening and preventative care visits.

Thanks to Nick’s efforts, along with several dozen other SkyWest employees on his team, thousands of dollars will be donated to the Movember Foundation this year!

Nov 18

SkyWest Employees Team up Against Cancer

Wes Horrocks

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Corporate Communications Manager

Supporting the fight against breast cancer is a passion shared by many at SkyWest Airlines. And the efforts of hundreds of employees from across the country this past October are a great example of the commitment they have to raise awareness and find a cure.

Kicking things off, SkyWest employees ordered hundreds of new pink uniform items to wear throughout the month. Proceeds from the pink ties, scarves, shirts and more are sent to support breast cancer research.

Onboard flights, specialty food and beverage items were available for passengers who wanted to support the cause. On one flight, SkyWest flight attendants were excited to see more than $550 in donations from several generous customers.

On the ground, SkyWest employees based in St. George, Utah organized a bake sale that featured a wide assortment of handmade, pink desserts and other treats. The sale, along with an annual Chili Cook-Off, lead to thousands of dollars in donations to the American Cancer Society.

Employees also sharedpersonal experiences and words of encouragement to help support those who have and are fighting:

I’m thrilled to be a survivor! To all you fighters out there Fight On! We can beat this thing! – Debora Cunningham – customer service agent, Colorado Springs

To those who are fighting and to those who are co-battling with a loved one, embrace what you have. Fight hard. You WILL survive! – Jenny Stewart, internal evaluator, St. George

Breast cancer doesn’t know your name, age, income, skin color or religion! it’s just there trying to make trouble and I fought it twice, with the love from my family, friends and co-workers. As long as we got each other we have hope for a cure! – Laura Walker – flight attendant, Chicago

No matter where they are based or what job they perform, SkyWest Airlines’ more than 10,800 employees are an incredible example of what can be accomplished by working together support the fight against cancer.