Passengers walking on a blue-painted walkway to board a Southwest Airlines plane at an airport gate, with ground crew members and airport vehicles nearby.

Southwest Airlines

ClIENT:  

Brand Experience + Prototyping

ROLE:   

EPAM Continuum

TEAM:   

Southwest is a renowned airline known for its welcoming customer service and efficiency, getting passengers to their destinations quickly and with care. At the time, the airline was exploring a dual-door boarding and deplaning experience to support these efforts while delivering a distinctly Southwest experience. A dedicated project focused on human-centered research, mockups, and prototyping to explore and evaluate this potential experience.

Digital and physical prototypes were brought to life and tested in real time with employees and customers at a gate in the Sacramento Airport, spanning the experience from terminal to tarmac and every touchpoint in between.

A woman sitting at a table with papers and a headset, a blue sketch of an airplane cabin interior, and a group of people working together to set up a prototype at an airport for Southwest Airlines.
Passengers at an airport check-in area. A woman is talking to a staff member holding a clipboard, while a digital display board shows boarding information for Gate B16 with instructions to board outside on the tarmac.
Three mobile phone screens displaying Southwest Airlines app interface with illustrations of an airplane and passengers, featuring announcements and questions about flight preparations.
Airport gate area with a group of three people at the check-in counter, a digital boarding sign, and an emergency exit sign overhead.

The terminal experience prioritized digital signage with clear, legible language and flat graphic illustrations to guide and inform flyers, while giving them autonomy in choosing how they wanted to board.

“It’s showing that Southwest actually cares about its Employeees and Customers.”

— Alicia, Customer

Blue pathway with safety posts on the sides leading to an airplane on the tarmac at an airport.
At an airport gate during dusk, a blue Southwest Airlines stanchion with red, yellow, and dark blue swoosh design is illuminated. A jet bridge and ground support equipment are visible in the background.
A person in an orange vest with 'Southwest' written on the back is kneeling on a blue surface, drawing or painting a white design of a stylized camera with a flash, below.

The tarmac experience offered a safe, designated path for customers, featuring a selfie spot and tarmac facts displayed on all-weather custom stanchions. The design balanced safety with the excitement of arriving at your destination and finally being outside. This was most seamless for deplaning.

“I like the (path) painting. Gives em’ somewhere to go. A girl this morning said ‘I’m getting the red-carpet treatment’.”

— Ramp Agent

Collage of airport scenes showing passengers boarding a Southwest Airlines plane, staff and crew managing the boarding process, and close-ups of airport details like boarding passes and a mobile phone.
Blue informational stanchion at an airport indicating TARMAC FACT: We fly 87 flights to 21 destinations from SMF daily, against a blurred background of airplanes, vehicles, and airport lights during dusk.

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