Does anyone know if the Spurs fly free on Southwest??? (San Antonio: house, airport)

[mrstxcop]

I was just wondering ... this past Saturday we flew home on the same flight with Bruce Bowen and his family and then when we got off the plane in San Antonio Tim Duncan and his family got on the same plane...

I would have just thought they would be flying another airline with first class...if anything, just for the leg room...

[Bowie]

IIRC, Southwest is the team's "official airline." I wouldn't be surprised if there is a tradeout between the Spurs organization and Southwest for X number of tickets in exchange for the sponsorship. Players may get to use some of those tickets.

It's also possible that those guys picked Southwest because it offered the most convenient flights to/from wherever they wanted to go.

[ashbeeigh]

As per Bruce's twitter he was at Disney this week. Probably just vacationing? But I have heard that they do travel frequently on Southwest. Unless you're Tony Parker..I don't think Southwest flies to France.

[mrstxcop]

yeah, we were at disney when he was there --- i know i heard bowen's wife saying that bruce didn't fly southwest very often at all...that she did, but not him...

btw, the Bowen's are VERY down to earth...they didn't even try to get any kind of special treatment at all...they checked their own bags, waited in line to board with the B boarding group, carried thier own car seats on, didn't even try to get seating in the bulkhead or exit aisles, just sat in the cramped seats...

they were very, very different from the Duncan's...

[pr57001]

Maybe they wanted to fly direct!

[sapphire]

Originally Posted by mrstxcop

yeah, we were at disney when he was there --- i know i heard bowen's wife saying that bruce didn't fly southwest very often at all...that she did, but not him...

btw, the Bowen's are VERY down to earth...they didn't even try to get any kind of special treatment at all...they checked their own bags, waited in line to board with the B boarding group, carried thier own car seats on, didn't even try to get seating in the bulkhead or exit aisles, just sat in the cramped seats...

they were very, very different from the Duncan's...

Thanks for the confirmation about Bruce.....he's my favorite spur on and off the court!

[goodmanm]

Originally Posted by mrstxcop

they were very, very different from the Duncan's...

Do tell......did they ask for an upgrade?

[mrstxcop]

Originally Posted by goodmanm

Do tell......did they ask for an upgrade?

no...not that i am aware of...especially since there are no real upgraded seats on Southwest...

but they did walk on the plane first, before anyone, before the people in wheelchairs, before elderly, before those with infants, etc...so they got to pick their seats first...

they also were not taking any pics with anyone and were not signing any autographs...which i can understand, i am sure he gets hit with that kind of stuff all the time --- i wish i would have known he was not taking pics before hand...my 13yr old is a HUGE fan and she waited patiently with her camera in her hand while Tim and Bruce talked for a bit...when they finished my dd said "Excuse me Mr. Duncan" and he cut her off and just said "I'm not taking any pictures" and he turned around and walked off...my dd was so hurt, my heart broke watching her walk away...and then she came right up to me and said "he didn't even let me finish my sentence"...she was crushed...

Bruce saw this and just kind of looked at Tim but obviously didn't say anything...as we were going to walk off my dh said "how about you ask Mr. Bowen for a picture"? and Bowen said "Sure, I'll take a picture, c'mon on over here" and as I was about to grab my dd's camera Bowen's wife said "Here, give me the camera and you all get in, get a family picture" so I just handed her my camera ...THEN after we took the one picture his wife said to my dd "Do you want a picture with your camera"? --- I told her no, not to worry about, but thanked her very much...

There were airport employees that we overheard saying how nice the Bowen's were and that the Duncan's were very stand-offish and not friendly at all...that he was turning alot of kids away...

I was really surprised because in the FL airport the Bowen's had different boarding numbers so they just split up, Bruce had the kids and the double stroller and carry on's and his wife was in another line with the car seat --- Then his wife struck up a conversation with an older couple behind her and was just talking away and was so very nice...

As I was walking down the aisle to find some seats Bruce stopped me and asked me if we had a good time at Disney and said they had a good time as well...he asked me how long we were there and he asked my girls if they had fun...he was so very "normal"...

in the FL airport he signed a couple autographs, took a picture with someone...he was trying to get his son set up with his happy meal and the guy wanting a picture was a little pushy, he tapped Bowen on his shoulder...Bowen turned around and said he would take a picture, but please just let him finish up with his son --- but he STILL took the pic, even though he was a little put off...

Later in the SA airport Bowen and dh were talking a little and Bowen said that he didn't like when people were invasive like that, when the guy tapped his shoulder when he clearly saw he was trying to get his son set up, but he would still take a picture, he realized it came with the territory...

at the baggage claim Bowen's wife got the luggage cart and Bruce got all the bags and as he was leaving he tells me and dh that most of the bags were for his wife and kids, he only had 1 bag, wasn't it always like that...then he told us to have a great day...

It was just great to see that he was so normal, nice, down to earth, didn't expect special treatment...

His actions more than made up for Duncan's actions...

[perticusrex]

My friend did a contracting job at the Duncans house a few years ago - he redid their fireplace and when it was done he took a picture of the finished product to put in his portfolio, Mrs. Duncan saw him and snatched the camera up throwing it on the floor, where it broke. She told him "no pictures" and to get the "f out of my house." I asked my friend if he had signed something where he wouldnt take pictures or use their name and he says he didnt sign any kind of confidentiality agreement where he wasnt allowed to take pics of his finished work. He was contacted later that day my Tim Duncan who paid for the camera and mailed him their own pictures of the fireplace but asked him not to use their name, they have a fear of their home being "easily identified." At least that was his explanation.

Ive heard Mrs. Duncan is not too nice but I havent had any first hand experience.

[perticusrex]

Originally Posted by mrstxcop

no...not that i am aware of...especially since there are no real upgraded seats on Southwest...

but they did walk on the plane first, before anyone, before the people in wheelchairs, before elderly, before those with infants, etc...so they got to pick their seats first...

they also were not taking any pics with anyone and were not signing any autographs...which i can understand, i am sure he gets hit with that kind of stuff all the time --- i wish i would have known he was not taking pics before hand...my 13yr old is a HUGE fan and she waited patiently with her camera in her hand while Tim and Bruce talked for a bit...when they finished my dd said "Excuse me Mr. Duncan" and he cut her off and just said "I'm not taking any pictures" and he turned around and walked off...my dd was so hurt, my heart broke watching her walk away...and then she came right up to me and said "he didn't even let me finish my sentence"...she was crushed...

Bruce saw this and just kind of looked at Tim but obviously didn't say anything...as we were going to walk off my dh said "how about you ask Mr. Bowen for a picture"? and Bowen said "Sure, I'll take a picture, c'mon on over here" and as I was about to grab my dd's camera Bowen's wife said "Here, give me the camera and you all get in, get a family picture" so I just handed her my camera ...THEN after we took the one picture his wife said to my dd "Do you want a picture with your camera"? --- I told her no, not to worry about, but thanked her very much...

There were airport employees that we overheard saying how nice the Bowen's were and that the Duncan's were very stand-offish and not friendly at all...that he was turning alot of kids away...

I was really surprised because in the FL airport the Bowen's had different boarding numbers so they just split up, Bruce had the kids and the double stroller and carry on's and his wife was in another line with the car seat --- Then his wife struck up a conversation with an older couple behind her and was just talking away and was so very nice...

As I was walking down the aisle to find some seats Bruce stopped me and asked me if we had a good time at Disney and said they had a good time as well...he asked me how long we were there and he asked my girls if they had fun...he was so very "normal"...

in the FL airport he signed a couple autographs, took a picture with someone...he was trying to get his son set up with his happy meal and the guy wanting a picture was a little pushy, he tapped Bowen on his shoulder...Bowen turned around and said he would take a picture, but please just let him finish up with his son --- but he STILL took the pic, even though he was a little put off...

Later in the SA airport Bowen and dh were talking a little and Bowen said that he didn't like when people were invasive like that, when the guy tapped his shoulder when he clearly saw he was trying to get his son set up, but he would still take a picture, he realized it came with the territory...

at the baggage claim Bowen's wife got the luggage cart and Bruce got all the bags and as he was leaving he tells me and dh that most of the bags were for his wife and kids, he only had 1 bag, wasn't it always like that...then he told us to have a great day...

It was just great to see that he was so normal, nice, down to earth, didn't expect special treatment...

His actions more than made up for Duncan's actions...

Thats pretty crappy of Tim Duncan to do that to a kid. I probably would have told him to go "f" himself but thats just cause I gots no class. Thankfully Bowen was there to save the day! Very cool!