I was going to remark upon my dislike for hearing about how something is “sleeker” and “more comfortable” when the bottom line is that they’re cramming six more seats onto the plane so that they can rake in $250 million more in ticket revenue and pay $10 million less in fuel costs. I didn’t like how with all their talk about how “eco-friendly” their new cabins will be, they seemed to be glossing over the fact that the distance between seats is being reduced by an inch, and the new seats will recline back only 2 inches instead of 3.

The Southwest spokesman insists that that the thinner material on the new seats will make up for these losses, keeping “leg room” the same or better. I remain skeptical.

But I’ve also decided that Southwest — having posted its 39th straight annual profit in an industry in which much of its major competition has ended up in bankruptcy — has proven it knows how to keep customers happy enough. Even as ticket prices have gone up, according to the AP report: “The average passenger on Southwest paid a fare of $140.18 in the fourth quarter, a 7 percent increase from a year earlier.”

Maybe I should trust that they know what they’re doing.

Where do you like to escape from home, not all that far from home?

D Travel Club has a new contest that could land your vacation story and photos in the ink-and-paper version of D Magazine.

We’re looking to hear about your favorite quick getaways from Dallas-Fort Worth. Destinations within about 150 miles (with the idea that you might be able to drive there and back on a single tank of gas), but which still give you that glorious feeling of having left behind your humdrum, everyday existence.

All you need to do to enter is fill out this form to tell us about your trip and to share photos from the experience. Multiple entries are allowed and encouraged. All complete entries will appear on the D Travel Club website, and the editors of D Magazine will select the best to appear in the April issue.

Among the judging criteria will be uniqueness of the destination, helpfulness of the information and travel tips provided, and quality of the submitted photos.

Deadline for submitting entries to this contest is Feb. 10.

Let me answer that for you: you’d rather be on that beach in Nicaragua. Yes, that Nicaragua. In other words, you’d rather be on vacation.  I don’t have facts to back this up, but I’ve found that American workers spend between 86 and 92 percent of each work day planning for their next vacation.

D Magazine wants to help. We’re soon going to launch a new travel page of our website that will let readers swap vacation stories and photos, as well as learn from the travel experiences of our editors. We’re calling it Qwikster the D Travel Club.

Before we launch, we want to hear from you. And we’re offering the chance to win a two-night stay at the Gaylord Texan resort in return.  Just click through to this form, tell us all about your last great vacation, share some photos, and you’re entered to win.

You must enter by October 30 to be eligible to win.

Virgin America's coach cabin. Pretty sweet.

Do you know an engaged couple that needs a break from wedding planning? If so, be sure to tell them about our “Stylish Ride for a Stylish Bride” contest and they could win two round-trip coach-class tickets on Virgin America to anywhere they fly in the Continental U.S. and Mexico. All they need to do is send a video of the two of them telling us how they met. There’s no need for fancy camera work or to hire a videographer. What we are looking for is the most interesting or heartwarming story, not the best videography. Here are all the deets:

• Couples must be currently engaged.
• Couples must submit a video link (from YouTube), no longer than two minutes, of them telling the story of how they met. They then need to submit the link to us via this form and fill out all required information.
• Editors will narrow it down to five finalists whose videos we will post on BridalBuzz and they will be voted on for one week by the public. The one with the most votes wins.
• Submissions will be accepted from September 5 until 11:59pm on September 23.
• Voting will begin October 10 and last until 11:59pm on October 14.
• We will announce the winner on BridalBuzz on Monday, October 17.
• Travelers must depart on Virgin America from DFW airport.
• Travelers must have the exact same flight schedule.
• Travel must be completed by June 8, 2012.
• Read detailed rules here.

Carry-ons cause delays at every juncture: ticketing, security, and then the wretched process of squeezing them into overhead compartments and under seats. So here is my proposal: One carry-on bag goes free. The second bag is the problem, so charge for it. And make all of the two-bag folks go through a separate security line so those who travel light are not penalized. At security, one line can be for priority access; one line for regular ticket holders with one carry-on; and the final one for regular ticket-holders who want to carry on two items. As for my unhappy camper, she flies out tomorrow morning and we will leave at 5:10 am for her 7:50 am flight. It’s Tuesday, so we should be good, right? Wish us luck.

Southwest Grows By 25 Percent Today: The almost 40-year old Southwest Airlines will complete its $1.4 billion purchase of AirTran Airways today, which puts AirTran’s presence at Dallas-Fort Worth International Aport in limbo. Per the Wright Amendment, AirTran will have to vacate the airport if Southwest doesn’t want to lose gates at Love Field. But a spokesperson for Southwest says the changes won’t happen immediately.

Fires Worsened By Landscape Changes: It turns out humanity can take some of the blame for the Texas wildfire destruction. The fires, which have burned 2 million acres since December 2011 2010, were made worse by a combination of poor land management, urban sprawl, and the introduction of new plant growth that has changed the face of the Texas landscape.

This Evening, Mavs Will Try to Prove That They Aren’t the Worst Team to Root For in All of Sports: Are the little Mavs soft? Are they the most notorious chokers in NBA history? Will Dirk’s hall of fame career be forever overshadowed by fourth quarter playoff impotence? Tune in tonight for another maddening episode of As The Portland Series’ Tide Turns.

Cruise With Cowboys Cheerleaders Canceled, Cruisers Upset: I suppose if you are Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders-obsessed then it is a shame that you spent good money for a chance to take a cruise with the cheerleaders only to have the buxom broads cancel. But what really fascinates me about this story is the list of other similarly themed cruises. I guess it makes sense that there are Star Trek-themed cruises, but Little House on the Prairie cruises? Or cruises featuring guest passenger Donald Rumsfeld? That sounds like Reality TV gold.

City Council Food Truck Vote This Week: The Dallas City Council will vote on food trucks this week, and it looks like it will be a go for zoning changes allowing the portable eateries to operate in the Arts District and in a section of Lower Greenville Avenue. Next step: allow trucks to operate anywhere they darn well please.

Dallas tourism representatives are keen to spruik the fact Texans are friendly by nature and its airport isn’t as busy as its Los Angeles counterpart, leading to quicker processing.

And what recommendations does the newspaper make to visitors coming to North Texas, after talking to the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau:

As far as a stopover destination goes, there are plenty of activities to keep visitors occupied. You can see where JFK was shot and visit the Sixth Floor Museum in the old book depository building, from where Lee Harvey Oswald allegedly fired his gun, go to a rodeo or see the iconic US football team the Dallas Cowboys at the new $1.3 billion Cowboy Stadium, where the Super Bowl was held in February.

Do you like how even a mainstream Aussie publication doubts the Warren Commission’s findings?