Honestly, no, Southwest wasn't improving safety by providing the training. I do believe though that the guy charged with oversight of Southwest operations should have a type rating in a 737, the only kind of airplane that Southwest flies.
I do believe that the training helps them better understand what we do, and why we do it. Without that basic level of understanding, it is difficult to understand our Operations Manual. Heck, it's hard enough to understand it with a type rating!
