Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Well-Being Travel
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Anne Marie Moebes
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

Southwest Airlines Founder Herbert D. Kelleher Passes Away

by Daniel McCarthy / January 04, 2019
Southwest Airlines Founder Herbert D. Kelleher Passes Away

Herb Kelleher, a founder and Executive Officer for Southwest Airlines, speaking at McConnell Air Force Base on April 4 in 2007. Photo credit:Senior Airman Jamie Train, 22nd Communications Squad.


Southwest Airlines this week announced that its founder and chairman emeritus, Herbert D. Kelleher, had passed away on Thursday at the age of 87.

Kelleher was born in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, in 1931. He attended Wesleyan before getting his law degree from New York University. After relocating to Texas with a plan to start his own law firm, Kelleher helped found Air Southwest Inc. in 1967 as an intra-Texas, low-fare airline.

Staying within Texas allowed Kelleher to avoid price controls and market regulations that enabled the airline to offer prices lower than other airlines within the state. After a three-year court battle with the competing airlines, Kelleher launched Southwest Airlines in 1971 with headquarters in Dallas. Southwest started passenger service on two routes: Dallas to Houston and Dallas to San Antonio.

“Anyone in the world who has set foot on an airplane in the past 50 years has been touched by the life of Herb Kelleher. For he, with the first set of Southwest Warriors, made history when they set out to disrupt the airline industry by making flying both fun and affordable,” Southwest wrote in a message mourning Kelleher this week.

Southwest expanded outside of Texas in 1979 when it flew its first scheduled flight from Houston to New Orleans. That was followed by service from Texas to Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Albuquerque in 1980; and to Kansas City, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and California in 1982.

Kelleher served as CEO from March 1879 to May 2008 and as president from September 1981 to June 2001. He is seen as one of the icons of the airline industry and is credited with helping to change corporate culture — the satisfaction of its employees has long been seen as more important than the happiness of its customers.

"We believe that if we treat our employees right, they will treat our customers right, and in turn that results in increased business and profits that make everyone happy," the airline proclaims on its website. That culture has helped Southwest reach the success it celebrates today — according to Statista, Southwest is the world’s biggest airline by market value and the lowest in the U.S. when it comes to customer complaints (Southwest receives .47 complaints per 100,000 boardings).

In a statement, Southwest’s current CEO Gary Kelly said that working with Kelleher has been “one of the greatest joys of my life. His stamp on the airline industry cannot be overstated. His vision for making air travel affordable for all revolutionized the industry, and you can still see that transformation taking place today.

“His true impact can only be accurately measured by the hearts and minds of the people who he inspired, motivated, and engaged on a daily basis. And that, I believe, cannot be measured or quantified — but it is to be admired and appreciated by all who have been fortunate enough to experience it. I consider myself blessed to be one of those people.”

  3
  0
Related Articles
Southwest Airlines Is Spending $2 Billion to Improve Passenger Experience
Southwest to Cut 17 Daily Nonstop Routes in 2020
Southwest Airlines Partners with Nintendo for ‘Summer of Surprises’
Southwest to Hike Fees, Impose No-Show Penalties

MOST VIEWED

  1. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  2. Norwegian Cruise Line Brings Back COVID-19 Requirements
  3. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  4. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  5. Cruise Ducks: A Cruising Tradition Travel Advisors Should Know About
  6. What’s New in Travel Agent FAM Trips

MOST EMAILED

  1. Forbes Says ‘You Need a Travel Advisor in 2023’
  2. Here Are the Automatic & Suggested Gratuity Policies for Each Major Cruise Line
  3. All U.S. Flights Grounded Due to FAA Computer Outage
  4. Delta Air Lines Will Offer Free Wi-Fi Starting on Feb. 1
  5. Tour Operators & Advisors Forced to Cancel Trips as Peru Shuts Down Machu Picchu
  6. Cruise Ducks: A Cruising Tradition Travel Advisors Should Know About
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
Collette Promotes Vice President of U.S. Sales
Collette Promotes Vice President of U.S. Sales

David Cook is Collette's new VP of U.S. sales, effective immediately. 

Read...
TMR TV: Apple Leisure Group Vacations Executive Roundtable Discussion from Cancun

Travel Market Report hosted an exclusive ALGV Executive Roundtable Discussion from Cancun Mexico on Wednesday, February 24th.

Read...
When You’re Ready, We’re Ready

Here's to traveling at your own speed. When you're ready, we're ready with clean, sanitized vehicles and a low-touch rental process.

Read...
ALG Vacations | Ready. Set. Go.
Read...
Valerie Wilson Travel Adds Vagabond Travel as New Affiliate Agency
Valerie Wilson Travel Adds Vagabond Travel as New Affiliate Agency

The New Jersey-based Virtuoso agency is the latest to become affiliates of Valerie Wilson Travel. 

Read...
Allianz Partners USA Promotes Elena Edwards to CEO
Allianz Partners USA Promotes Elena Edwards to CEO

Edwards succeeds Michael Nelson, who has left the company in order to accept another opportunity.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
lux cruise outlook
CP White Paper
Multi-Gen Outlook
River Cruise Outlook 2019
View All
Advertiser's Voice
Celebrate National Don’t Plan for Vacation Day with Delta Vacations
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Well-Being Travel |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy