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Southwest Airlines issues uniform directive to honor Herb Kelleher

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How much is Southwest Airlines mourning the passing of founder and former CEO Herb Kelleher? A lot, apparently. The low-fare carrier has issued an unusual internal memo obtained by the Chicago Business Journal. The memo says in part that “to commemorate our beloved founder and celebrate his life, (Southwest) frontline employees will be able to wear previous Southwest uniforms beginning Jan.7 through Jan. 13.” But for anyone hoping to see VERY veteran Southwest flight attendants in the iconic… (www.bizjournals.com) और अधिक...

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brew2
larry brewer 5
Herb was not only a genius, he was a wonderful guy. He hopped on a flight (did that regularly to experience first hand) when I used to commute between Phoenix and St Louis. He sat in those facing seats (remember those?) and held court for crew and passengers. He remembered ALL of the names of the crew and passengers (I was told that if he ever heard your name, he would remember it forever). One of the crew said that he heaved luggage at OKC and one hot summer day, Herb helped load a cart onto the plane. He asked them all if they had ideas to make things better.

He not only revolutionized flying, he made great changes in running organizations. If you are in management and haven't read his book 'Peanuts', you are grossly uneducated.

He was a good man.
Gregszanyi
Greg Szanyi 2
I started using SWA in 1973 when I was in the Air Force in San Antonio. I would fly home to Houston for $35 round trip fare. It didn’t make sense to drive for 4 hours when I could be home in 45 minutes! The flight attendants were beautiful and friendly and the 737 was a great safe aircraft. What’s not to like!!
kerimparrot
Mike Williams -1
--High-speed Greyhound buses in the sky. He's not a hero.--I stole that and agree.
-- EVERYBODY WILL DIE. Sorry to inform you.
wiliki
Michael Patrick -7
Almost singlehandedly turned air travel into high speed Greyhound buses in the sky. He's not a hero.
rdlink
rdlink 6
Bullshit. Air travel is almost always, and has almost always been a bus in the sky. Greedy and ineffective management of airlines by incompetent CEOs and upper management turned air travel into a miserable experience. SWA offers clean, efficient air travel, provided by courteous, professional employees.
wiliki
Michael Patrick 3
I would never compare a flight in 1975 to a Greyhound bus.
SymphonicPoet
David Ackerman 4
Of course you can't compare a flight in 1975 to riding a bus. It was aimed at a different market entirely. It would have cost a heck of a lot more. You'd have gotten meals on little three hour hops. You'd have gotten larger and plusher seats. Drinks. All manner of fancy things. In the back of the plane. No bus ever had that stuff. And all planes did. Until Kelleher. Which is exactly WHY he's something of a hero. Who flies for the drinks? I can drink a nicer beer at home than I'll ever get on any airline. (Or ever would have.) Kelleher recognized that for most people travel was about getting from one place to another more than the how. And more people would do it if the price were lower. So . . . he made it cheaper. Still fun and clean, but less pricey. More along the lines of a ticket on a Greyhound bus. And people bought those tickets. And the mainline carriers figured it out and emulated that. You want that vintage flight experience? Be prepared to pay a vintage price adjusted for inflation. So . . . about business class to start. Trying to compare flights now to 1975 might be more like comparing oranges to steak dinners than comparing apples to oranges. People like Kelleher because he invented the orange.

As for me, I'm perfectly fine paying just a little more for a reserved seat. Ideally on something that isn't a 737. But I have to admit, Southwest's crews are pretty top notch and they know how to make the experience fun. That's not true of every airline. They may not have a lot of frills, but they at least do customer service right. If you want to rag on Kelleher maybe try a story not in his memory.
ROBERTMILLSJR
ROBERT MILLS JR 2
There are those that prefer to fly OTSW (other than Southwest), but, they're not the CEO or Sole Proprietor that is paying for his own airfare, meals, hotels, rental car; and/or protecting the bottom line of those he serves.

Southwest Airlines (SWA) is the premier carrier of business persons, because, SWA respects that plans change, time matters and unlimited combinations of variability within its operation give us traveling people maximum flexibility, best short-term and long-term economy, awesome travel rewards, and superior time-management-ability.

As for the 737 comment: How can anyone use a 737 in a criticism? Superior choice SWA!

I think it should also be said that CEO Gary Kelly really superbly ran with the ball with Herb Kelleher's retirement.

BRAVO SWA!

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