History of Southwest Airlines in Timeline

Southwest Airlines is a major US airline headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Formerly a low-cost carrier, it is now the fourth-largest airline in North America by passengers carried (as of 2023). Southwest operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet, serving over 100 destinations across 42 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and ten near-international countries in the Caribbean and Central America. Its current business model deviates from the original low-cost strategy.

1966: Southwest Airlines Founded

In 1966, Herbert Kelleher and Rollin King founded Southwest Airlines.

March 9, 1967: Airline Established

On March 9, 1967, Herb Kelleher and Rollin King established the airline as Air Southwest Co.

1967: Incorporation as Air Southwest Co.

In 1967, Southwest Airlines was incorporated as Air Southwest Co.

1970: Lawsuits Resolved

In 1970, lawsuits from other airlines (Braniff, Trans-Texas, and Continental) attempting to prevent Southwest from starting up were resolved.

1971: Name Change and Intrastate Flights

In 1971, Air Southwest Co. adopted the name Southwest Airlines Co. and began operating as an intrastate airline within Texas, flying between Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio.

1971: Name Change to Southwest Airlines

In 1971, the airline changed its name to Southwest Airlines.

1973: Profitable Streak Begins

Southwest Airlines was profitable for 47 consecutive fiscal years, from 1973 through 2019.

1975: Flights to Other Texas Cities

In 1975, Southwest began flying to other cities in Texas.

1979: Regional Interstate Service Begins

In 1979, Southwest Airlines expanded its services to include regional interstate routes.

1979: Flights to Adjacent States

In 1979, after passage of the Airline Deregulation Act, Southwest began flying to adjacent states.

September 1981: Herb Kelleher President and CEO

Herb Kelleher was president and CEO of Southwest from September 1981 to June 2001.

June 18, 1987: Frequent-Flyer Program Launch

On June 18, 1987, Southwest Airlines introduced its first frequent-flyer program, The Company Club, which credited trips regardless of distance.

1991: Lobbying Against High-Speed Rail

In 1991, Southwest Airlines lobbied Texas authorities, arguing against high-speed rail and its potential impact on airline services.

March 1992: "Just Plane Smart" Trademark Dispute

In March 1992, Southwest Airlines and Stevens Aviation resolved a trademark dispute over the "Plane Smart" motto with an arm-wrestling match, resulting in both companies having use of the trademark "Just Plane Smart".

1994: High-Speed Rail Initiative Cancelled

In 1994, the high-speed rail initiative in Texas was cancelled, with Southwest Airlines' campaign against it playing a key role.

April 25, 1996: Rapid Rewards Renaming

On April 25, 1996, Southwest Airlines renamed its frequent-flyer program Rapid Rewards.

June 2001: Herb Kelleher Resigns

Herb Kelleher was president and CEO of Southwest from September 1981 to June 2001.

July 15, 2004: Gary Kelly Becomes CEO

On July 15, 2004, Gary C. Kelly replaced Jim Parker and became Southwest Airline's CEO.

2006: Service to Denver Begins

In 2006, Southwest Airlines started service to Denver, which became its most popular destination.

May 2008: Colleen Barrett Leaves Post

In May 2008, Colleen Barrett left her post on the board of directors and as a corporate secretary.

July 15, 2008: Gary Kelly Becomes President

On July 15, 2008, Gary Kelly assumed the title of president, replacing Colleen Barrett.

July 2008: Colleen Barrett leaves Board

In July 2008, Colleen Barrett left her post on the board of directors and as a corporate secretary and president.

March 1, 2011: Rapid Rewards Change to Points System

On March 1, 2011, Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards program transitioned to a points system based on ticket cost.

June 22, 2011: In-Flight Radio Transmission Incident

On June 22, 2011, a recording was released to the press of a March 25 in-flight radio transmission of a Southwest captain using offensive language. The pilot was reprimanded and suspended without pay.

September 17, 2012: New Building Construction

On September 17, 2012, Southwest Airlines broke ground on a new Training and Operational Support building near its headquarters, including a Network Operations Control building and a training facility.

2012: MythBusters Study on Boarding Process

A 2012 MythBusters study found Southwest Airlines' unique boarding process to be the fastest, averaging 10 minutes faster than standard methods.

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2013: Building Construction Completed

In late 2013, construction was completed on Southwest Airline's new Training and Operational Support building.

2014: Building Occupancy Begins

In 2014, Southwest Airlines began occupying its new Training and Operational Support building.

June 2, 2016: Wings Project Groundbreaking

On June 2, 2016, Southwest Airlines began construction on its new office and training facility known as Wings, which includes a Leadership Education and Aircrew Development (LEAD) Center.

January 10, 2017: Executive Leadership Changes

On January 10, 2017, Southwest Airlines announced executive leadership changes, with Thomas M. Nealon named as president and Michael G. Van de Ven as the airline's chief operating officer.

September 26, 2017: Passenger Removed from Flight

On September 26, 2017, a woman was removed from a Southwest flight after claiming a life-threatening allergy to dogs and failing to provide documentation.

December 29, 2017: Family Removed From Flight Due to Lice Accusation

On December 29, 2017, a family was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight at Chicago Midway Airport due to an unconfirmed head lice accusation, even though the family did not have lice. They were re-accommodated on a flight two days later.

April 3, 2018: Wings Building Opens

On April 3, 2018, Southwest Airlines' new Wings building opened.

August 16, 2019: LEAD Center Expansion Announced

On August 16, 2019, Southwest Airlines announced an expansion of the LEAD Center to accommodate eight additional simulators.

October 2019: Flight Attendant Lawsuit Over Hidden Camera

In October 2019, a Southwest flight attendant sued the airline, claiming that two pilots livestreamed footage from a camera hidden in the plane's toilet to an iPad. According to the lawsuit, one pilot said the cameras were a 'top-secret security measure' in all 737-800 aircraft. Southwest and the pilot union called the film a hoax.

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October 18, 2019: Rapid Rewards Points Don't Expire

Since October 18, 2019, Southwest Airlines' Rapid Rewards points do not expire as long as the member is alive.

2019: End of Profitable Streak

Southwest Airlines was profitable for 47 consecutive fiscal years, from 1973 through 2019.

January 2, 2020: Land Purchase Announced

On January 2, 2020, Southwest Airlines announced it would purchase additional land adjacent to its Wings and LEAD facilities.

February 2020: DOT Report Finds Safety Concerns

In February 2020, a report by the DOT inspector general found that Southwest Airlines was flying airplanes with safety concerns and that the Federal Aviation Administration was failing to properly oversee the airline.

December 27, 2020: Consolidated Appropriations Act Enacted

On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was enacted, providing additional financial aid to US airlines, leading Southwest to rescind WARN Act notices and pay cuts.

2020: Captain Watched Pornography on Laptop During Flight

In 2020, a Southwest flight captain watched pornography on a laptop computer with his clothes removed while the first officer was present. The captain retired before the incident was reported, but was subsequently prosecuted for lewd behavior, and the airline terminated his retirement benefits.

2020: DOT Inspector General's Report on Safety Concerns

In 2020, the DOT inspector general released a report that found Southwest was flying airplanes with safety concerns and the FAA was failing to oversee the airline properly. The report was followed up on in 2022.

May 23, 2021: Passenger Assaults Flight Attendant

On May 23, 2021, a female passenger aboard a Southwest flight repeatedly punched a female flight attendant in the face after landing at San Diego International Airport, causing the attendant to lose two teeth. The passenger was subsequently charged with causing serious bodily injury.

June 23, 2021: Gary Kelly to Transition Roles

On June 23, 2021, Southwest Airlines announced that CEO Gary Kelly would transition to executive chairman in early 2022, with Bob Jordan joining the board.

September 14, 2021: Nealon Retires, Van de Ven Named President

On September 14, 2021, Southwest Airlines announced that Thomas M. Nealon would retire as president, and Michael G. Van de Ven was named as the company's president the same day, and remains COO.

2021: Fortune's "Most Admired Companies"

In 2021, Southwest Airlines was named to Fortune magazine's "Most Admired Companies" list, reaching number 14.

2021: Consolidated Appropriations Act Enacted

On December 27, 2020, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 was enacted, providing additional financial aid to US airlines, leading Southwest to rescind WARN Act notices and pay cuts.

February 1, 2022: Bob Jordan Becomes CEO

On February 1, 2022, Bob Jordan became Southwest Airlines' sixth CEO, replacing Gary C. Kelly, who transitioned to chairman.

June 30, 2022: Employee Count

As of June 30, 2022, Southwest Airlines had 62,333 active full-time equivalent employees. It emphasizes a hiring motto focused on "Servant's Heart, Warrior Spirit, Fun-LUVing Attitude".

July 27, 2022: Report Released on Southwest Safety Lapses

On July 27, 2022, a report was released by federal investigators with the US Office of Special Counsel that followed up on the 2020 DOT inspector general's report. The report claims that Southwest stonewalled Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigations into maintenance and piloting safety lapses, and criticized the FAA for failing to adequately oversee the airline.

December 21, 2022: Severe Delays and Flight Cancellations Begin

Starting on December 21, 2022, Southwest Airlines experienced severe delays and thousands of flight cancellations, which continued through the Christmas holiday. The cancellations were due to bad weather, inadequate staffing, and the airline's 'outdated' employee scheduling system.

2022: Current Slogan

Southwest Airlines' current slogan (as of 2022) is "Low fares. Nothing to hide. That's TransFarency!"

March 9, 2023: Wi-Fi Upgrades

As of March 9, 2023, Southwest Airlines began upgrading Wi-Fi hardware on its existing aircraft equipped with Anuvu Wi-Fi and started rolling out Viasat Wi-Fi on all new deliveries.

December 2023: Settlement and Fine for 2022 Flight Cancellations

In December 2023, Southwest Airlines reached a settlement and received a record-setting $140 million fine from the USDOT for the flight cancellations in December 2022. The airline also reported losses exceeding $1.1 billion stemming from the crisis.

2023: Fourth-largest airline in North America

As of 2023, Southwest Airlines is the fourth-largest airline in North America based on passengers carried. It operates an all-Boeing 737 fleet and serves over 100 destinations.

January 2024: Pilot Contract Approved

In January 2024, the latest five-year labor contract for Southwest Airlines pilots was approved.

January 2024: Destinations

As of January 2024, Southwest Airlines flies to over 100 destinations in 42 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean.

September 2024: Kelly to step down in 2025

In September 2024, in response to pressure from Elliott Investment Management, Gary Kelly announced that he would not seek reelection as executive chairman in 2025.

December 2024: Wi-Fi Features

As of December 2024, Southwest Airlines Wi-Fi includes free streaming of live television, movies, music, in-app messaging (iMessage and WhatsApp), and real-time flight tracking. Full Internet access is available for a fee, but is free for certain passengers.

February 2025: Layoffs

Following a board takeover in February 2025, Southwest laid off 1750 of its non-contract staff, approximately 15% of its corporate workforce.

2025: Kelly not seeking reelection

In September 2024, in response to pressure from Elliott Investment Management, Gary Kelly announced that he would not seek reelection as executive chairman in 2025. Jordan is expected to remain as CEO.

2026: Kelly expected to stay until 2026

As of 2021, Gary Kelly would transition to executive chairman in early 2022, with the desire to serve in that role through at least 2026 at the discretion of the board of directors.