A note about Herb Kelleher

As you may have heard, Herb Kelleher, founder and longtime CEO of Southwest Airlines passed away this week at the age of 87. For those of us fortunate enough to have known Herb, we were blessed with the friendship of one of the brightest, most personable and incredibly creative people in the history of our industry.

Herb was the originator of low fare air travel. What was once something only the wealthy could afford, air travel is now commonplace and affordable for most thanks in part to his ingenuity. He was a true pioneer and a marketing genius.

He was also an inspiration and role model to Larry Risley, our founder. Herb told Larry that if he ever codeshared with another airline that it would be with Mesa. I remember when I told him Larry was in the hospital with cancer and asked him if he would give him a call - I knew it would mean the world to Larry.

A few days later I went to visit Larry and he asked if I had talked to Herb about his illness. Larry was always a very private person and I knew he would not want me telling anyone he was in the hospital. I said "I don’t really think so,” trying to avoid the issue. Larry just smiled and said "What a coincidence he was just here to see me." That's what Herb Kelleher was all about. He was truly as kind and caring as he was strong and driven.

Our thoughts are with Herb's family and the Southwest Airlines community as we honor his legacy. He will be missed by everyone who knew him, and I am honored to have been one of them.

Sincerely,
Jonathan Ornstein
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer