Seeing that Herb Kelleher passed away

[C-Man 27,699]

Sorry, can't find a link yet. 2019 is going hard in the paint already.

Edited January 3, 2019 by C-Man

[clapclapclap 9,000]

 

Edited January 3, 2019 by clapclapclap
I guess that's official enough?

[elfenix 34,662]

shaping up to be a real 2016

[phdhorn 6,225]

Holy shit, we have the same birthday (not year, of course).
Think I'll stay in with the doors locked tonight.  RIP Herb.

[Brisketexan 106,676]

Lots of hot pants and whiskey in heaven, Herb.  At least, I hope there is.

[Jive Turkey 12,931]

Just finished the Business Wars podcast on Southwest v. American Airlines.  This hits close to home.  My first ever flight was on Southwest.

RIP Herb.  He was one of a kind. 

[Ghost of LL 15,674]

21 minutes ago, Jive Turkey said:

Just finished the Business Wars podcast on Southwest v. American Airlines. 

I haven't listened to this episode, but I'll have to check it out.

Herb truly did approach business something like a war.  And he was in many ways a Churchillian figure--down to the whisky/whiskey, cigars/cigarettes, and absurdly odd working schedule.

[RPM 26,573]

He was a helluva man. Built a great airline and his employees loved working for him. That's quite an accomplishment.

[DigglerontheHoof 21,523]

RIP to a fucking legend.  Dude worked and played hard as hell.

[Aqua Buddha 14,785]

3 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

I haven't listened to this episode, but I'll have to check it out.

Herb truly did approach business something like a war.  And he was in many ways a Churchillian figure--down to the whisky/whiskey, cigars/cigarettes, and absurdly odd working schedule.

Just out of curiosity, what was the working schedule?  Kelleher and Southwest have always fascinated me but I'm curious as to what his routine was.

[Stella Link 535]

Great man.  Great airline.  About the only airline I fly.  RIP

[DalTxHornFan 3,130]

The last time I interacted with him was when he was directly in front of me at a longish checkout line at the Simon David on Inwood in Dallas.  We both had a couple of bottles of wine that we'd picked up en-route to evening holiday parties and we complimented each other on our grocery priorities!  Cheers and RIP, Mr. Kelleher!

Edited January 4, 2019 by DalTxHornFan

[Your Mom 4,958]

Rest peacefully you magnificent bastard.  My family is eternally grateful for what you built from an idea on a cocktail napkin.  Looks like it's Wild Turkey tonight.  🥃🥃🥃

 

[El Diablo 4,232]

Took my first commercial flight in '79 on SWA, god bless them hot pants I do miss 'em. RIP good sir!

[Ghost of LL 15,674]

11 hours ago, Aqua Buddha said:

Just out of curiosity, what was the working schedule?  Kelleher and Southwest have always fascinated me but I'm curious as to what his routine was.

In the 1970's, before he became CEO of the airline, he was still working as a lawyer in San Antonio (Southwest being his primary client).  He would work all day at the office doing law stuff, go to dinner at La Fonda with his secretary, and then go back to the office with his secretary and work on airline business until early into the morning.  In those days, he probably worked 20 hours most days.

After he became CEO, he switched from practicing law during the day to doing CEO shit during the day.  Then he would go to dinner and afterwards go to some employee event or reception or meeting or other public-relations event.  He did a ton of work after hours over cocktails, but the Wild Turkey aspect of it was overblown.  His travel schedule was insane, especially as the route map expanded.  And he had to spend a ton of time in Washington due to the regulated nature of the airline industry.

[Wally Fairway 5,664]

[HouTex 1,913]

16 hours ago, Ghost of LL said:

I haven't listened to this episode, but I'll have to check it out.

Herb truly did approach business something like a war.  And he was in many ways a Churchillian figure--down to the whisky/whiskey, cigars/cigarettes, and absurdly odd working schedule.

My avatar agrees.  He was responsible for the funny and quirky attitude you see with most of the flight attendants.  They seem to have fun doing what they do and it makes what is otherwise a cattle call somewhat bearable.  

[Brisketexan 106,676]

The man gave us this:

 

 

Good on ya, Herb.

[HouTex 1,913]

I also remember the good ole days from the 80's when they would give away free beer when they were like 30 minutes or so late taking off--which was quite often.  They'd find a way to get you 3 beers from Austin to Dallas for OU weekend--believe it or not, it was around $29 each way).  They got into trouble when they served some underage kid 6 beers on a trip from Dallas to Lubbock IIRC.  

[Nueces River Rat 5,762]

We should all raise a Wild Turkey to ol Herb.

The man is probably responsible for a number of airports in Texas saying  open in  metro and rural areas alike and insured what competetion were at those smaller airports  to at least  play ball to keep up with SWA.   If it were not for SWA, places like Corpus, Midland, Lubbock and a few other airports SWA serves here in Texas would only be flying shitty turbo props via United and American to IAH and DFW and cancellations would be a standard.  At least here in Corpus,  United and American fly the smaller regional jets and even added  a few 737 and the Airbus competetior to the 737  to their flights out of here.  But I try to fly SWA from here whenever possible.   I do go to SAT and fly from there because SWA offers more direct flights to places like Denver and  Mexico.

 

[BillyGoatHill 4,420]

1 hour ago, Brisketexan said:

The man gave us this:

 

 

 

My first flight as a young teenager in the 70s was with SWA and I am pretty sure I remember that the most......

As a single dad in the early 90's it was difficult to see my daughter that had moved to Cali with her mom ( I was in Wa State) after we divorced. Flights were expensive and not very convenient. This changed when Southwest expanded to the west coast in 94-95 (?) and my daughter (5 yr old) was able to fly solo due to their policies for unaccompanied minors. I was then able to see my daughter at least one weekend a month from then until she turned 18.

I credit Herb and his airline as a part of the reason I have the strong/great relationship that I have with my daughter today.....

RIP Herb Kelleher

[Spankytoes 1,748]

I'd argue that he is the single most important man for commercial air travel since the Wright Brothers. His pioneering of the industry has been copied and duplicated worldwide. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I don't think that Southwest has ever posted a negative financial quarter. That is is testament to how business is rewarded when you treat people right. Want to check-in a bag? I'll let you do 2 for free. Want a nightcap? Here's 4 free drink coupons that we'll take 6 months after they expired. Need to cancel your flight? Sure, you can do so up to an hour beforehand and we'll give you back all of your money. Oh, our internet isn't working on your flight? Here's a $15 voucher for next time to use it on us. I have a few friends that work for Southwest and it would take wild horses to drag them away from the company. 

RIP sir

Edited January 4, 2019 by Spankytoes

[Guest Lobo]

If you have a chance sometime this year, to help honor Mr. Kelleher or just do something cool with your time/money, get involved with his Center at UT Austin:

https://www.mccombs.utexas.edu/Centers/Kelleher-Center

Mentor students, answer questions, write a check, anything.  He left behind so many great treasures, this Center being chief among them.  

He was the one that first got me to notice that technological disruption is easy.  Whether its route maps, writing code, or 3-D printing.  We'll never stop inventing shit as a species.  and it's only gonna get faster and more widespread.  But he got me to notice the regulatory risk of an idea is what stops it.  Not finances, not people, not markets, not technology barriers, but regulations.  And the very same people who want to keep the regulatory state robust and in business, are the same people crying out for more technology and more disruption.  The Legacy Carriers and the Bureaucrats fought him and his airline for decades and almost won.  He had the money, the support, the proven model, even karma.  But in the end, the regulatory risk of his idea almost broke him.  But it didn't, and he left a legacy to inspire millions more to rise up against the entrenched beneficiaries of the status quo.  RIP sir.

[Ghost of LL 15,674]

27 minutes ago, BillyGoatHill said:

My first flight as a young teenager in the 70s was with SWA and I am pretty sure I remember that the most......

As a single dad in the early 90's it was difficult to see my daughter that had moved to Cali with her mom ( I was in Wa State) after we divorced. Flights were expensive and not very convenient. This changed when Southwest expanded to the west coast in 94-95 (?) and my daughter (5 yr old) was able to fly solo due to their policies for unaccompanied minors. I was then able to see my daughter at least one weekend a month from then until she turned 18.

I credit Herb and his airline as a part of the reason I have the strong/great relationship that I have with my daughter today.....

RIP Herb Kelleher

There are very few large-scale enterprises in the history of American capitalism that have engendered the type of emotional connection that a lot of customers have for Southwest.  After September 11, people sent Southwest donations.  Not a few people, either--it was thousands.  And a lot of those checks were accompanied by notes with stories like this.

They were stories about people who couldn't have flown before Southwest could fly after Southwest entered a market.  And how that ability to fly changed their lives.  It's really a remarkable transformation in the lives of most Americans over the past 50 years.

A lot went into that.  Chief among those things was the Airline Deregulation Act in 1979 (Jimmy Carter doesn't get enough credit for this).  And there were other low-cost carriers trying the same thing elsewhere in the country (e.g., PSA, PeoplExpress).  But Southwest was, over the long-term, the most successful.  And the effect that has had on American society and culture is remarkable.

1 hour ago, HouTex said:

I also remember the good ole days from the 80's when they would give away free beer when they were like 30 minutes or so late taking off--which was quite often.  They'd find a way to get you 3 beers from Austin to Dallas for OU weekend--believe it or not, it was around $29 each way).  They got into trouble when they served some underage kid 6 beers on a trip from Dallas to Lubbock IIRC.  

TABC tried to give them trouble, but the Airline Deregulation Act preempts state regulation of airline routes, rates, and services.  And service of alcohol on an airplane is a "service."  So TABC, as it ended up, couldn't do shit.

[Nueces River Rat 5,762]

32 minutes ago, Spankytoes said:

I'd argue that he is the single most important man for commercial air travel since the Wright Brothers. His pioneering of the industry has been copied and duplicated worldwide. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I don't think that Southwest has ever posted a negative financial quarter. That is is testament to how business is rewarded when you treat people right. Want to check-in a bag? I'll let you do 2 for free. Want a nightcap? Here's 4 free drink coupons that we'll take 6 months after they expired. Need to cancel your flight? Sure, you can do so up to an hour beforehand and we'll give you back all of your money. Oh, our internet isn't working on your flight? Here's a $15 voucher for next time to use it on us. I have a few friends that work for Southwest and it would take wild horses to drag them away from the company. 

RIP sir

https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/17/business/17air.html

 

The last was 2008 when fuel prices were going absolutley bat shit along with Wall Street collapse.  Before that, it was  first quarter  of 1991 which would have been the first Gulf War when oil prices were crazy.  But compared to the legacies, they've done real well.  Especially after 9/11 when the entire industry went into chaos and mergers were happening all over the place. Southwest managed to keep on flying and even expanded during the same time frame 

[Guest Lobo]

"Mr. Kelleher...where are some of those legacy carriers that opposed you for so long?  Airlines like TWA, Northwest Airlines, U.S. Airways, Eastern, Pan Am, Western Airlines, Piedmont, Republic, Ozark, Texas International, Braniff, and National?" 

They are dust. 

[bluto 4,986]

Only airline I've flown where the employees seemed even remotely happy and willing to TRY to help. 

[Kyle 207]

2 hours ago, Spankytoes said:

I'd argue that he is the single most important man for commercial air travel since the Wright Brothers. His pioneering of the industry has been copied and duplicated worldwide. I'm not 100% sure on this, but I don't think that Southwest has ever posted a negative financial quarter. That is is testament to how business is rewarded when you treat people right. Want to check-in a bag? I'll let you do 2 for free. Want a nightcap? Here's 4 free drink coupons that we'll take 6 months after they expired. Need to cancel your flight? Sure, you can do so up to an hour beforehand and we'll give you back all of your money. Oh, our internet isn't working on your flight? Here's a $15 voucher for next time to use it on us. I have a few friends that work for Southwest and it would take wild horses to drag them away from the company. 

RIP sir

Agreed. His contributions to network, operations, culture, and union relations strategy was unparalleled - only Bob Crandall comes close in terms of airline innovations. I love mavericks, and Herb tended to do the opposite of the legacy carriers, and it worked from planes, airports, travel agencies, revenue management, etc. It will be interesting to see as WN becomes more legacy like if it is able to continue to out-perform.

[Rip76 5,009]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kevinandjackiefreiberg/2019/01/04/20-reasons-why-herb-kelleher-was-one-of-the-most-beloved-leaders-of-our-time/?utm_source=FACEBOOK&utm_medium=social&utm_term=Valerie/#76616c657269

[Aqua Buddha 14,785]

22 hours ago, bluto said:

Only airline I've flown where the employees seemed even remotely happy and willing to TRY to help. 

This is the main reason I "luv" Southwest.  Running an airline is hard and problems happen.  However, the frontline employees at SWA always find a way to lighten the mood of a situation, which diffuses customer anger.  You honestly believe they care because they're good humored.  United?  Fuck off.

They're not so much low cost anymore and I still like the way the operate but the attitude of the entire company is what separates them from the industry.  It goes back to what Kelleher said once in that "The customer is not the most important person, my employees are."

[RomaVicta 30,512]

He was fun in their commercials. 

About six years ago I and my beloved flew out of BWI on Southwest two hours late. They didn't announce that they were giving free liquor, but they didn't charge you if you ordered. They kept it up even after we landed and took off from Midway. I was so pleasingly drunk when we arrived in Austin.

The beloved had slept the whole way. I gave her the keys to the car to get us home.

I also like that you can see the aging flight attendants who were likely working for Southwest back in the 70s or 80s. They've still got the twinkle of fun in their eyes.

God bless Kelleher and Southwest.

[Zepol87 9,308]

Met him a few times when I was a kid he was cool as hell. Couple of aunts, an uncle and a good friend work for Southwest and they would run through a brick wall for that man

[wood 11,747]

On 1/4/2019 at 12:34 PM, Lobo said:

"Mr. Kelleher...where are some of those legacy carriers that opposed you for so long?  Airlines like TWA, Northwest Airlines, U.S. Airways, Eastern, Pan Am, Western Airlines, Piedmont, Republic, Ozark, Texas International, Braniff, and National?" 

They are dust. 

Texas International was ultra-successful after 1972. They eventually bought out Continental when it was struggling and about to go bye bye, keeping the Continental name. TIA's numerous short routes were combined with Continental's older-school long route dependence, making them much more balanced and in the long run more short route intensive. This played a huge role in saving CAL.

SWA and TIA completely changed the airline industry in much the same ways, but by different means.

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,247]

Texas international was a great airline back in the day. I remember flying then when they were still called Trans-Texas Airways

[Guest Lobo]

Yes, it was nothing against them specifically, just more on the theme of what he was up against.  I remember vaguely flying them a few times as a child to get to McAllen/Edinburgh/Pharr to see family as a little kid.  

[XYZ 2,154]

One time on a SWA flight the plane is about to land and it’s gliding above the runway but it’s not touching yet, and it keeps gliding and I’m thinking “when we actually land, the pilot is gonna have to brake hard”. Sure enough, the plane touches down, and they really put the brakes on, like I didn’t know a plane could brake so hard. Anyway, when we get to taxing speed the captain goes “whew! That was fun! But don’t tell I said that or they’d get me in trouble!”. Another time the flight attendant said over the PA “please pretend to pay attention to the safety announcement”. I’m sure if everyone pitched in their stories about funny stuff on a SWA flight, we would have an encyclopedia worth of them. A company where employees generally look like they actually enjoy working there.

[Buffsoldier 1,895]

https://www.southwestaircommunity.com/t5/Southwest-Stories/Funny-Stuff/ba-p/4426

https://www.facebook.com/Funny-Stuff-They-Say-on-Southwest-Airlines-116128728397226/

[Wally Pryor 5,388]

On 1/4/2019 at 12:52 PM, bluto said:

Only airline I've flown where the employees seemed even remotely happy and willing to TRY to help. 

Here.   

You get on a SW plane and the flight attendants genuinely seem like they want to be working.  On other airlines it often seems like they can't wait to get the fuck off the plane and get home. 

[Armybrat 41,336]

On 1/9/2019 at 1:35 AM, NeverMarryAStripper said:

Texas international was a great airline back in the day. I remember flying then when they were still called Trans-Texas Airways

Tree-Top Airlines in the 50s & 60$.

Edited January 11, 2019 by Armybrat

[NeverMarryAStripper 22,247]

Ha ha, yeah they also called it Tinker Toy Airways