Success of Southwest Airlines

Flying on Southwest Airlines is not the most comfortable way to go. Usually, the planes are jammed full of vacationers and families including children, as well as business travelers. Seats are crammed together. There is no advance seat reservation system. The crowds at the departure gates are usually enormous. Yet, somehow, through it all, Southwest is tremendously successful. In TIME Magazine's issue of May 1, 2000, Southwest continues to be rated No. 1 in on-time arrivals and departures and in overall quality ratings. How does it do better than the large, established airlines? The answer is that its principal strength, all statistics aside, is its President, founder, CEO, and frequent traveler, Herb Kelleher. Kelleher's personality IS Southwest Airlines.

It is the humor in the ads, the dedication to on-time arrivals and departures and proper turn-around times. It is the choice of new destinations that are overlooked or under-served by the so-called "major airlines", and it most certainly is the employee loyalty and dedication that turns no-frills into as close to zero-defects as possible. But, there is more to his leadership, and the success of Southwest than just low fares. "Economic history shows that an airline based solely on lower airfares does not workàCustomer service is the only strategic marketing tool a carrier can use to pull passengers from an established airline" (Donnelly, 2000 53).

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Approximate Word count = 981
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page)

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