17-03-2025
Read this before you shed a tear for Southwest
Bill Saporito is editor at large at Inc. Magazine.
It's easy to think of Southwest Airlines late co-founder Herb Kelleher lighting a cigarette and ordering a Wild Turkey — maybe a double — at the notion that his airline is diverting from the culture that made it so successful.
The frequent flier blogs and travel journos are bemoaning what's happening to the beloved carrier because the company is doing away with free checked bags and adding premium seating to fights. All at the behest of some Wall Street parasites — sorry, activist investors — who won't be happy until Southwest sells its soul and sucks as much value as possible out of passengers and employees.
