Episode 20: Flying Through A Pandemic

06/22/21 • 8 min

Passengers stopped flying. Cleaning protocols needed to be overhauled. Keeping an airline running through a global pandemic is no easy task, but Southwest Airlines pulled it off, and without involuntary furloughs, layoffs, or pay reductions. In this episode, Southwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Gary Kelly and Managing Director Communications & Outreach Laurie Barnett discuss how they respectively tackled the greatest threat to their airline in the company’s 50 year history.

For more stories on Southwest Airlines’ 50 years of flying and a look behind the scenes, check out latimes.com/isthisseatopen

For more stories on Southwest Airlines’ 50 years of flying and a look behind the scenes, check out latimes.com/isthisseatopen

Previous Episode

Episode 19: Yes, This Seat Is Open

Window, aisle, or middle? Since Southwest Airlines first took to the skies, seating has been customer's choice. The reasons behind the open seating have as much to do with the airline’s unique culture as they do with an optimized boarding process. In this episode, Managing Director Customer Experience Tony Roach explains the policy that sets Southwest apart from the rest.

For more stories on Southwest Airlines’ 50 years of flying and a look behind the scenes, check out latimes.com/isthisseatopen