Overbooking is a common practice in the airline industry, where carriers generally prefer the possibility of paying out vouchers or refunds to bumped passengers over leaving the ground with empty seats that could have been filled. But after a recent United Airlines incident pushed overbooking into the spotlight, airlines are rethinking the practice. United and Delta have raised their maximum payouts to bumped passengers, and this morning Southwest CEO Gary Kelly said his airline will soon stop overbooking. [More]
Gary Kelly
Southwest Airlines Giving “No Thought Whatsoever” To Checked Bag Fees
By 10.31.16
Southwest Airlines is the only one of the largest U.S. commercial airlines that does not charge for customers to check bags, meaning the company is missing out on this multibillion-dollar revenue stream. While Southwest CEO Gary Kelly acknowledges the need to bring in more money for his business, he says his company has no plans to lose its “bags fly free” identity. [More]
Southwest Outage Could Cost Airline As Much As $82 Million
By 8.11.16
Three weeks ago, Southwest Airlines was hit by a massive, days-long outage, disrupting 2,000 flights and spoiling travel plans for countless passengers. CEO Gary “I’m Not Going Anywhere” Kelly later described the debacle as a “once-in-a-thousand-year flood,” and now we have some idea of just how much that flood will cost the airline. [More]
Southwest Airlines CEO Says He Won’t Be Leaving Despite Four Union Votes Of “No Confidence”
By 8.4.16
Days after the Southwest Airlines pilots union — and three other airline employee unions — took a vote of no confidence and called for the resignation of CEO Gary Kelly, blaming the head honcho for a massive technical glitch that canceled 700 flights and stranded thousands of passengers last week, the man in charge says he isn’t going anywhere. [More]
