Big interview


on and off the ground Strong relationships,


With technical challenges hampering Southwest Airlines’ dramatic development plans, CEO


Robert Jordan has plenty to consider as he battles to preserve the relationships that helped his employer prosper. Andrea Valentino catches up with the industry veteran to learn more.


alfway through our conversation, Robert Jordan brings me up short. We’re discussing how Southwest Airlines, the operator Jordan has led since February 2022, manages to top industry league tables so consistently – no mean feat in a sector infamous for big costs and small seats. I suggest that perhaps these plaudits have something to do with how Southwest treats employees. At that, Jordan interjects. “Basically, you just used a Herb Kelleher quote,” he says, referring to the Southwest co-founder, who died in 2019. “Herb


H


was famous for saying: ‘happy employees yield happy customers yield happy shareholders’. I don’t know if you knew that or not.” As it happens, I wasn’t aware of Kelleher’s dictum. But my accidental reference is arguably the perfect way of understanding how Southwest Airlines operates. For if the airline regularly wins awards for flyer satisfaction – just last year, Elliott Advocacy named it the US’s top domestic airline for customer service – that dovetails neatly with a reputation for treating staff with respect.


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Chief Executive Offi cer / www.ns-businesshub.com


Southwest Airlines Co.


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