Kelleher, clenching a lit cigarette between his teeth, lost the match, but the victor — impressed by the publicity the stunt generated — let Southwest keep using the tagline.As Southwest added service to more cities, executives of other airlines — and some of their passengers — dismissed Southwest as a cattle-car operation for cheap travelers.
He was 87. "Your contribution is much appreciated! ''"In the 15 years we were roommates (at the conference), he kept everything on his side of the room, and he never smoked,'' Franke said.He also didn't let his friend Franke forget the scolding. At Wesleyan he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. The two got married, and Joan was the person who introduced him to the state of Texas, which he also fell in love with, saying "The greatest business decision I ever made ...was the move to Texas. "I said to him, 'Herb, lets just get something totally straight here: If I ever find anything of yours past the midline of the room, I'm throwing it in the fireplace.' They were the unlikeliest of roommates, Mutt and Jeff as they came to call themselves.Franke was the all-business CEO of America West Airlines, a longtime Southwest competitor. Herb Kelleher became chairman of Southwest Airlines in 1978 and CEO in 1981, leading the company through its period of greatest growth. There were no assigned seats. He led the company through its period of greatest growth. He was 87. Current CEO Gary Kelly likes to say there is no second class on Southwest.Southwest announced Kelleher's death on social media. Kelleher said that business travelers with expense accounts and a thirst for booze made Southwest the biggest liquor distributor in Texas for a time.When Southwest and a smaller aviation company both claimed the same advertising slogan, Kelleher proposed to settle the dispute by holding an arm-wrestling contest with the other CEO. "You tell people that and they're kind of surprised (because) he always talks so much. He was 87. His vision revolutionized commercial aviation and democratized the skies. DALLAS (AP) — Not many CEOs dress up as Elvis Presley, settle a business dispute with an arm-wrestling contest, or go on TV wearing a paper bag over their head.Herb Kelleher did all those things. Herb Kelleher’s cause of death has not been revealed. Kelleher answered with a TV commercial in which he wore a paper bag over his head and promised to give the bag to any customer who was too embarrassed to be seen flying on his discount airline.The TV ads and the Elvis costumes helped make Kelleher the public face of Southwest and probably the most recognized person in the airline industry.In 1999, at age 68, Kelleher was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Along the way, the co-founder and longtime leader of Southwest Airlines also revolutionized air travel by practically inventing the low-cost, low-fare airline.Kelleher died on Thursday. He is the epitome of the can-do entrepreneurial spirit.”Herbert D. Kelleher was born in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, and got his first job — for $2.50 a week — making sure that copies of the Philadelphia Bulletin newspaper were delivered.
They originally devised a ver… When Braniff tried to drive Southwest out of business by undercutting its fares — prices that ensured both airlines would lose money — Kelleher offered a bottle of liquor to anyone who bought a full-fare Southwest ticket. It was around 2000 and the two were attending an annual gathering of top industry honchos, bunking together for the first time. It gave out peanuts instead of meals. "That was really helpful to me. "He would gather up a lung full of smoke and lean over and blow the smoke on me,'' Franke said.For all his hilarity, Kelleher was a shrewd businessman who came to every battle determined to win, Franke said. Along the way, the co-founder and longtime leader of Southwest Airlines also revolutionized air travel by practically inventing the low-cost, low-fare airline. He was the co-founder, later CEO, and chairman emeritus of Southwest Airlines until his death in 2019.
''"He was just a remarkable guy who cared so much about his team and about people in general. That's how he got to know what was going on at his airline. "Herb was a pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator. The Dallas-based airline did not reveal his cause of death or funeral arrangements. And if you treat your employees right, guess what?