Southwest Airlines Named To FORTUNE's 2014 List Of World's Most Admired Companies
Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today was named to FORTUNE's 2014 list of World's Most Admired Companies for the 20th consecutive year. Southwest was ranked as the 9th Most Admired Company and is the only commercial airline to make the Top Ten. FORTUNE worked with the Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, and asked executives, directors, and analysts which companies they admired most from a list made up of the companies that ranked in the top 25 percent in last year's survey, plus those that finished in the top 20 percent of their industry.
"The Employees of Southwest Airlines are the secret ingredient in our recipe for success, and they are the reason we are consistently recognized as one of the Most Admired Companies in the world," said Gary Kelly, Chairman, President, and CEO of Southwest Airlines. "This is my 28th year at Southwest, and I have never had more confidence, more pride, and more enthusiasm for the future. Congratulations to the People of Southwest on this high honor."
Nearly 700 companies from 30 countries around the world were analyzed and ranked with input from 3,900 executives, directors and analysts. The survey measures nine attributes, including financial performance and corporate reputation. To read more about this honor for Southwest, go here to read a blog post from CEO Gary Kelly.
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
In its 43rd year of service, Dallas-based Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues to differentiate itself from other carriers with exemplary Customer Service delivered by nearly 45,000 Employees to more than 100 million Customers annually. Southwest is the nation's largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded and operates the largest fleet of Boeing aircraft in the world to serve 96 destinations in 41 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and five near-international countries via wholly owned subsidiary, AirTran Airways. Southwest is one of the most honored airlines in the world, known for its triple bottom line approach that takes into account the carrier's performance and productivity, the importance of its People and the communities it serves, and its commitment to efficiency and the planet. The 2012 Southwest Airlines One Report™ can be found at southwest.com/citizenship.
From its first flights on June 18, 1971, Southwest Airlines launched an era of unprecedented affordability in air travel described by the U.S. Department of Transportation as "The Southwest Effect," a lowering of fares and increase in passenger traffic wherever the carrier serves. With Southwest Airlines, Bags Fly Free ® (first and second checked pieces of luggage, size and weight limits apply), and there are no change fees when you need to change your flight. Southwest's fleet offers leather seating and the comfort of full-size cabins, a majority of which are equipped with satellite-based WiFi connectivity, live and video-on-demand TV currently available for FREE compliments of DISH, and a new, sustainable cabin interior. Southwest acquired AirTran Airways in May 2011 and by the end of 2014 intends to complete the full integration of the AirTran network into Southwest. With 41 consecutive years of profitability, the People of Southwest and AirTran operate nearly 3,600 flights a day. Southwest Airlines' frequent flights and low fares are available online at southwest.com or by phone at 800-I-FLY-SWA.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines