Nuts About Southwest

Happy New Year, everybody!  It’s always exciting to kick off a new year, but that is especially so this time around, as 2011 marks our 40th anniversary of giving Americans the Freedom to Fly.  So let me be the first to wish you all a Happy Anniversary, and I hope you all are as excited about what lies ahead for our great Company as I am—we’re going to rock it this year! 

Southwest Airlines announced today that we have entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding common stock of AirTran Holdings, Inc., a parent company of AirTran Airways (AirTran), for a combination of cash and Southwest Airlines common stock. 

Like most of you, Father’s Day for me starts with thoughts of my dad, who will be 87 this year.  He, along with other powerful father-figures, have had a profound impact on my life.  What a pure blessing it is to have a dad like mine.

 I don’t think you will be surprised to hear me say that we are in the midst of one of the most challenging times in aviation history.  In fact, it’s my opinion that this decade has been the most difficult in our industry’s 100-year history, and this year is arguably the most difficult we’ve seen this decade.  While Southwest Airlines is prepared for these tough times, we are certa