Gary Kelly, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, rings the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange for Southwest Airlines' 38th birthday on June 18, 2009.

Today is Southwest's 38th Birthday, and to celebrate the occasion, our CEO, Gary Kelly, accompanied by other Southwest Employees, rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange this morning.

Our CEO, Gary Kelly, spoke at the 81st annual AAAE (American Association of Airport Executives) Conference and Exposition in Philadelphia on Monday, and below is a snapshot of his message: 

What an awesome experience it was to get to be behind-the-scenes of a Southwest Airlines commercial shoot.  It started at 6 a.m.

 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