“No Way This Airline is Ever Going to Make It” – Memories of My First Flight

Life has a funny way of coming full circle sometimes.  This week, I had the honor of celebrating with my fellow Southwest Employees, elected officials, Customers, and dignitaries in Houston to cut the ribbon on a brand new five-gate international concourse at Houston Hobby and launch new international service from one of our original cities.  In fact, Houston Hobby hasn’t seen international service since 1969, two years before Southwest even took off.  As CEO, this is one of those really fun, exciting moments that I cherish, and one that I’ll never forget. 

But circling back, it reminds me of my own memories of my first flight ever—also a moment I will never forget.  That would be in 1972, one year after Southwest was born.  As chance would have it, that flight was from my hometown of San Antonio to, you guessed it, Houston Hobby!  I was a high school kid in San Antonio at the time, and I was traveling to Houston to visit Rice University for a potential football scholarship.  And, it was on Southwest Airlines. 

When I stepped onboard, I was one of only three Customers on this Boeing 737—an aircraft that has 122 seats.  And, that also helps explain the origins of Southwest’s famous open seating policy.  They didn’t need to assign seats with those load factors in the early days.    

Well, let me tell you, my two fellow passengers and I were very well attended to by three flight attendants, who I’ll remind you, donned hot pants and go-go boots back in those days.  I might add that some of these images from our youth are more vivid than others! 

The funny thing is that I remember thinking at the time, “there is no way this airline is ever going to make it!”  And I was just a teenager!  But boy was I wrong. 

All these years later, I have the privilege to join my fellow Southwest Employees, who now number 47,000 plus, as we stand on the cusp of an exciting future with new international service out of a new international concourse at Houston Hobby.  Safe to say we’ve come a long way since then.  And I’ve come full circle!  Who would have thought…