Southwest announces leadership changes, announces a fall sales campaign

Southwest Airlines made this leadership announcement:

Tom Nealon, 60, has decided to retire from his duties as President effective immediately, but will continue to serve the Company as a strategic advisor, focusing primarily on the airline’s environmental sustainability and carbon emissions reduction plan. Nealon has held numerous leadership positions during his tenure with the airline, including Executive Vice President Strategy & Innovation from 2016 to 2017, Director on the Southwest Board from 2010 to 2015, and in a consultant capacity as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer from 2002 to 2006.

“I’m honored to have served Southwest throughout the years in several different capacities, and especially to have been President of the best airline in the business,” Nealon said. “I look forward to continuing to serve and advise Southwest on strategic initiatives, and most importantly, on the airline’s long-term environmental sustainability plans.”

Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman and CEO, announced on behalf of the Southwest Airlines Board of Directors that Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven, 59, has been named as the Company’s President, effective immediately. Van de Ven will take on the additional responsibilities of the Company’s Internal Audit, Business Continuity, Emergency Response, and Enterprise Risk Management functions.

“I want to thank Tom for his countless contributions to the cause that is Southwest Airlines over the years—they are many and immeasurable. I’m grateful Tom will continue serving as a strategic advisor. I’m thrilled for Mike as he assumes his new role as President, in addition to COO. Mike is as talented and dedicated a leader as one will find, and he has directly contributed to Southwest’s success during his 28 years serving the Company and our People.

“The transition efforts being led by Executive Vice President and incoming CEO Bob Jordan are going extremely well, and as that continues, we are taking steps to shift reporting roles in preparation for Bob to assume the CEO role on February 1, 2022,” said Kelly.

As the transition progresses, the Finance, Commercial, Legal & Regulatory, Operations, and Technology teams that were reporting to Kelly or Nealon will now report to Jordan, also effective immediately.

“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I’d like to thank Tom for his nearly five-year tenure as President and more than 15 years of service to our Southwest Airlines Employees, Customers, Shareholders, and the Communities we serve,” said Southwest Airlines Lead Director William Cunningham. “We are extremely proud to have such a talented and robust leadership bench at Southwest Airlines, and are delighted with the announcement of Mike Van de Ven as Tom’s successor.”

Southwest Airlines also announced additional Senior Leader promotions:

Laurie Barnett, from Managing Director Communications & Outreach, to Vice President of Communications & Outreach. Barnett is responsible for guiding the efforts of the airline’s Public Relations & Communications, Creative Studio, Digital & Social Business, and Community Outreach functions. She also helped create and provided Leadership support for the Company’s Emergency Response, Business Continuity and Enterprise Risk Management functions.
Ryan Martinez, from Managing Director Investor Relations, to Vice President of Investor Relations. Martinez has been instrumental in evolving Southwest’s IR strategies and communications along with the changing economic environment. Under his Leadership, Southwest is well-positioned to continue effectively communicating with investors while the Company manages through the pandemic.
Juan Suarez, from Managing Director, Deputy General Counsel in the Legal Department to Vice President Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. Suarez serves as Southwest’s executive-level champion for organizational goals related to diversity, equity, and inclusion both internally and externally. Among other things, Suarez is responsible for creating and driving the development of diversity initiatives that align with our business objectives and advises on policies and practices involving diversity, equity, and inclusion. He will partner closely with peers throughout the Company on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as it applies to, among other things, supplier diversity, diversity hiring and recruiting, and training.
Marilyn Post, from Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary to Vice President Legal and Corporate Secretary. Post heads the Legal Department’s Corporate & Transactions Team, which is responsible for assisting with the legal aspects of all of Southwest’s securities and transactional matters. She also serves as a senior advisor to the Company’s Board of Directors and Executive Team on corporate governance, executive compensation, and SEC matters.
Lauren Woods, from Managing Director Technology, to Vice President Technology-Technology Platforms. Woods and her Teams are responsible for delivering stable technology platforms and driving transformation efforts across Technology. Under her leadership, the Technology teams will continue to focus on building out new modern foundational platforms used and leveraged by development Teams to increase efficiency and speed to market.

“I am pleased with the Team’s flexibility and support as we continue the steady pace of our Leadership transition efforts,” Jordan said. “I am looking forward to working with Tom on our sustainability imperatives and collaborating with Mike as we set the agenda for the Company moving forward. I know Gary joins me in congratulating Lauren, Laurie, Marilyn, Juan, and Ryan on their well-deserved promotions; we are fortunate to have a deeply talented bench of Southwest Leaders.”

In other news, the company also launched its fall Wanna Get Away® campaign with fares as low as $59 one-way for a fall getaway. Customers can book today through Sept. 27, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Central Daylight Time, pack their bags for a trip valid Oct. 4, 2021, through Dec. 15, 2021 (for continental U.S., continental U.S. to/from Hawaii, inter-island Hawaii, and international travel), and get ready for a fall-tastic getaway.

With the carrier’s low fares, Legendary Hospitality, and flexible policies (including no cancellation fees, no change fees, and bags fly free®)*, Southwest® is ready to take Customers on their next office or school getaway.

As low as $59 one-way nonstop between Houston (Hobby) and Corpus Christi,
As low as $59 one-way nonstop between Atlanta and Jackson, Miss.,
As low as $59 one-way nonstop between Oakland and Eugene, Ore.,
As low as $67 one-way nonstop between Nashville and Savannah/Hilton Head, and
As low as $99 one-way nonstop between Denver and Santa Barbara, Calif.

*At Southwest Airlines, there are no change fees (fare difference may apply), no cancellation fees (failure to cancel a reservation at least 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure may result in forfeited travel funds), and bags fly free (first and second checked bags, weight and size limits apply).

**Advanced purchase and blackout date requirements apply; seats, days, and markets are limited.

Top Copyright Photo: Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-8 MAX 8 N8809L (msn 65439) BUR (Michael B. Ing). Image: 955033.

Southwest Airlines aircraft slide show:

How American Airlines Supported Operation Allies Refuge

American Airlines issued this report and photos:

It was a meaningful assignment: Fly hundreds of American troops home from service in Afghanistan on the weekend the nation remembered the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11.

Since the U.S. Department of Defense activated the Civil Reserve Air Fleet on Aug. 22, American Airlines has operated more than 25 flights as part of the program, aiding in the effort to bring thousands of evacuees to the U.S. from Afghanistan. On Sept. 13, at Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), one of the airline’s concluding flights served to welcome U.S. service members home from their tours of duty in the Middle East.

Images capture American’s participation in Operation Allies Refuge in recent weeks, including how the airline honored the service and sacrifice of hundreds of American heroes as they made their way home.

Credit: U.S. Department of Defense.*

*The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

Maintaining the mission

Team members from around the system came together to support American’s Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) activation these past few weeks. Throughout our airline, so many aviation professionals have raised their hands to help, including our Technical Operations team. So often behind the scenes, this group is charged with maintaining the safety of every aircraft in the air and keeping our airline moving. The same is the case for our CRAF flights. But there are differences, and our Tech Ops team has stepped up in a big way to ensure the safety and success of every mission.

In the air and on the ground

In addition to a full inspection before departure, each aircraft leaving the U.S. to begin a mission has two or more JFK- or PHL-based aviation maintenance technicians (AMTs) on board should any maintenance-related needs arise. It’s a voluntary position and one for which the team has overwhelmingly raised their hands to support. “Seeing everyone else doing their part, I wanted to do my part of it, too,” said JFK-based AMT Philip Chu who recently returned from a mission.

Our U.S.-based AMTs also team up with our Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)-based AMTs who have been traveling to the various military bases where our missions depart from to provide on-the-ground support, including completing full inspections prior to the flight, supporting fueling operations and loading evacuees’ luggage and personal belongings.

“Working with our Frankfurt team, we completed a maintenance check of the aircraft before it departed the military base,” said JFK-based AMT Neftaly Bayon, who quickly volunteered to be part of these missions. “When I was doing a walkaround of the aircraft, I saw a little girl who reminded me of my daughters when they were young. She was so happy, waving to everyone. I would do it again.”

Back at home

Supporting these missions and deploying our Tech Ops resources starts with the team behind the team. Our Maintenance Operations Control (MOC), Routing and Supply Chain teams have been working around the clock to prepare and position aircraft and resources and coordinate with departments across the airline who are supporting these important flights.

So many have stepped up in a big way, including engineers who have created protocols and authorizations for configuring aircraft, and maintenance control technicians who organize any maintenance needed to prepare the aircraft.

The MOC team manages the fleet and the maintenance side of the operation and coordinates across the airline to supply maintenance support — that work involves more moving pieces for the CRAF flights. “The CRAF missions are dynamic. That’s why our MOC team mans the IOC Command Center around the clock, continuing to coordinate with the other departments to manage any obstacles, which may present themselves,” said John Richter, Senior Manager of MOC.

The Materials, Supply and Aircraft on Ground (AOG) teams worked to ensure these missions had the proper materials to keep moving seamlessly. We’re flying to new destinations where we don’t have our usual support — be it parts, tools or people — which is why it’s critical that each aircraft is loaded with a fly away kit. They contain all the necessary tools and parts to address any issues with an aircraft. “The entire Supply Chain organization really stepped up to support our passengers and crew by ensuring the safety and dependability of every flight,” said Matt Flock, Senior Manager of Planning.

Lufthansa Group and Travelport sign a new distribution agreement

The Lufthansa Group airlines, one of the worlds’ leading airline groups and industry pioneer in the area of New Distribution Capability (NDC), and Travelport, worldwide leader in travel retail, today announced a new distribution agreement that enables modern airline retailing as well as technology innovation. Under the agreement, which covers the carriers Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Air Dolomiti, Travelport will distribute Lufthansa Group airlines’ NDC content through the next-generation content distribution and travel retailing platform, Travelport+. This agreement builds on the ongoing distribution of Lufthansa Group airlines’ content through traditional EDIFACT channels.

Both companies are already in the process of implementing the end-to-end NDC functionality. The launch, expected in the first half of 2022, also lays the foundation for a diversified NDC program giving Travelport-connected travel agencies the ability to access Lufthansa Group airlines’ content through Travelport+ by signing up to one of the two available commercial NDC models, the NDC Public model or NDC Bilateral model.

Emirates announces start of scheduled daily Airbus A380 service to Istanbul

Emirates, the world’s largest international airline, announced today that it will introduce the first scheduled commercial Airbus A380 service to Istanbul, Turkey from October 1, 2021.

Emirates will operate the A380 on its daily EK123/124 service. Flight EK123 will depart Dubai at 10:45 and arrive in Istanbul at 14:25. The return flight EK124 will depart Istanbul at 16:25 and arrive in Dubai at 21:50. All times are local.

Deploying its three-class A380, Emirates will offer a total of 517 seats, with 14 private suites in First Class, 76 mini pods with lie-flat seats in Business Class and 427 spacious seats in Economy Class, increasing capacity per flight by more than 150 passengers compared to the current Boeing 777-300ER.

Emirates is the world’s largest operator of A380s, with 118 currently in its fleet.

As international borders reopen and travel restrictions ease, Emirates has gradually resumed passenger services and will be operating 17 weekly passenger flights from Dubai to Istanbul, including two daily flights and at three time channels – morning, afternoon and evening. The A380 will operate in the morning and will bring the total weekly capacity on the route to 7,000 seats in each direction.

Top Copyright Photo: Emirates Airline Airbus A380-842 A6-EVG (msn 256) (50 Years UAE) IAD (Brian McDonough). Image: 955000.

Emirates aircraft slide show:

Gulf Air to fly to Tel Aviv

Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain, has announced the launch of its direct flights to Tel Aviv, Israel starting from September 30, 2021 with 2 weekly flights.

The announcement of the airline’s newest destination launch follows the announcement of peace between the Kingdom of Bahrain and the State of Israel and the political, commercial and civil aviation agreements signed last year between the two countries.

Top Copyright Photo: Gulf Air Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner A9C-FD (msn 39983) (Formula 1 Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix) LHR (Andi Hiltl). Image: 955019.

Gulf Air aircraft slide show:

Finnair adds frequencies and destinations to Europe, Asia and North America

Finnair has made this announcement:

As the share of fully vaccinated people continues to increase and societies are opening, travel is picking up in several markets. Finnair is meeting the increased travel demand by adding frequencies and destinations in its network to Europe, Asia and North America for the upcoming winter season.

Finnair continues to serve its key Asian destinations, flying daily to Tokyo, Seoul and Bangkok, and offers multiple weekly frequencies to Singapore and Hong Kong. Finnair’s Osaka service resumes in October, expanding Finnair’s presence back into the Japanese market, with Nagoya joining this route portfolio in February. Finnair will also start serving its Dubai connection with a wide-body aircraft.

Finnair will strengthen its North American services and will serve Chicago, previously a summer route, throughout the winter season. Finnair also serves New York daily from Helsinki and operates three weekly flights to Miami and Los Angeles respectively.

In addition to serving North America from its Helsinki hub, Finnair will introduce direct routes to Los Angeles and New York from Stockholm, Sweden.

Finnair will also introduce direct routes from Stockholm to Miami, Phuket and Bangkok, as previously announced.

Finnair’s European network will rapidly increase in frequencies throughout the winter, with double daily services to key European cities such as Amsterdam, Munich, Dusseldorf, Berlin and Frankfurt, and three daily frequencies to London and Paris. Finnair also increases frequencies to St. Petersburg to support the traffic flows to Finnair’s North American destinations.

Finnair also offers multiple frequencies daily to Scandinavian capitals, and Finnair will introduce Krakow and Gdansk for the winter season.

Finnair will increase frequencies to the popular holiday destinations in Spain, serving Malaga, the Canary Islands, Madrid and Barcelona with multiple weekly frequencies.

Also the Finnish Lapland continues to attract winter travelers and Finnair offers four daily connections to Rovaniemi, Ivalo and Kittilä, and two daily services to Kuusamo, with smooth connections from Helsinki.

Top Copyright Photo: Finnair Airbus A350-941 OH-LWA (msn 018) LHR (Keith Burton). Image: 955017.

Finnair aircraft slide show: