• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
  • Advertising Disclosure
Home  >  Southwest Airlines  >  Southwest CEO: It’s “Absolutely” Safe To Fly
Southwest Airlines

Southwest CEO: It’s “Absolutely” Safe To Fly

Matthew Klint Posted onMay 4, 2020May 3, 2020 10 Comments

Southwest CEO Gary Kelly has a message for weary travelers: it’s safe to fly.

He was a guest on Face The Nation yesterday on CBS and the very first question asked by host Margaret Brennan was whether it is safe to fly:

“It is. You know, we’re- we’re- we’re doing everything possible to encourage people to come back and fly. We’re cleaning airplanes. We’re requiring masks of our employees and our customers. We’re using very deep cleanings every night. We’re using electrostatic misters, which will kill the virus on surfaces for up to 30 days. We’re exercising social distancing. And onboard the aircraft, we won’t be booking airplanes full so that people can spread out. So absolutely, we’re doing everything we can to make it as safe as humanly possible.”

Brennan, knowingly or not, next pinpointed exactly on the farce of so-called “social distancing” on airplanes. She asked how open seats matter when the distance between an aisle and window seat is still far below the recommended six feet, people walk past each other to use the lavatory, and minimum distances are virtually impossible during boarding and deplaning.

Kelly responded by deflecting absolute risk and focusing on relative risk:

“I don’t think the risk on- on an airplane is any greater risk than anywhere else, and in fact, you just look at the layered approach that we use. It’s- it’s as safe as an environment as you’re going to find. We’re using hospital quality disinfectants, HEPA air filters to make sure that the air is- is properly filtered and clean. We’re not going- going to remove middle seats or prohibit people from sitting in middle seats. But at the same time, we won’t book the airplanes full. So, you know, if you choose, all the middle seats can be open.”

It’s a reasonable answer. There is no absolute safety, but I’d feel a lot safer on an airplane than I do when I go to the grocery store.

You can watch the entire interview below:

CONCLUSION

The rest of the interview is also interesting. Kelly talks about job cuts which appear all but inevitable. But the discourse on safety stuck out to me. Indeed, the world may be a dangerous place, but even in the era of COVID-19 an airplane is probably one of the safer communal spaces right now.

Previous Article United Airlines Has More Pilots Than Daily Passengers: Staggering Job Cuts Loom
Next Article United Airlines Will Ground 757s, 767-400s For “Foreseeable Future”

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • New Southwest Effect

    Is Southwest Airlines’ Cancellation Compensation Enough?

    January 8, 2023
  • worst airports in us

    Summer Travel Woes Worst At These US Airports

    July 17, 2022
  • fuel hedging

    Airlines Fuel Hedging During Record Oil Prices

    June 12, 2022

10 Comments

  1. Tami Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 9:12 am

    I agree that his response was reasonable, and that they are making it as safe as possible. But I don’t think it’s reasonable to say that airplanes are “one of the safer communal spaces”. As you say yourself, the basic premise of air travel doesn’t allow for proper social distancing, which is far more achievable somewhere like a grocery store. Furthermore, a grocery store allows each individual far greater control over one’s distance from others.

    That’s not to say that airlines are doing anything wrong, it’s no ones fault. But the reality is that air travel is fundamentally incompatible with social distancing in ways that are very challenging to circumvent.

    • Ronald Williams Reply
      May 4, 2020 at 2:22 pm

      I spend as little time as possible in a grocery store, maybe 30 minutes once a week, wear a mask and stay as far as possible away from anyone else. 4 – 5 hours on an airplane with no control on who sits around you or how close they are? No thanks, not for the foreseeable future without a vaccine or significant treatments and testing.

  2. derek Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 9:14 am

    Kool Aid.*

    Stay at home if possible even if stay at home orders have full of exemptions.

    *refers to mass suicide of 900 people in Jonestown where people drank poisoned Kool Aid like drink.

  3. Naoyuki Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 10:15 am

    The response by the Southwest CEO was, in my opinion, not reasonable. It is at best misleading, and at worst, malicious. There is an increased risk of contracting the coronavirus when you take a flight. It is very unfortunate that even Southwest worships the $$$ over passenger health and safety.

  4. Santastico Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 11:00 am

    I counted over 300 cars at Home Depot’s parking lot this last weekend as people were shopping for flowers, fertilizer, mulch, etc… And we are on lockdown because of a wimpy Governor. Thus, if you wear masks and take basic precautions on a plane I don’t see the problem.

  5. Chris@Oak Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 1:11 pm

    @derek re: Kool Aid comment.
    You neglect to mention that Jim Jones, was the founder and leader of The Peoples Temple. He gave the order for his followers to drink the Kool Aid.

    Jim Jones was the machine and brains behind the San Francisco Democrats in the 1970s. He was responsible for getting a few of the following figures into office: George Moscow; Willie Brown; Diane Feinstein; and the saintly Harvey Milk (who has a terminal at SFO named after him.

  6. Aaron Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 2:36 pm

    Basically, it sounds like he is worried about his bonus being in jeopardy this year…

    “but even in the era of COVID-19 an airplane is probably one of the safer communal spaces right now.”

    Based on what?

  7. Andy K Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 2:51 pm

    That’s the pot calling the kettle black if I ever heard it.

  8. Doug K Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 4:10 pm

    Yeah, no bias here. Not. Like a realtor pimp screaming in 1906 San Francisco or Stalingrad in November 1942 ‘now is the best time to buy!’ Yeah, so the CEO is added to the growing list of self-annointed doctorates in virology, medicine, epidemiology. A do it yourself doctor, like Bill Vaccine Gates and his wife. Unbelievable.

  9. henry LAX Reply
    May 4, 2020 at 7:38 pm

    and it’s this type of hubris mentality of GK that, instead of his helping his airline climb to new heights, he’s just helping the case curve soar all the way to Crown Heights.

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Recent Posts

  • Review: Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea January 28, 2023
  • American - Delta JFK Incident Pilot Analysis
    A Veteran Commercial Airline Pilot Analyzes American – Delta Runway Incident At JFK January 28, 2023
  • Pre-Boarding With Children: How Old Until They Are Too Old? January 27, 2023
  • Dog Business Class Turkish Airlines
    Dachshund Flies Business Class To Paris…In Her Own Seat January 27, 2023

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Casting Couch? Kuwait Airways Forces Prospective Flight Attendants To Undress For “Research Purposes” January 4, 2023
  • Spirit Airlines Captain Runs Out Of Cockpit After Woman Yells “I Hope Y’All Crash And Die!” January 17, 2023
  • SWISS First Class Awards Bookable With United Airlines MileagePlus January 5, 2023
  • United Airlines 2023 Status Extension
    United Airlines Quietly Extends MileagePlus Premier Status…Again January 14, 2023

Archives

January 2023
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Dec    

As seen on:

live_and_lets_fly

The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles The new United Polaris Lounge at Washington Dulles is the most beautiful of all Polaris Lounges. Stay tuned for a detailed look and many more photos on the blog tomorrow. Well done @united.
@malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire i @malaysiaairlines just announced it would retire its A380 fleet. While not surprising, it is sad to see the growing list of carriers retiring this superjumbo jet. On Malaysia Airlines, I flew the #A380 once from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to London (LHR) and had the entire first class cabin to myself (full review on the blog). It was a beautiful flight that I will always remember.
Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited tha Welcome to @fly_bur @aveloair! I am so excited that a new carrier, Avelo, has launched, especially from an airport just 12 minutes from my home!
I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxair I greatly miss the @lufthansa #747-8 at @flylaxairport. Hopefully this summer it will return.

.
.
.
.
#Lufthansa #FirstClass #747 #747-8 #StarAlliance #Miles #Points
I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. I recently spent a weekend at the @ventanabigsur. This is not only a lovely, all-inclusive resort, but one of the best properties to use your @hyatt World of Hyatt points.
.
.
.
.
#Hyatt #BigSur #California #WorldofHyatt #CA-1 #Points #Hotels
In terms of a spacious first class product, the @E In terms of a spacious first class product, the @Emirates suite on a 777-300ER is hard to beat. My preference is Suite 2K.

.
.
.
.
#Emirates #777 #firstclass
Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from I Nearly five years ago, I took a “break” from Instagram ahead of the birth of my first child. Goodness, how time flies. While I’ve enjoyed catching up on others over the years, now it is time for me to return to Instagram. In this first post, I highlight two joys in my life, my two children, whom I trust will grow up to be prolific travelers that circumnavigate the globe as ambassadors of love and respect.

.
.
.
.
.

#travel #airplanes #airlines #miles #points #familytravel #human #integrity #honor
United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improv United Airlines' new Polaris seat is a huge improvement over UA's current business class seat. Check out my blog at liveandletsfly.com for 70+ photos of how @united is transforming its entire business class experience starting this December!
The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben! The perfect @flysas name tag for #Longyearben!
Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen - Spotted four #polarbear outside of #longyearbyen -- oh, and I love 40°F summer weather!
One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure One of the best crews I have ever had the pleasure of flying with in all my years of flying. Thank you @flysas SK940 on 11 Aug 2016
Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I a Next stop ARN! But dear @flysas , next time if I assign a window seat months in advance, don't move me to a center seat "for my convenience" with no way to get my original seat back... 😞
Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be rac Ready for #PIA from #MAN to #JFK -- we will be racing the #Delta flight to JFK at the gate next to us, which also departs at 12:45p. With @onemileatatime
Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregenc Another room with a beautiful view... #hyattregencycasablanca #cassablanca #hyatt
Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the i Enjoying #shanghai with @onemileatatime from the inside of the @grandhyatt_shanghai ... It is 40°C outside! 😓
From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minut From my front gate to my boarding gate in 15 minutes flat. I ❤️ #bur #burbankairport
@malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in se @malaysiaairlines #747 out of retirement and in service at #kul -- beautiful livery!
View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful bran View from my 61st floor room at the beautiful brand new @parkhyattguangzhou -- look for a full review coming soon on the blog #hyatt #parkhyatt #guangzhou #parkhyattguangzhou
Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, Will miss the @united #globalfirstlounge at #ord, which closes tomorrow and the Queen of the Skies #747 which will be retired in 2018.
The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. The colonial #architecture of #mumbai is stunning. If you're ever here, get up at 5am and have a walk around the city before it gets busy. You can hear the birds instead of honking horns.
Load More... Follow on Instagram
facebook twitter instagram rss

This site is for entertainment purposes only. The owner of this site is not an investment advisor, financial planner, nor legal or tax professional and articles here are of an opinion and general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances.

 

Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. Outside of banner ads published through the Boarding Area network, this compensation does not impact how and where products appear on this site. While we do try to list all the best miles and points deals, the site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Please view our advertising policy page for additional details about our partners.

 

Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.