The Ledger, every show
Every statement that passed quotation and attribution checks, across all 44 shows. Pick shows below, then mix any filter with any other.
shows 
every show 44 of 44
Kelleher: Southwest was the most heavily unionized carrier in the US
“We were the most heavily unionized carrier in the United States. Our low costs were not due to being a non-union carrier, since we were more unionized than our competitors were.”
Kelleher: Southwest kept low costs despite being the most unionized US airline
“Yeah, we were the most heavily unionized carrier in the United States. Our low costs were not due to being a non-union carrier, since we were more unionized than our competitors were.”
Southwest maintained low costs despite being America's most unionized airline
“We were the most heavily unionized carrier in the United States. Our low costs were not due to being a non-union carrier, since we were more unionized than our competitors were.”
Kelleher: Southwest achieved 10-minute gate turns to run planes 12 hours daily
“10 minute turns at the gate. We bring that airplane in, and 10 minutes after it stopped at the gate, you know, It would be pushing back again. And we had airplanes that, ah, you know, were operating 12 hours a day sometimes, so each one of those additional fli…”
Southwest pioneered 10-minute gate turnarounds to maximize aircraft utilization
“10 minute turns at the gate. We bring that airplane in, and 10 minutes after it stopped at the gate, you know, It would be pushing back again.”
Kelleher: Most American Adults in the 1960s Had Never Flown Due to Costs
“Most of the adults
In the United States of America haven't been able to fly because of the cost barrier.”
Kelleher: Kept Southwest alive in 1969 by litigating for free and paying court costs
“And during that time, the company ran out of money, and in 1969, the board of directors had a meeting and talked about shutting the airline down, shutting the company down. And I said, well, how about if I litigate for nothing and pay all the court costs out o…”
Kelleher: Southwest flew a four-plane schedule with three planes after cash crunch
“We had to get rid of one airplane in order to meet our payroll right after Southwest started flying, and so we decided that we would fly a four airplane schedule with three airplanes.”
Kelleher: CAB fare increases drove up legacy airline ticket prices
“And during that time, if they had a little financial problem the CAB would just give them a fare increase, and so that's how their fares got so high as compared to what we were doing since we weren't regulated by the CAB.”
Kelleher: Southwest cut fares by $400 on long routes instead of serving meals
“And I said, no, we're not. We're gonna charge you 400 dollars less per trip, right? And I understand you can get a pretty good sandwich at Chasin's for 400 dollars.”
Kelleher: Southwest Airlines has not had an annual loss since 1972
“We've never had a loss for a full year since 1972.”
Kelleher: Southwest Airlines has never furloughed an employee
“We've never furloughed an employee at Southwest Airlines when the rest of the industry during that period up until now has probably furloughed, I don't know, a million and a half employees throughout the world.”
Kelleher: Personally funded Southwest's litigation costs out of pocket in 1969
“And during that time, the company ran out of money, and in 1969, the board of directors had a meeting and talked about shutting the airline down, shutting the company down. And I said, well, how about if I litigate for nothing and pay all the court costs out o…”
Kelleher: Southwest ran a four-plane schedule using three planes to meet payroll
“We had to get rid of one airplane in order to meet our payroll right after Southwest started flying, and so we decided that we would fly a four airplane schedule with three airplanes.”
Kelleher: Southwest created the US airline industry's first profit-sharing plan in 1973
“When we turned our first very slim profit in 1973, we set up the first profit-sharing plan in the American airline industry, and I think we made a profit of, I don't know, a 100,000 dollars that year or something like that.”
Kelleher: Southwest Airlines has not had a full-year financial loss since 1972
“Well, we've had years when, you know, our earnings were down, but, ah, we've never had a loss for a full year since 1972.”
Kelleher: Southwest Airlines has never furloughed an employee in its operating history
“And we've never furloughed an employee at Southwest Airlines when the rest of the industry during that period up until now has probably furloughed, I don't know, a million and a half employees throughout the world.”
Kelleher: Southwest paid cash for most aircraft, avoiding heavy debt loads
“Established a rule of thumb that we're gonna pay 80% of the cost of all of our new airplanes from internally generated funds. And actually we wound up paying a hundred percent for most of our airplanes. So we had the largest percentage in our fleet of owned ai…”
Kelleher offered to litigate for free and pay Southwest's court costs
“And during that time, the company ran out of money, and in 1969, the board of directors had a meeting and talked about shutting the airline down, shutting the company down. And I said, well, how about if I litigate for nothing and pay all the court costs out o…”
Southwest entered the Baltimore market by cutting existing airfares by 60%
“When we start out here, we're reducing your existing fares by 60%.”
Southwest Airlines has not posted a full-year net loss since 1972
“We've never had a loss for a full year since 1972.”
Southwest Airlines has never furloughed an employee in its history
“We've never furloughed an employee at Southwest Airlines when the rest of the industry during that period up until now has probably furloughed, I don't know, a million and a half employees throughout the world.”
Southwest maintained the highest percentage of owned aircraft of any airline
“So we had the largest percentage in our fleet of owned airplanes of any carrier of any size.”
Kelleher: Late-1960s Airline Industry Suffered Poor Returns and Constant Difficulties
“No, it was not notably profitable.
As a matter of fact, Warren Buffett reportedly joked about it at one time and said
If a capitalist had shot down the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk in 19 oh three, the economy would probably be better off.
And so it didn't ha…”
Kelleher: Southwest took four and a half years to launch its first flight
“Well, between the time when I started working on forming Southwest and the time we flew our first flight, It was four and a half years.”
Kelleher: Texas Supreme Court cleared Southwest 19 hours before first flight
“It went through the United States Supreme Court and through the Texas Supreme Court twice before we could fly. And the Texas Supreme Court handed down an order, 19 hours prior to our first flight.”
Kelleher: Early Southwest fares were 45% lower than competitors
“Well, on some flights, we had fares as low as 10 dollars. On others, we had fares as low as 15 or 20 dollars. We were about 45% lower. Than the other carriers.”
Kelleher: Southwest launched the US airline industry's first profit-sharing plan in 1973
“When we turned our first very slim profit in 1973, we set up the first profit-sharing plan in the American airline industry”
Kelleher: Southwest briefly became Texas's largest liquor distributor via promo
“We maintained our full fares, and we told the public of Texas that if you paid the higher fare, We would give you a free bottle of whiskey. And so for a couple of months, we became the largest liquor distributor in the state of Texas.”
Kelleher: Southwest slashed existing airfares by 60% entering Baltimore
“And I said, yeah, it's so competitive that when we start out here, we're reducing your existing fares by 60%.”
Kelleher: Southwest owned a higher percentage of its fleet than any other carrier
“So we had the largest percentage in our fleet of owned airplanes of any carrier of any size.”
Kelleher: Southwest won Texas Supreme Court approval just 19 hours before launch
“It went through the United States Supreme Court and through the Texas Supreme Court twice before we could fly. And the Texas Supreme Court handed down an order 19 hours prior to our first flight.”
Kelleher: Southwest's launch fares were about 45% lower than competitors'
“We were about 45% lower
Than the other carriers.”
Kelleher: A free-whiskey promotion made Southwest Texas's largest liquor distributor
“As a matter of fact Braniff at one point put in a lower fare than ours, which they called an introductory fare. Of course, they'd been serving Texas, you know, for 40 years by that time. But in any event, one of the things that came out of that was we maintain…”
Cost barriers prevented most US adults from flying in the 1960s
“Most of the adults The United States of America haven't been able to fly because of the cost barrier.”
Texas Supreme Court cleared Southwest to fly 19 hours before inaugural flight
“It went through the United States Supreme Court and through the Texas Supreme Court twice before we could fly. And the Texas Supreme Court handed down an order, 19 hours prior to our first flight.”
Early Southwest fares were roughly 45% lower than competing legacy carriers
“Well, on some flights, we had fares as low as 10 dollars. On others, we had fares as low as 15 or 20 dollars. We were about 45% lower Than the other carriers.”
Southwest launched the American airline industry's first profit-sharing plan in 1973
“When we turned our first very slim profit in 1973, we set up the first profit-sharing plan in the American airline industry”
Southwest became Texas's largest liquor distributor by giving away free whiskey
“We told the public of Texas that if you paid the higher fare, We would give you a free bottle of whiskey. And so for a couple of months, we became the largest liquor distributor in the state of Texas.”
Southwest Airlines raised about $500,000 in seed capital in 1967
“And we started to raise seed money to the extent of about 500,000 dollars.”