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Southwest CEO Opts for DELTA.

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KarmaPolice

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http://aviationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2012/02/yes-that-was-gary-kelly-sittin.html


Yes, that was Gary Kelly sitting in Delta's first-class section Monday


People passing through a Delta Air Lines jet loading up Monday evening in Atlanta for a flight to Dallas/Fort Worth may have thought that guy sitting in a first-class seat looked familiar.

In fact, it was Gary Kelly, chairman, president and CEO of Southwest Airlines, coming home from the festivities marking the opening of Southwest's Atlanta station.

Kelly, speaking to our Jim Landers on Wednesday, confirmed that yes, it was him. It was late, he needed to get back to Dallas and he from time to time flies other airlines as necessary.

In fact, Kelly cannot fly nonstop from Atlanta to Dallas right now. A 2006 compromise on opening up of Dallas Love Field won't allow Southwest to operate nonstop flights from Dallas to much of the United States until October 2014.

That same compromise also prohibited Southwest or any affiliate from operating out of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport without having to give up gates at Love Field.

As a result, AirTran Airways, which Southwest bought last May, had to shut down its nonstop flights between Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and Atlanta on Nov. 22.

Southwest began flying out of Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, with festivities all weekend and a lot of the official hoopla on Monday. Kelly was there for much of the frivolity.

Coming home, the only way to get from Atlanta to Dallas Love Field is with a stop somewhere in the middle. The last direct service on Southwest, with a stop in Austin, left Atlanta at 6 p.m.

So that's why Kelly was on a Delta flight, nonstop into Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

Although he wasn't on his own airline, Kelly can take some enjoyment is that he probably displaced a Delta frequent-flier using an upgrade or, even better, a full-fare passenger who would have paid a first-class fare of nearly $1,200 one way.
 
He probably enjoyed pretty good service. Had he flown that trip on American he may have thought he was at the dentist office.
 
Maybe he ran on the plane and looked for the closest window or aisle, just like he does on his own 737s? BTW, tell him thanks for the $10 fare increase today. A decade ago SWA had hedges and never went along with fare increases. Today, they are starting them! Together now, we all win!


Godspeed!


The OYSter
 

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