Southwest Airlines Co. is an American major airline, founded on March 15, 1967 by Herb Kelleher and Rollin King. It was originally developed as 'Air Southwest' before adopting its current name in 1971. The airline, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, is recognized for its low-cost structure and simplified operational model, offering only one class of seating and no meals, which helps to save cost and maintain the lowest fees possible for its customers.
Southwest operates more than 4,000 departures a day during peak travel season. As of 2020, Southwest carries the most domestic passengers of any U.S. airline. The airline has scheduled services to 103 destinations in the United States and ten additional countries. It is considered one of the "Big Four" airlines of the US.
The airline is famous for its friendly and lively onboard staff, and its corporate culture is known for its high employee morale and individuality. Despite being a low-cost airline, Southwest has managed to rank relatively highly in customer satisfaction surveys among the largest North American airlines.
In terms of fleet size, as of January 2022, Southwest is the world's largest operator of the Boeing 737, and was the launch customer of the 737-300, 737-500, and 737-700. The 737 forms the backbone of Southwest's fleet, helping to streamline maintenance operations and training programs.
