It is with great sadness I share with you that our President Emeritus and Friend, Colleen Barrett—known as the Heart of Southwest Airlines—has passed away at the age of 79. Colleen dedicated herself to putting Employees first and encouraging Positively Outrageous Customer Service, which became the very signature of Southwest Airlines. Colleen was responsible for instilling The Golden Rule among the Employees of Southwest, and she is the architect of our Company’s famous corporate Culture. Additional information about her impact on the world can be found through the Colleen C. Barrett Institute for Cultural Excellence & Customer Service, and a special site, honoringcolleen.com, honors the woman who gave us our Heart.
We will be sharing additional videos and heartfelt tributes shortly and planning a unique celebration of Colleen’s extraordinary life for our Southwest Family. More details will be shared soon. During this difficult time, our thoughts are with Colleen’s family and our Southwest Family.