Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines founder, dies at 87
Herb Kelleher, the eccentric founder of Southwest Airlines, died Thursday. He was 87. The company announced his passing in a statement that described Kelleher as a "pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator." The cause of death was not disclosed. "His vision revolutionised commercial aviation and democratised the skies," the company said. Kelleher was a young lawyer living in Texas before leaving his firm to start Southwest in the 1960s with the goal of providing low-cost transportation among Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. But then-competitors Braniff, Trans Texas, and Continental Airlines fought to keep his start-up out of the skies with a temporary restraining order. Kelleher personally fought the ban all the way to the Supreme Court of Texas, which eventually ruled in favour of Southwest. <br/>
https://portal.staralliance.com/cms/news/hot-topics/2019-01-04/unaligned/herb-kelleher-southwest-airlines-founder-dies-at-87
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Herb Kelleher, Southwest Airlines founder, dies at 87
Herb Kelleher, the eccentric founder of Southwest Airlines, died Thursday. He was 87. The company announced his passing in a statement that described Kelleher as a "pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator." The cause of death was not disclosed. "His vision revolutionised commercial aviation and democratised the skies," the company said. Kelleher was a young lawyer living in Texas before leaving his firm to start Southwest in the 1960s with the goal of providing low-cost transportation among Houston, Dallas and San Antonio. But then-competitors Braniff, Trans Texas, and Continental Airlines fought to keep his start-up out of the skies with a temporary restraining order. Kelleher personally fought the ban all the way to the Supreme Court of Texas, which eventually ruled in favour of Southwest. <br/>
