Skift Take
Southwest had a rough going over the past few months, but CEO Bob Jordan says he has a plan. The Southwest experience may not look too different from other airlines.
Elliott Investment Management tried leveraging its activist stake in Southwest Airlines to push CEO Bob Jordan out – but Jordan is still in charge. Now, he is unpacking how Southwest plans to keep up with competing airlines.
At Tuesday’s Skift Aviation Forum, Jordan said he thinks “that chapter is closed” with Elliott.
“You get feedback from your shareholders, not just Elliott,” Jordan said. “And the feedback was clear. We needed to continue our board refresh.”
Five of Elliott’s director picks joined Southwest’s board, and former chairman Gary Kelly left.
Jordan said changes have been underway at Southwest for a while, but Elliott