DALLAS, Aug. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) as we speak introduced Jason Liberty, Chairman and Chief Govt Officer, Royal Caribbean Group, and Varun Krishna, Chief Govt Officer, Rocket Firms, will be a part of the Firm’s Board of Directors, efficient instantly.
The Board decided that including two administrators with intensive public firm management expertise and deep experience in expertise, digital innovation, industrial technique, and monetary management will additional strengthen the Board as Southwest continues executing its strategic priorities and driving worth for Shareholders.
“Jason and Varun are distinctive leaders who deliver complementary expertise main advanced, customer-focused corporations by means of durations of development, innovation, and transformation,” mentioned Doug Brooks, impartial Chair of the Board. “Their views can be helpful as Southwest continues to advance its strategic plan and ship long-term worth for our Shareholders.”
“Southwest is one of essentially the most revered and recognizable manufacturers in journey, with a powerful tradition, a proud historical past, and thrilling alternatives forward,” mentioned Liberty. “I look ahead to working with the Board and Management Staff because the Firm continues evolving its buyer expertise and positioning itself for sustained, long-term success.”
“Southwest has a outstanding legacy of democratizing journey and constructing deep loyalty with Clients and Workers,” mentioned Krishna. “As a loyal buyer, I am honored to be a part of the Board and contribute as Southwest continues innovating to serve Clients and construct on its successes.”
Liberty has served as Chairman and Chief Govt Officer of Royal Caribbean Group since 2025, after serving as Chief Govt Officer starting in 2022 and as Chief Monetary Officer for 9 years earlier than that. Throughout greater than twenty years with Royal Caribbean Group, he has held a number of senior management roles spanning finance, technique, expertise, authorized, shared providers, and enterprise operations. His broader business management contains serving as Chair of the Cruise Strains Worldwide Affiliation, the main commerce group for the worldwide cruise business.
Krishna is the Chief Govt Officer of Rocket Firms, a monetary expertise platform that features Rocket Mortgage, Redfin, and different shopper finance choices. At Rocket Firms, Krishna is answerable for guiding enterprise technique and overseeing how Rocket’s manufacturers and merchandise work collectively as an built-in platform. Earlier than becoming a member of Rocket, Krishna held senior govt roles at Intuit, the place he oversaw the group’s end-to-end suite of shopper and tax merchandise and providers. Prior to Intuit, Krishna held management positions at PayPal, Groupon, and Microsoft.
“On behalf of the Board and the Southwest Management Staff, I am happy to welcome Jason and Varun,” mentioned Bob Jordan, President, Chief Govt Officer, and Vice Chairman of the Board. “Jason brings vital journey business, operational, and monetary management expertise, whereas Varun brings deep experience in digital merchandise, innovation, and buyer engagement. Collectively, their views will strengthen our Board as we proceed enhancing the Buyer expertise, enhancing efficiency, and executing our strategic priorities.”
ABOUT SOUTHWEST AIRLINES CO.
Southwest Airlines Co. operates one of the world’s most admired and awarded airways, providing its one-of-a-kind worth and Hospitality at 121 airports throughout 12 international locations. Southwest took flight in 1971 to democratize the sky by means of pleasant, dependable, and low-cost air journey and now carries extra air vacationers flying nonstop inside america than some other airline.1 By empowering its greater than 73,0002 Folks to ship unparalleled Hospitality, the maverick airline cherishes a passionate loyalty amongst greater than 134 million Clients carried in 2025. Southwest leverages a singular legacy and mission to serve communities world wide together with harnessing the facility of its Folks and Function to put communities on the Coronary heart of its success. Study extra by visiting Southwest.com/citizenship.
1 Based mostly on U.S. Dept. of Transportation quarterly Airline Origin & Vacation spot Survey as of This autumn 2025
2 Fulltime-equivalent lively Workers as of June 30, 2026.
Cautionary Assertion Concerning Ahead-Wanting Statements
This information launch accommodates forward-looking statements throughout the that means of Part 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Part 21E of the Securities Change Act of 1934, as amended. Particular forward-looking statements embrace, with out limitation, statements associated to (i) the Firm’s initiatives, strategic priorities, focus areas, core strengths, targets, and alternatives, together with driving and delivering long-term worth for Shareholders, advancing the Firm’s strategic plan, positioning the Firm for sustained, long-term success, and enhancing efficiency; (ii) the Firm’s expectations with respect to strengthening the Board with complementary expertise and views; and (iii) the Firm’s expectations with respect to evolving and enhancing the Buyer expertise, innovating to serve Clients, and constructing on the Firm’s successes. These forward-looking statements are primarily based on the Firm’s present estimates, intentions, beliefs, expectations, targets, methods, and projections for the long run and aren’t ensures of future efficiency. Ahead-looking statements contain dangers, uncertainties, assumptions, and different components which are tough to predict and that might trigger precise outcomes to differ materially from these expressed in or indicated by them. Elements embrace, amongst others, (i) the affect of geopolitical conflicts, fears or precise outbreaks of ailments, excessive or extreme climate and pure disasters, actions of opponents (together with, with out limitation, pricing, scheduling, capability, and community choices, and consolidation and alliance actions), governmental actions, shopper notion, shopper uncertainties with respect to commerce insurance policies or authorities shutdowns (together with the imposition of tariffs), financial situations, banking situations, fears or precise acts of terrorism or warfare, sociodemographic developments, and different components past the Firm’s management, on shopper conduct and the Firm’s outcomes of operations and enterprise choices, plans, methods, and outcomes; (ii) the Firm’s skill to well timed and successfully implement, transition, function, and preserve the required data expertise programs and infrastructure to help its operations and initiatives; (iii) shopper conduct and response with respect to the Firm’s industrial merchandise and insurance policies; (iv) the affect of gasoline value adjustments, gasoline value volatility, and gasoline availability on the Firm’s enterprise plans and outcomes of operations; (v) the affect of governmental rules and different governmental actions, together with with respect to authorities shutdowns, in addition to the Firm’s skill to receive any required governmental approvals, on the Firm’s enterprise plans, outcomes, and operations; (vi) the Firm’s dependence on The Boeing Firm (“Boeing”) and Boeing suppliers with respect to the Firm’s plane deliveries, Boeing MAX 7 plane certifications, fleet and capability plans, operations, upkeep, methods, and targets; (vii) the Firm’s dependence on the Federal Aviation Administration with respect to, amongst different issues, the certification of the Boeing MAX 7 plane; (viii) the Firm’s dependence on different third events, particularly with respect to its expertise plans, its plans and expectations associated to income administration, on-line journey companies, operational reliability, gasoline provide, upkeep, International Distribution Techniques, environmental sustainability, and the affect on the Firm’s operations and outcomes of operations of any third-party delays or nonperformance; (ix) the Firm’s skill to well timed and successfully prioritize its initiatives and focus areas and associated expenditures; (x) the affect of labor issues on the Firm’s enterprise choices, plans, methods, and outcomes; (xi) the Firm’s skill to receive and preserve sufficient infrastructure and gear to help its operations and initiatives; (xii) the Firm’s dependence on its workforce, together with its skill to make use of and retain ample numbers of certified Workers with applicable abilities and experience to successfully and effectively preserve its operations and execute the Firm’s plans, methods, and initiatives; (xiii) the price and results of the actions of activist shareholders; and (xiv) different components, as described within the Firm’s filings with the Securities and Change Fee, together with the detailed components mentioned below the heading “Danger Elements” within the Firm’s Annual Report on Type 10-Ok for the fiscal 12 months ended December 31, 2025.
SOURCE Southwest Airlines Co.
