Herb Kelleher, co-founder and Chairman Emeritus of Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, died Thursday at the age of 87.
“Herb was a pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator. His vision revolutionized commercial aviation and democratized the skies. Herb’s passion, zest for life, and insatiable investment in relationships made lasting and immeasurable impressions on all who knew him and will forever be the bedrock and esprit de corps of Southwest Airlines,” the airline said in a statement. “The entire Southwest Family extends our deepest sympathies to Herb’s wife, Joan, and his entire family.”