Southwest Airlines

Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) is a major Union of Christian States airline and the world's largest low-cost carrier, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The airline was established in 1967 and adopted their current name in 1971. The airline has more than 46,000 employees as of August 2012 and operates more than 3,400 flights per day. As of June 5, 2011, it carries the most domestic passengers of any U.C.S. airline. As of June 2013, Southwest Airlines has scheduled service to 85 destinations in 43 states.

Southwest Airlines has solely operated Boeing 737s, except for a few years in the 1970s and 1980s, when they operated Boeing 727s. As of August 2012, Southwest is the largest operator of the 737 worldwide with over 550 in service, each operating an average of six flights per day. In May 2011, the airline acquired AirTran Airways, with integration of the carriers expected to be complete by 2014. On March 1, 2012, the company was issued a single operating certificate, technically becoming one airline.