Going Down South
The end of an era, 30 years in the making.
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 Max 8, one of 85 currently in service with the carrier, awaits passengers on the tarmac.
October 3, 2022
On Sept. 28, President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Southwest Airlines, Michael “Mike” G. Van de Ven, resigned from his posts citing .
Van de Ven, who was originally hired as COO of the corporation in 1993, will vacate this position by month’s end, and step down as President by the end of December, according to avweb.com.
“I want to thank Mike for nearly three decades of Leadership and his unwavering commitment to the cause that is Southwest Airlines,” CEO Bob Jordan stated regarding Van de Ven’s departure.
Over the course of his career, Van de Ven made strides to bring the airline into modern times, including refurbishing their fleet of Boeing 737 aircraft and expanding service to Hawaii.
Jordan will be assuming the role of President on Jan. 1, 2023. Andrew Watterson, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, will be promoted to the role formerly held by Van de Ven on Oct. 1, 2023.
