Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) CEO Gary Kelly claims that it is safe to fly once more after months of social distancing measures. Kelly went on to state that the company was following numerous new safety guidelines to ensure passenger safety. Contrasting Kelly's statements are previous incidents documented by media outlets of packed Southwest flights and ongoing concerns that Southwest isn't taking as comprehensive as an approach as it should.
Appearing on CBS, Kelly answered questions regarding Southwest and its actions to protect passengers. When asked if it was safe to fly again, Kelly replied, "It is. We're doing everything possible to encourage people to come back and fly." In terms of passenger safety, Kelly claimed that Southwest was requiring both passengers and crew members to wear masks, that planes would be receiving deep cleaning between flights, and that some seats would be left empty to space out passengers. "I don't think the risk on an airplane is any greater risk than anywhere else," Kelly said, "You look at the layered approach that we use, it's as safe as any environment you're going to find."
Kelly additionally voiced his belief that the "bottom" had already been reached for the airline industry. "Each week after the first week of April has gotten successively better. I don't think June will be a good month, but... we're looking forward to July and August," Kelly said of the company's future.
Financially, like most airlines, Southwest was hit particularly hard by the pandemic. Year-to-date, Southwest is down by 49%. Stocks have trended downward for some time, showing a reluctance among investors as the pandemic continues to wreak havoc. Yet, Southwest doesn't seem to be in as dire straits as it may outwardly appear. Demand for Southwest securities is still relatively high despite the pandemic, reflecting confidence among some that the airline's health is still relatively good. If Kelly's statements are to be believed, the bottom may have been reached, and there may be a forthcoming uptick for the industry.
There are, however, plenty of concerns for passenger safety that may stunt recovery. Chief among them is the belief by some that Southwest isn't taking the crisis as seriously as it claims. In his interview, Kelly directly stated that middle seats are not being removed, nor are passengers being prohibited from using them. Southwest exclusively operates the Boeing (NYSE: BA) 737, the passenger cabin of which does not allow for enough room to social distance unless passengers sit several rows apart.
Incidents documented in the days leading up to Kelly's interview showed flights packed to capacity, with many passengers and even crew members not wearing masks.