The governor seen pandemic, grounded air travellers around the world for over a year. Robbing the purpose of the pleasures of packing a bag and getting away from it all but in this summer of vaccinations and the slow returned to something resembling normalcy army and can once again drift to wanderlust and new experiences. That's why we thought it was the perfect. I'm to revisit this season of business wars all about the battle between two of the most popular airlines. In the: U S, the scrappy, low cost Upstart South West and the corporate behemoth. American airlines. It is the spring of nineteen. Sixty six and steaming San Antonio Texas, two men with voices talking business over whisky at the bar of the Saint Anthony Hotel, Thirty five year old, Rollin King wishes as glass bore

I have another scotch rocks runs in investment companies. Drinking with her Keller, whose Lawford represents kings. Business interests. Keller, Taxes, glass, otherwise dirty rocks were neatly both manner tall and athletic transplants to Texas King gets to the point or Talk to you about this airline idea. We discuss the other day come on baby. Let's not you ve, already gotten cream in the airline business three years earlier, King bought. Why, Old goose flying service and Reboot did it Southwest airlines charter service shuttle San Antonio businessman around the state, but it failed and king is salvaging what he can after addicts, those scraps. I want to build an all jet service operation, little compete with Braniff in Texas, international and american airlines. Killers used to kings, oddball business ideas with this one tops of all

those fellows might give you a stake on board, but their flights are cancelled, half the time and the other half they lose your bag, but what we build an airline it'll, be just for three cities: Antonio Dallas and Houston forget this: eggs will be no frills Will win on price convenience and servers? Are you kidding me? Rollin. The regulators will never allow air travel at night, sixty seven is in its golden age. Men, where their best business outfits and sit in big comfortable, see Since smiling stewardesses serve plate, subprime ribbon refresh their highballs airlines. Can offer all this thanks to the civil Aeronautics board. The federal agency controls everything where and what they can fly and what they can charge for. Every from a mixed drink to a seat. Most importantly

It allows airlines to charge very high fears, but king might have found a loophole. Theirs Fit Pacific Southwest Airlines. They only flight, interesting only within the boundaries of California. That means that the I have no jurisdiction over them, we do that here in Texas to but, if we're They get this thing off the ground. Need you on board her you're connected. What he means is that killers wife is connected she's from one of the biggest landowners families in all of Texas. That saying something: Rollin rather than the others will flatten you at home, supposed to sell this to a bunch of people who know their way around money. Well, her you're, my lawyer, so you figure it out Keller, gulps the last of his drink, walks away. He's thinking

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The most domestic cargo: in the? U S, it's where NASA and higher Ed partners build rockets that will transport the first women to the moon. Cover Louisiana Investment resources at Trinity, Louisiana dot com to learn how your company can gain a competitive advantage in Louisiana. From wondering I'm David Brown- and this is business wars. in our six part. Series Southwest versus American airlines will look at how the bruising doc, fight between the more established airlines in the scrappy, upstart we're not we change the way we fly

but since some airlines crashing to their deaths, you are listening to episode. One clearing the runaway Rollin King spoke is ringing, is just a few After his meeting with Keller and there many glasses of scotch. Kellers on the line, Rwanda Then look in India, airline idea and check in federal state regulations, and I'm going to tell you something what is rollin you're crazy? the airline idea is crazy. Now, let's do it anyway killer. sober as a judge days after that hazy, meeting at the Saint Anthony Hotel BAR is We are convinced that king is right if a low cost no frills carrier can operate without interference from federal regulators in California. Then they can do the same in Texas and give the fares are cheap enough Keller, her figure

Texans would rather fly than Dr Long halls between Texas City. First, though, Keller has to convince some of the states richest men to enjoy certain air southwest that prove to be easier than expected. The We agree that there is a need in the Texas market for what he is proposing: they also like the idea of owning a company that flies jet. Plus everyone really likes Herbert whose always ready with a wise crack and whisky channel. starts looking for backers like calling John Murkison CO founder of the Dallas Cowboys and, and POW aloud, John. It's her right. and cheering- and I had this idea for an airline sort of a computer airline for Texas all jets. All interests take no federal interference. Dallas used in San Antonio with very frequent low, fair flight,

we're raising money, you interested her Babylonian, Gingen her bring on some of the biggest names in Texas business. They raise Bible. With forty three thousand dollars and incorporate on March Fifteenth Nineteen, sixty seven But a year later, the Texas Aeronautical Board certifies AIR southwest of lie within taxes, but the next day Four major airline competitors launch a legal assault. Stop that from happening Apollo. Ten is transmitting the first color pictures of earth from space before landing on the moon. As protesters occupied the street President Nixon pledges to bring back twenty five thousand troops

orientation between gay rights activists and police outside the stone walled in a gay borrowing. Mitch, village, New York City escalates into a riot. and at a farm and Bethel's your Woodstock Excessive features, legendary acts of Santana grateful, dead, Janis, Joplin and Jimmy These events help define an era. and they also speak to the mood in the country. People want to throw out the rules and challenge. The establishment in some ways it's the perfect climate for start like South West. If only it can get in the air it's been for more than a year, thanks to the lawsuits brought, might braniff Trance axis and continental. They have plenty to protect to reign of airlines.

has a monopoly on flights between the big cities in Texas Excess international dominates air service between smaller cities and continental eyes wherever the other to doubt they're, all hemmed in by federal regulation, but air South west- with that advantage, South West should be in a position to soar. hast competitors, That would be a whole lot easier of southwest actually had some planes to fly. Trouble is the mine is burned through most of its half a million in seed money, fighting lawsuit King summonses Board for meeting the mood is glum. John Murkison speaks first gentleman. a good fight. These other airlines are set on bleeding to death and we don't have much. Blurred left, in the room, not in agreement. Keller does not,

listen everyone! I know this looks bad, but this is a legal battle. I'm convinced we can win on appeal and we need to win, We're trying to do is offer Texas Superior air transportation at a low price Keller, her nose, he's asking is backers to buck the establishment to break the airlines grip on Texas, but that's design gashed in America at the time, our competitor, strengthening ties up a lawsuit, a perversion of what America supposed to be about. I won't the enterprise to work. I want to win now if you agree let me keep trying. I work for free I'll pay, the or cost right out of my own pocket until we do when the board Votes air Southwest were fighting eighteen long legal months later, yellow wins a ruling from the Texas Supreme Court. The bigger care

There's appeal to the: U S Supreme Court, but in December nineteen seventy declines to overturn the Texas Ruling Southwest wins it's a remarkable legal battle, but it could be a pyrrhic victory. shalt West has one hundred forty three dollars in the bank owes more than a hundred thousand dollars still is in business at least theoretically the team. The recession of uniting seventies put a lot of good people out of work, and word is out, but South West is open for business by January nineteen. Seventy one Lamar Muse airline industry, better and as president of AIR Southwest mused puts fifty thousand dollars of his own cash into the company, and raises more than two million dollars. He all renamed the company

West Airlines and then, mad dash begins its early bring of nineteen seventy one southwest postal launch its first blight within two months. A mechanic is just arrived at his new job, having just been laid off like many early southwest employees by Bankrupt, Purdue Airlines the mechanic gonna team, or trying to open the doors at the loan hangar southwest, at least at love field, the company, a strategic decision to operate from a not so busy airports, just a short dry from downtown Dallas. what in the world, the hanging a relic from the nineteen forty, the mechanic is put on the doors, but they don't like they say Rest assured the tracks are full of sand. It takes two days pray opened the buildings, forty foot tall doors. Meanwhile, another

or Purdue. Airline employees is having a different kind of problem train stewardesses. There aren't any oh muse, runs a print. Add aimed at a woman play boys been pursuing for years. It's titled an open letter to wreck Hell, Welsh the newspaper reed's, Miss wells. You too, but by the girls, we're looking for warm personable and great looking in hot pants. If you know of any other girls, like you at least twenty years old, twenty fifty vision without glasses between five two and five seven one to one hundred thirty five pounds were high school graduates, preferably with college training you please ask them to send us a brief statement of qualifications in a recent photograph. Twelve hundred applications, poor and for just thirty eight available jobs. On June fifteen

nineteen. Seventy one muse meets with a reporter to crow about what they ve accomplished: within just three months: we bought three planes least gates at three airport contracted with jet fuel and other suppliers launched an ad campaign and hard and train twenty one pilots. Forty two support personnel, nine ramp agents and thirty. Eight hostesses problem, forgetting something that's impression but what are you planning to do about the new restraining order that Braniff is obtained against? You ha What restraining order? The one that says you won't be allowed to fly on June eighteenth. This is breaking used the southwest president he abruptly ends the interview and speeds to love field. Where Keller we'll be arriving from Washington before flying on de San Antonio he's Keller, her in the crowded rushes to hurt you gotta, get asked there's another injunction. We go into servers on eighteen. Why

even have a change, clothes, Lamar, ok, fine get a ticket on Braniff too often? No, you don't airplanes zone, the tarmac right! Now you get on that route to Austin, get yourself in front of the Supreme Court there and come up with some damn thing to tell him: okay, Lamar I'll figure it out. I hope you will, but if it doesn't work, the sheriff shows up here on eighteen for some kind of restraining order, what do you recommend we do the mark? The sheriff shows up you push that burst blot out on top of him role, ride over that son of a bitch ITALY, tire marks on his back, it's been for you here's this has gone on long enough. Just get plain in the air, night at the law. Library Keller doesn't come up with much legal father, so he just reminds the with that they ve already ruled in South West Favour that works. Nineteen hours later, the captain and first officer

are shaking hands with Dallas Deputy mayor on the tarmac at love field, as all the pomp and circumstance the inaugural flight will see. There are no more king bands. No banners, no champagne corks popping, but also no sheriff three flight attendants board: the Boeing, seven thirty, seven there just two: paying passengers in one piece of czech luggage in the cargo hold the near de plain, takes off at seven a m right on time. Southwest Airlines is finally oft, the owners and crew are ecstatic the excitement, a short lived It won't be long for the airline, serious turbulence. You know I love anything that makes my life a little easier, remote health check. Ups curbside grocery pick up, take out delivered right to my door. Your customers

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Euro flight and Rollin Ching is in the co pilot seat. For the first morning flight from low feel to Houston, really ugly. I want over muses three months Sprint to get Southwest airlines operational king is changed. Idols to allow mused more freedom to run the company as he sees fit, it is no longer see YO but executive vice didn't of operations and a board member he's, also become certified to CO pilot is seven thirty seven and is, I need to work on a regular flight crew king sitting in the first officer, see lips a couple of switches and Whitney engines spin to roar in the early morning, Texas the ground through guy, the plain to the runway, the pilot pushes model Forward speed

Jim calls out the pre. Like Checklist Captain Wragge said not, we won rotate flights in the air said planes yank to the right like a dog and a leash. King shouts, reverse the rest are deployed and it's free a huge aerodynamic drag on one side of change plane so like having one engine push forward, while the other pulls it back. The thrust her can't be closed. The plane can't climb the pilot contacts, the control Tower Mayday, we ve gotta malfunctioning thrust. Her going you place clear, runaway plain turns back clean land safely, and no one is heard. The reverse thrusters check it. Deployed during maintenance. The night before closed manually and not fully locked in place. It is an inner suspicious start southwest director of flight operations. An American Airlines veteran response,

and by ramping up all the airlines safety procedures. Just me, softer king Scare in August nineteen, seventy one meal. king and the board meat to vote on a plan to accept delivery of a fourth Boeing seven, thirty, seven: two hundred boats is giving them a million dollar brake on the plane, as it did with the airlines first three planes, but it's still a bit risk for a money losing air carrier Muse pushes the long, you we're losing money at this point, but a fourth aircraft at a cost of four million dollars will allow, to offer more frequent service between doubtless in Houston. These men are pretty unflappable but one oil man is shaking his head released not sure it's already Lamar. We were virgin seventeen passengers per flight at twenty dollars per passenger. We need three. Eight paying customers on each flat to break even We cannot do that, and now you

by another playing man. makes no sense. I won't be a party to it The board likes the idea of more frequent service in votes in favour of buying the new playin, the oil man, which the board The fourth plain arrives in October Southwest Spine answer immediately: go into a tailspin they're, just aren't enough pass Here's to cover the costs of four planes: April. Nineteen. Seventy two, the situation is dire. Muse comes up with a desperate solution. Southwest can sell one plain to make payroll conserved. current schedule with just three planes. If it can turn its planes at the gate unload passengers than load new passengers and refuel much faster. How fast ten minutes

other airlines after a whole lot of tinkering if widdle their turnaround time down to twenty five minutes. Everyone is thinking the same thing. It's impossible Franklin, the airlines gruff forty five year old. Vice president operations believes can't be done. He expects It is planned to an incredulous, ground crew. Ok, our planes will pull up near the gate, but for the way that they can simply drive away without being pushed by tub instead of Gate Bridge passengers will board and deep layin using stares at both the fraud. the rear, the plane departing pet. Years, will be lined up on the tarmac even before the plane arrives. So soon, as one group gets off another get on. Banks will be unloaded in reloaded even before all arriving passengers are off the plane, tyres in systems will be checked while all is being added medicine

where's the lash new passengers on board, when other seated or not hostesses, will those a cabin doors and the plain of tax, bill. That's insane, there's no way! All of that can be done in ten minutes. Oh yeah! Well, if you can, these planes in ten minutes under a far all of you, then I'll go her another group a guys and if they can't do it off They aim to keep on fire people. Until I find someone who can do it, this is the way to save Southwest airlines. Ladies and gentlemen, Southwest Airlines welcomes you to Houston, we'll be at our gate momentarily. There will be two stairwells today. The tool used to deep blame one is at the front of the aircraft, the other at the rear. there's a moment of confusion among passengers who are accustomed to exiting in two directions:

ok. So here's your bag right that way Sandra I've gotta get these seeds clinking. Can you get those seat belts cross captain? Can you horses trash that Bin passengers get off in record time and do the passengers getting on within weeks of nailing the ten minute turn mused checks, the stat online departures or improving it first flight had to passengers by the end of eighteen? Seventy two: the airline boards three hundred thousand passengers southwest, is finally on a clear path toward profitability, its rivals, see the threat southwest posters and begin circling the fledgling airline looking for its weak spot. No southwest reserves are growing, but the cup still can't match their war chests on the next episode southwest competitors,

try to shoot their new rival out of the sky with rock bottom fares Southwest response well let's just say, for a while Southwest airlines was fuelled by booze, I'm wondering this is episode one of Southwest versus American for business wars, if you like So please give us a five star rating under review and be sure to tell your friends, subscriber Apple Pie cast Amazon, music, the wonder reactor wherever you're listening right now join one replacing the wonder, react to listen one week early and ad free. I'll find some links and offers more sponsors and the episode notes supporting them helps us keep offering our shows for free and other way you can for the shows by filling out a small survey at wondering, dot, com, slash survey and tell us which news stories you like to hear a quick note,

recreations you ve been hearing. In most cases, we can't know exactly what was said. Those scenes are dramatization but their based on historical research. I'm your host David Round Joke Winter wrote this story Karen Low is our senior producer and editor produced by Emily Frost Gate Young is our associate producer. Our producers Dave Shilling, sound designed by Kyle Randal, our exit producers are Jenny, Lauer, Batman and martial Louis created. or non Lopez, Bore wondering hey I might Corey the host of wandering show against the odds in our next season

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