DALLAS (1080 KRLD) - The chief executive who led Southwest Airlines through the September 11 attacks has died. A spokesman says James Parker, 72, died Saturday after having dinner with friends.
Parker joined Southwest as legal counsel in 1986. He became chief executive in June of 2001, three months before the September 11 attacks.
Southwest was the only airline that remained profitable after the attacks.
"Jim's contributions to Southwest Airlines were many and immeasurable, and he valiantly led Southwest through one of the industry's most trying times in the wake of the tragic 9/11 attacks. Under Jim's Leadership, Southwest successfully navigated through this dark time, preserving the job security of our people while remaining profitable under the most unlikely of odds," current CEO Gary Kelly wrote in a statement, offering condolences to Parker's wife and family.
Parker retired in 2004.
Parker's death came three weeks after the death of Southwest Co-Founder Herb Kelleher.
"Herb was such an inspirational leader," Parker said in an interview earlier this month. "People know what a great businessperson he was."
Parker said Kelleher set him, other employees and Southwest up to succeed.
"Herb didn't make up a lot of rules for us to follow," Parker said. "He really believed if you just gave people the understanding of the mission we were trying to accomplish and the knowledge of how we were going to accomplish it, you could rely on people's good instincts to do the right thing."
Parker earned both his bachelor's and law degree at UT-Austin.
Kelly says the Southwest flag will fly at half-staff this week to honor Parker.
