Abstract

The caselet looks into the impact of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US aviation industry in general and Southwest Airlines in particular. The ways in which Southwest airlines tried to mitigate the problems that the downturn in the industry had created forms part of the caselet. The caselet also delves into the role played by senior management to maintain the morale of the employees at the organization.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• The impact of September 11, 2001 crisis on the aviation industry
• The role of organization culture in increasing the efficiency of the company
• and The role of leadership in building trust among the employees

Keywords

Southwest Airlines, September, 11, 2001 crisis, layoffs, culture, Herbert D. Kelleher, hub-and-spoke, point-to-point