Hawaii entrant Southwest Airlines confirmed today that their CEO CEO Gary Kelly tested positive for Covid in a bizarre coincidence following a Senate hearing with airline execs. This was very poor PR timing at best, inasmuch as Kelly had just made a statement that he did not believe that masks mandates on planes were needed. Kelly was testifying before the Senate Commerce Committee Wednesday regarding the industry’s Covid bailout when he made that statement. Neither witnesses including Kelly, nor lawmakers, wore masks at that meeting.
How this impacts Southwest Hawaii’s winning streak is unclear. But it comes on a day when Covid cases just skyrocketed back to near-record numbers yet again, with an additional 797 infections reported by the Hawaii Department of Health.
SWA spokesperson said, “Gary tested positive for COVID-19 after returning home, experiencing mild symptoms, and taking a PCR test. Gary is doing well and currently resting at home, he has been fully vaccinated and received the booster earlier this year. Gary’s symptoms continue to be mild, and each day he is moving closer to a full recovery.”
Apparently, the other airline executives who were present have not tested positive following the hearing at which senators asked about a variety of issues including both airline vaccination and mask mandates.
At the hearing, unmasked Kelly said “I think the case is very strong that masks don’t add much if anything in the air cabin environment.” Hawaii-longtime airline American Airline’s CEO appeared to say that he too felt masks were unnecessary onboard, although he later issued a statement that he “did not intend to cast doubt on the necessity of face masks on planes.”
In an interesting anecdotal comment, Catherine just said with regards to flying, masks, and Covid, “We flew from the mainland to Oahu on Hawaiian Airlines. Two sick coughing, crying kids under the vaccination age sat across the isle from us. I wore my N95 and “double masked” until the hours long crying and coughing stopped. My husband only wore a surgical mask and was more casual about removing the mask for his beverage. He now has tested positive covid that presented 5 days after the flight. We are both double vaccinated and boosted. Was it my mask that saved me? I don’t know, I think so.”
Hawaii travel is just returning to recovery at a time when more cases of Covid are rearing their heads again, both on the mainland and here in Hawaii.
It isn’t clear how this may influence Southwest customers both in Hawaii and those flying to Hawaii. The announcement comes just on the heels of yesterday’s announcement: Southwest Hawaii Extends Booking Schedule | Summer Fares 50% Off and concurrent with competitor Hawaiian’s Flash Sale | Hawaiian Airlines Deals | 15 Routes $84.
What’s your take and does this change your feeling about flying Southwest Hawaii one way or the other?
Masks are a red herring. There has never been a national standard or criteria signifying mask efficacy or requirement. Instead people can wear a bandana or whatever . . . This was the first heads-up in the government not treating Covid as a deadly disease (for those without co-morbidities) over a year and a half ago.
The CEO of SWA got Covid because he wasn’t wearing a mask after having being fully vaccinated including booster? You can’t make this stuff up nor can you have it both ways !
There you have it! Masks do work. Personally, we make a regular 5-6 week trip to Tampa each year for the past 8 years. Each of the first 6 years I’ve caught a cold, one a bad cold that lasted over a month until I got antibiotics before our flight back home to Hawaii. Last year, this past August (on a quick stay in Tampa) and now while here in Florida I’ve worn a mask. No cold!
Just a little research, how about Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, will add to upper managements understanding of what COVID-19 is and how to safeguard the millions of fliers they are impacting when promoting a proven infectious method, specifically no mask mandates. It’s a shame people in power don’t take care of the very person’s they are entrusted to keep alive in more ways than one.
It’s difficult to get covid on the aircraft because of the Hepa filter system on the aircraft. However, the airport is a different story and it’s very easy to get covid there. Small children usually cry on aircraft because, of the change in altitude when flying. That ear popping thing hurts babies badly and it’s not a good idea to put your child through that. I don’t understand why parents would give their child such pain.
Aloha Guys
Seems to me the Covid case numbers should be number of hospitalizations and not include the mild positive tests. It sounds like the OMG variant may be milder. if you are vaxxed you are relatively safe, others have survived and have some immunity, if not vaxxed it’s your choice and the new Pfizer drug sounds effective. It’s time to start realistically moving on and learn to live with this rather then keep fighting among ourselves.
I should clarify I don’t think it’s quite yet time to make masks optional on airplanes. Wearing them in crowded scenarios is still needed to slow the new variant until we get through this surge. If everyone was vaxxed it wouldn’t be necessary obviously but that’s not possible. Kelly’s pandering to the anti mask faction is just one more example of SWA’s disrespect towards Hawaii.
I will only fly one airline to Hawaii and that’s Hawaiian. They are very diligent to keeping an eye on their passengers and make sure they are following protocol.
I have to keep that in mind. On our recent SWA flights (to/from Hawaii included) the flight attendents ranged in their diligence in checking on masking.
There’s a difference between Hawaii (Aloha means caring for others) and Texas (my freedoms are more important then anything).
Not saying Freedom isn’t important but Hawaii is unique and there is still plenty of the Aloha spirit that makes it so.
I’m a little pressed to understand how repeating the same measures that thrice before have not measurably retarded the virus are the answer for this iteration. In my mind it seems an odd manner in which to move toward progress.
What is it about us that compels us to cling to things that demonstrate lack of success?
Perhaps it is because we can never determine failure if we cannot define success.
For the record Heyward Hawaii has been very successful at mitigating death and suffering from the virus. Interesting enough many many businesses have survived, innovated and made themselves stronger Also unemployment levels are very low here. These times have been very tough and I’m not minimizing the many who are struggling, but we will come out of this stronger with a bright future. Just like every other crisis this country has faced. We recover and thrive.
Hi JOHNW
I am happy to read Hawaii is doing well.
However, I do think we will only be allowed to know this with complete certainty when the elephants tire of their dance, turn off the COVID music, and loudly announce to we ants they have single-handedly won the battle with the virus.
Good news is when the nfl has the pro bowl on Oahu all the players will have had covid and the three therapy shots. So we got that going for us which is nice 🙂