FILE - This July 17, 2019 record photograph shows Southwest Airlines planes astatine Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport successful Phoenix. Southwest Airlines President Tom Nealon, who was erstwhile seen arsenic a starring campaigner for CEO but was passed implicit this year, has retired. Southwest said Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, that Nealon, 60, volition inactive service arsenic an advisor focusing connected biology issues, including plans to trim c emissions. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

FILE - This July 17, 2019 record photograph shows Southwest Airlines planes astatine Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport successful Phoenix. Southwest Airlines President Tom Nealon, who was erstwhile seen arsenic a starring campaigner for CEO but was passed implicit this year, has retired. Southwest said Monday, Sept. 13, 2021, that Nealon, 60, volition inactive service arsenic an advisor focusing connected biology issues, including plans to trim c emissions. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File) (Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

DALLAS – Southwest Airlines President Tom Nealon, who was erstwhile seen arsenic a starring campaigner for CEO but was passed implicit this year, has retired.

Southwest said Monday that Nealon, 60, volition inactive service arsenic an advisor focusing connected biology issues, including plans to trim c emissions. In a connection issued by the airline, Nealon said helium was honored to person served Southwest successful respective jobs, particularly president, and looks guardant to taking connected a strategical role.

The hose said that Chief Operating Officer Mike Van de Ven, 59, has go president.

The institution declined to marque Nealon disposable for comment.

Nealon was erstwhile the airline's main accusation officer, but near and past rejoined Southwest successful 2016 successful a strategy role. In January 2017, helium was promoted to president, a presumption antecedently held by CEO Gary Kelly. That — on with Kelly's connection that he, Nealon and Van de Ven would signifier a three-headed bureau of the CEO — triggered speculation that Nealon would yet ascend to the apical job.

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But successful June, the Dallas-based hose announced that Robert Jordan, a Southwest seasoned who is presently enforcement vice president, volition become CEO upon Kelly's status adjacent February.

Kelly said Monday that the modulation to Jordan is “going highly well” and officials who grip finance, ineligible and exertion issues person begun reporting to Jordan alternatively of to Kelly oregon Nealon.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.