Seventeenth   
ANNUAL REPORT 1956 
40-PASSENGER FAIRCHILD F-27 TURBO-JET 
SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS 
 Santa 
. . 
~.... SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS 
~ d ~  . 
p ~--~~ 
, , 
__ 
alemft. 
I \\ 
I ' 
I ', 
/ 
~ 
Bend-Redmond 
I I 
/ I 
I 
I 
I - 
,~ 
A 
Klamath Falls 
J 
S') Boise 
I \ 
~I -~ 
' ,, 
---- 
" If 
~:..,emucca 
T 
\ , , Elko 
\ . 
,, ---~ 
\ I -- ~ 
 / Salt Lake City 
- eno 
- - Ely 
,ame,to ' " ' 
l , 
esto,#/ \ 
l , 
Fresno 
,, \ 
' 
I 
I 
Paso Ro 
San Luis Ob 
\ 
Santa Ma 
Santa Bar 
Elt'isting Routes 
Proposed Routes . 
- - -   - - 
Navy Contract            
 
 
  
 
SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS COM 
Gener~f Oflices: 
OFFICERS 
John H. Connelly . . . . President and General Manager 
T. R. Mitchell . . . . . Executive Vice-President 
* Alwin W. Johnson . . . . . . . Vice-President and Treasurer 
Treasurer 
Vice-President-Traffic and Sales 
Vice-President-Public Relations 
Secretary 
*Resigned 12/31/56 
E. Roger Dahl (Elected Sept. 19 57) 
R. E. Costello . 
Max A. King . . . 
Walter Roche . . . 
Floyd Hendrickson . 
B O A R D 0 F 
. Assistant Secretary 
DIRECTORS 
Leland Hayward, Chairman 
Bert Allenberg 
John H. Connelly 
* Alwin W. Johnson 
T. R. Mitchell 
R. E. Costello (Elected June 19J7) Daniel O'Shea 
Walter Roche 
Floyd Hendrickson 
William B. Smullin 
AUDITORS 
PRICE WATERHOUSE & CO. 
120 Montgomery Street, San Francisco, California 
REGISTRAR 
Bank of America 
300 Montgomery Street 
San Francisco 
TRANSFER AGENT 
Crocker-Anglo National Bank 
1 Montgomery Street 
San Francisco 
1 
 . 
 SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS 
...... 
A D EC ADE 0 F PRO GRE SS 
1947 
1948 
1949 
19 50 
19 51 
1952 
1953 
19 54 
1955 
1956 
1947 
1948 
1949 
1950 
1951 
1952 
1953 
1954 
1955 
1956 
F I N A N C I A 
Total Operating 
Revenues Expenses 
$2,214,961 $2,172,077 
2,363,753 2,283,989 
2,398,580 2,263,878 
2,213,745 1,968,883 
2,390,964 2,352,265 
2,883,069 2,740,413 
3,271,655 3,401,012 
3,455,519 3,185,691 
4,228,022 4,056,575 
5,225,736 5,154,251 
A 
II IJ 
~~~ 
OPERATIONS A N D 
Revenue 
Miles 
Flown 
1,854,117 
2,363,827 
2,419,695 
2,375,224 
2,526,630 
2,716,503 
2,845,172 
2,563,039 
3,316,457 
4,048,797 
Number of Passengers Carried 
Scheduled 
Service 
83,994 
97,424 
114,573 
118,860 
135,158 
164,281 
178,817 
180,715 
236,083 
259,522 
Charter 
Etc. 
1,082 
530 
1,345 
3,111 
2,663 
776 
9,549 
23,099 
32,535 
29,718 
Total 
85,076 
97,424 
115,918 
121,971 
137,821 
165,057 
188,366 
203,814 
268,618 
289,240 
* See President's report opposite page, 5th paragraph, regarding temporary rates 
2 
L 
Non- Net 
Operating Profit 
Income or (Loss) 
(Expense) After Taxes 
$ (37,403) $ 5,481 
(15,602) 28,062 
(481) 81,143 
(16,856) 135,473 
56,932 73,231 
(3,942) 86,714 
(14,596) (90,812) 
(39,089) 126,739 
16,8 5 5 115,518 
(48,230) 5 ,010': 
TRAFF I C 
Seat Miles-Schedule Service 
Load 
Available 
38,627,001 
49,356,216 
50,399,055 
48,546,414 
51,216,039 
56,621,670 
63,007,173 
57,528,963 
79,005,186 
107,084,154 
Sold 
15,160,237 
17,783,649 
20,947,484 
22,236,008 
26,332,303 
3 1,133,636 
34,763,675 
34,842,303 
47,131,928 
55,917,208 
Faaor 
or % Sold 
39.25% 
36.03 
41.5 6 
45.80 
51.41 
54.99 
5 5 .16 
60.56 
59.66 
52.22 
 
 
 
  
 
 
PRESIDENT'S REPORT 
TO OUR STOCKHOLDERS, EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS 
Although Southwest Airways Company began op- 
erations in  19 3 9 and inaugurated its initial airline 
activity as a scheduled freight air carrier for the U. S. 
Army 16 years ago ( 1941), it was not until 1946 
that the Company was certificated as a scheduled pas- 
senger airline by the Civil Aeronautics Board. The 
statistical record of these past 1 O years as a certifica- 
ted air carrier is reflected on the page opposite to this 
letter so that the Company's 6 5 9 stockholders, 460 
employees, its customers, suppliers, and friends may 
study the past decade, note the trends, and view the 
future. We trust that these figures are presented 
clearly and briefly to enable quick interpretation. 
At present your company is operating a fleet of 7 
Martin 44-passenger aircraft; 11 DC-3 28-passenger 
aircraft; and 1 Lockheed 8-place charter plane. On 
February 15, 19 5 7, an order was placed with Fair- 
child Engine & Airplane Company for three F-27 
turbo-prop jet 40-passenger aircraft. Spare Rolls 
Royce Dart turbo-prop jet engines are also on order 
directly from Rolls Royce. Delivery of this equipment 
is due September 19 5 8, and necessitated the negotia- 
tion of a $2,600,000 loan with the Bank of America, 
San Francisco, California. 
Labor relations with our employees is on a pleas- 
ant! sound basis. Wages are comparable to the top 
scale of the industry and production efficiency is the 
highest. 
On January 19, 195 6, service was inaugurated over 
the new San Francisco-Los Angeles segment via San 
Jose and Bakersfield. Since that date this route has 
steadily developed and at present is one of the strong- 
est segments of your company's system with a pas- 
senger load factor of 61.1 % for the second quarter 
of 19 5 7. Off setting this splendid gain was the sub- 
stantial diversion of traffic attendant to the Civil 
Aeronautics Board decision, by a 2 to 2 vote, granting 
Santa Barbara and Monterey, United Air Lines serv- 
ice in competition with Southwest. This decision 
necessitates a substantial increase in Southwest's sub- 
sidy as your company is now splitting the traffic with 
United Air Lines between these points and the prin- 
cipal terminals, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and, 
also, of course, splitting at many other points hereto- 
fore jointly served by both companies and now con- 
nected by both to Santa Barbara and Monterey. 
As your company has been on a temporary mail 
rate since January 9, 1956, and as it has been the 
policy of the Civil Aeronautics Board to grant a 
carrier on a temporary rate a subsidy rate calculated 
to cover only the Carrier's break-even need without 
regard to profit, it is expected that the temporary 
rate as established may be increased to include a 
profit element when the final rate is resolved by the 
Board. We anticipate the final rate will be deter- 
mined late in 19 5 7 or early in 19 5 8, and, of course, 
be retroactive to January 9, 19 5 6. 
The year of 19 5 6 was a period of intensive route 
development which culminated in the 1957 award 
by the Civil Aeronautics Board of certification to 
Las Vegas, Nevada, via two routings; the 500 mile 
route, San Francisco-Las Vegas via San Jose and Bak- 
ersfield; and the densely-traveled 293 mile route, 
Burbank-Las Vegas. Service ever these route seg- 
ments will be inaugurated in October 19 5 7. 
During 1957, hearings before an Examiner of 
the Civil Aeronautics Board were held on the Com- 
pany's application to extend service North to Port- 
land and East to Reno, Salt Lake City, and Boise. 
This case may be decided early in 1958. Your com- 
pany's investment in route development should re- 
sult in a larger, stronger company in the years ahead. 
You, no doubt recall that at the Annual Stock- 
holders Meeting of June 4, 1956, the issue of chang- 
ing the Company's name to PACIFIC AIRLINES, 
was approved. The delay in effectuating the name 
change is attributable to the requirement of obtain- 
ing Civil Aeronautics Board approval. For this pur- 
pose a hearing was held July 23, 1957, before an 
Exam~ner of the Civil Aeronautics Board, and a de- 
cision should be forthcoming within the next six 
months. 
You will be pleased to know that Congress has 
again, as it did in the permanent certificate legis- 
lation last year, expressed its understanding of the 
importance of developing the local airlines by the 
passage of two important bills which were proposed 
by the local carriers: (1) in September 1957, the 
President signed a bill which provides that the Gov- 
ernment will guarantee private loans for flight equip- 
ment; ( 2) A bill permitting airlines to issue equip- 
ment trust certificates, a privilege heretofore granted 
only to railroads. These two bills are designed to ease 
the problem of financing badly needed replacements 
for obsolete DC-3 aircraft so that local carriers 
may efficiently and more profitably serve their rapidly 
expanding markets. 
Respectfully submitted, 
 . rJIITHWEST AIRWAYS 
- --- ~ 
A S S E T S 
Current Assets: 
Cash 
Accounts receivable: 
U. S. Goverment-mail, passengers 
and other ......... .. ........ . 
Traffic and agents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Insurance claims receivable .. . .... . 
Miscellaneous, less allowance for pos- 
sible losses in collection ( 19 5 6- 
$2, 692; 195 5-$467) ...... . .. . 
Employees .... .. ... .. ......... . 
Inventories of materials and supplies 
and motor fuel, at approximate cost, 
not in "excess ot'fflarket . . . . . . . . . . . 
Prepaid expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Insurance Claims Receivable 
Property and Equipment, at cost 
Flight equipmen.t-pledged under note 
payable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Ground and other equipment . . ... . . . 
Less-Accumulated depreciation . 
Construction in progress . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Investments in Stocks of Service 
Organizations, at cost 
Def erred Charges: 
Extension and development expense .. 
Other ............ . .... . .. . .... . 
A L A 
December 31 
1956 1955 
$ 114,011 
689,596 
286,157 
26,041 
4,834 
206,94~# 
119,873 
$ 1,447,457 
$ 3,736,446 
561,455 
$ 4,297,901 
1,765,020 
$ 2,532,881 
81,080 
$ 2,613,961 
$ 
$ 
4,321 
34,230 
164,795 
$ 199,025 
$ 4,264,764 
$ 188,004 
188,796 
247,845 
178,758 
28,757 
3,143 
,184,~ 
t-23 
68,800 
$ 1,088,226 
$ 751,078 
$ 2,442,432 
300,304 
$ 2,742,736 
1,461,432 
$ 1,281,304 
24,260 
$ 1,305,564 
$ 
$ 
4,321 
15,814 
25,041 
$ 40,855 
$ 3,190,044 
s 
  
  
E T 
LIABILITIES 
Current Liabilities: 
Notes payable to bank, including cur- 
rent instalments on long-term debt 
Accounts payable .... . ...... . 
Taxes collected or withheld from 
others .... . ..... .. ..... . 
Accrued expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Transportation sold, not yet used or re- 
funded . . .................. . . . 
Federal taxes on income (estimated) .. 
Lon-g-Term Debt: 
Notes payable to bank - secured by 
chattel mortgage on flight equip- 
ment (Note A): 
4% notes maturing  in monthly in- 
stalments to December 15, 1960 ... 
Conditional sales contrac'ts,  payable 
through 1958 ............ ..... . 
Provision For Federal Income Taxes of 
Future Years 
Capital Stock and Surplus: 
Common stock: 
Authorized, 10, 0 U O ,0 0 0 shares of 
5 0c par valut per share 
Issued, 671,410 shares . ... . ... . .. . 
Paid-in surplus .................. . 
Earnings retained for use in the bus- 
iness, per accompanying statement 
(Note A) ... ............. . . .. . 
SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS 
(AN ARIZONA CORPORATION) 
December 31 
1956 1955 
$ 335,210 
1,029,379 
79,985 
134,545 
28,876 
53,821 
$ 1,661,816 
$ 857,000 
3,187 
$ 860,187 
$ 136,456 
$ 335,705 
246,324 
1,024,276 
$ 1,606,305 
$ 4,264,764 
$ 132,000 
597,777 
69,674 
79,854 
22,678 
72,658 
$ 974,641 
$ 434,000 
8,397 
$ 442,397 
$ 171,711 
$ 335,705 
246,324 
1,019,266 
$ 1,601,295 
$ 3,190,044 
 . 
. SOUTHWEST AIRWAYS 
--- 
STATEMENT 0 F EARNINGS 
Operating revenues: 
Passenger .... , .. ... . ........... . ............ . 
Mail .. . . . ..... . . .. .......... . .... .. ... ..... . 
Charter and contract operations .. . . ............ . 
Express, freight and excess baggage ... .. ......... . 
Other .................................. ... . 
Federal subsidy (Note B) 
Operating expenses: 
Flying operations . . .. . . ... ........... .. ..... . . 
Flight equipment maintenance ................. . 
D . . fl' h . 
eprec1at1on on 1g t eqmpment .... ... ....... . . 
Ground operations ........ . ....... ........... . 
Ground and indirect maintenance .. ... .......... . 
Passenger service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Traffic and sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Advertising and publicity ....... : . . ....... . ... . . 
General and administrative ........ . .... . ... . ... . 
D . . d . 
eprec1at1on on groun eqmpment .... ......... . 
Opera ting income 
Other (income) and expenses: 
Interest . ......... . ...... . ...... . ..... . ..... . 
Extension and development . .. . : ...... ......... . 
Net (gain) or loss on disposition of assets .. .. .. .. . . 
Other, net ................ . .. ... ............ . 
Estimated federal income taxes 
Net earnings before extraordinary credit ... . ... . . . 
Extraordinary item: 
Excess of insurance recoverable over carrying value 
of replacement parts, etc. destroyed by fire, less 
estimated federal income income taxes $7,000 .... 
Net earnings for year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 
Earnings retained for use in the business: 
Balance, beginning of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Excess of insurance recoverable over net book value of 
equipment destroyed by fire, less provision for fed- 
eral income taxes of future years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
Balance, end of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 
'' See 5th paragraph of President's report on page 3 
6 
Year Ended December 31 
1956 1955 
$ 3,129,855 
102,496 
224,101 
95,855 
21,417 
$ 3,573,724 
1,652,012 
$ 5,225,736 
$ 1,583,351 
847,228 
264,646 
$ 2,695,225 
$ 753,179 
309,442 
211,185 
546,390 
193,828 
400,023 
44,979 
$ 2,459,026 
$ 5,154,251 
$ 71,485 
$ 2,781,027 
74,259 
293,683 
94,851 
19,390 
$ 3,263,210 
964,812 
$ 4,228,022 
$ 1,287,113 
554,057 
184,450 
$ 2,025,620 
$ 641,880 
291,425 
177,120 
446,009 
107,615 
314,456 
52,450 
$ 2,030,955 
$ 4,056,575 
$ 171,447 
$ 45,902 $ 27,786 
$ 
$ 
$ 
$ 
7,243 21,058 
(2,497) 621 
(2,418) (14,395) 
48,230 $ 35,070 
....;...._ 
__ 
..:.__ 
23,255 $ 136,377 
18,245 65,784 
5,010 $ 70,593 
44,925 
5,010* $ 115,518 
1,019,266 745,246 
158,502 
$ 1,024,276 $ 1,019,266 
 
 
 
  
 
 
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 
December 31, 1956 
NOTE A: 
Notes payable at December 31, 19 5 6 comprised the follow- 
ing: 
Unsecured 4  % loans, paid in August 19 5 7 
Secured 4 % loans under loan agreement dated 
January 3, 1956 .......................................... . 
Conditional sales contract .............................. . 
150,000 
1,037,000 
8,397 
$1,195 ,397 
On May 1, 1957, the 1956 loan agreement was superseded 
by a new agreement and the balance of $962,000 owing at that 
date was converted to the following secured loans: 
5 % loan payable in monthly instalments of 
$15,000 to June 15, 19 58............................ 412,000 
5 % loan payable in monthly instalments of 
$30,000 from June 15, 1958 to June 15, 
1963. Under the loan agreement the Com- 
pany may borrow from time to time on 
or before September 30, 1958, an additional 
$2,050,000  550,000 
$ 962,000 
An additional $145,787 has been borrowed since May 1, 1957 
under the 19 5 7 foan agreement. 
Under the terms of the 1957 loan agreement, the Company 
has agreed that it ( 1) will not, without the prior written con- 
sent of the bank, pay any dividends in cash or purchase, re- 
deem or otherwise acquire for value any of its outstanding 
shares, and (2) beginning January 1, 1958 will maintain current 
assets at least equal to current liabilities and beginning July 
1, 1959 will maintain current assets in excess of current lia- 
bilities by at least $100,000; for the purpose of these compu- 
tations current instalments of the loan are to be excluded from 
current liabilities. 
NOTE B: 
On July 26, 1957 the Civil Aeronautics Board increased the 
temporary rate of pay which the Company is to receive for 
transportation of mail on and after January 9, 1956. As a re- 
sult the Company received on August 5, 1957 $357,342 of 
additional pay of which $228,570 applied to the period prior to 
January 1, 19 5 7 and has been included in the accompanying 
financial statements. The temporary rate as established may be 
more or less than the final rate which will be eventually 
established by the Board. 
NOTE C: 
The Company has contracted for the purchase of three 
Fairchild F-27 aircraft for delivery during June and July 
19 5 8. The cost of the aircraft together with spare parts will 
be approximately $1,790,000 on which an advance payment 
of $90,000 was made in May 1957. An additional payment of 
$150,000 will be required in 19 57 and the balance will be 
payable in 1958. 
The Company also has contracted to purchase from Rolls- 
Royce Limited four spare engines for Fairchild F-27 aircraft 
for delivery during February and March 1958; cost will be 
approximately 66,500 sterling. An advance payment of ap- 
proximately $56,000 was made in July 1957 and the balance, 
approximately $130,000 at current rates of exchange, will be 
payable upon delivery. 
NOTE D: 
In 1956, the Company agreed with the Air Line Pilots As- 
sociation to create a retirement plan for pilots effective as of 
April 1, 1956. The plan is to be insured and based on data fur- 
nished by an insurance company, the past-service costs of the 
plan are estimated to be approximately $190,000. As at De- 
cember 31, 19 5 6 provision of $21,525, not deductible for tax 
purposes in 19 5 6, had been made in the accounts with respect 
to pension liability; this amount represents the current service 
1,:ost for the period from April 1 to December 31, 19 5 6 plus 
the portion of estimated past-service liability applicable to this 
period on a ten-year payment basis. 
7 
 NEW./ service to 
LAS VEGAS 
COACH FARES* 
MONEY-SAVING EXCURSION FARES* 
ALL-EXPENSE TOURS 
*Subject to C. A. B. Approval