DALLAS - Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) today was named to FORTUNE’s 2017 list of World’s Most Admired Companies. Southwest ranks #8, and is the only commercial airline among the Top 10. This is Southwest’s 23rd consecutive year on the list. “We are an admired Company because of our People, whose passion and love for the cause that is Southwest are the reasons we have appeared on this prestigious list for 23 consecutive years,” said Gary Kelly, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southwest Airlines. “This particular recognition is especially rewarding because it’s driven by input from leaders at other companies, and our folks take great pride in this achievement.” FORTUNE partners with Korn Ferry Hay Group, a global management consulting firm, and asked executives, directors, and security analysts from around the world to rate which companies they admired most. Voters were able to select any company in any industry that ranked in the top 25 percent of last year’s survey, along with those that finished in the top 20 percent of their industry.