Dallas - Southwest Airlines Co.® (NYSE: LUV) announced today that it ranked #13 of the 500 companies on Forbes’ List of Best Employers for 2016. This is the second year of the Forbes’ List of Best Employers, with Southwest® moving up from 18 in 2015. “This ranking is really a recognition of the Employees of Southwest Airlines and the passion they show every day for offering the best in Hospitality to our Customers and to each other,” said Gary Kelly, Southwest’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer. “I consider myself fortunate to be a part of the Southwest Family, where my Fellow Employees are invested in a common goal, which is to connect people to what’s important in their lives…they’ve made it a calling and it’s terrific to be a part of such a strong Team.” America’s Best Employers are chosen by Forbes based on an independent survey from a vast sample of 30,000 American employees working for large or midsize companies. The employees participated anonymously through several online panels so they could openly state an opinion without influence from their employer. The survey has been conducted on companies from all industry sectors employing more than 1,000 employees in the United States. The recommended employers have been grouped into one or more of 25 industry sectors.