Southwest CEO taking pay cut as coronavirus wreaks havoc on airlines

Southwest Airlines Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly will reduce his salary by 10 percent as the coronavirus continues to impact the travel industry.

Kelly, who has led Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE: LUV) since 2004, told employees in an internal message March 9 that he’s taking the salary pay cut as the company is seeing “an alarming drop in bookings and sales due to the coronavirus,” a company spokesperson confirmed.

Kelly’s salary in 2018 was $750,000, according to an April 2019 regulatory filing.…