Mother and Daughter Pilot Southwest Airlines Flight Together

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Southwest Airlines said a mother and daughter made history when they teamed up to pilot a flight on Saturday, July 23.

This footage shows Captain Holly Petitt telling passengers on the flight from Denver to St. Louis that she was flying the plane with her daughter, First Officer Keely Petitt. “This is a very exciting day for us and for Southwest Airlines,” Holly told the passengers. “We are the first mother-daughter duo ever on the flight deck of Southwest Airlines.”

Southwest Airlines said Keely decided she wanted to become a pilot at age 14, when she and her siblings received the gift of a discovery flight. “Keely began to pursue her passion for flying airplanes, earning her pilot’s license, and even landed an internship at Southwest in fall 2017,” Southwest Airlines said.

In a press release from the airline, Holly described flying with her daughter as a dream come true. “First, I found this career and fell in love with it, and then that one of my kids fell into this and in love with this career too. It’s surreal,” Holly said. Credit: Southwest Airlines Co. via Storyful

Video Transcript

HOLLY PETITT: I'm going to interrupt my normally scheduled briefing here for some exciting news. Today is a really special day for me. I would like to introduce to you your first officer, a brand new member of the Southwest team of pilots, and my daughter, Keely Pettit. Keely, come on out here.

[CHEERING]

So thank you all for being here. This is a very exciting day for us and for Southwest Airlines, a very special day. We are the first mother-daughter duo ever on the flight deck of Southwest Airlines. So thank you for being here.

[CHEERING]

I'm going to interrupt my normally scheduled briefing here for some exciting news. Today is a really special day for me. I would like to introduce to you your first officer, a brand new member of the Southwest team of pilots, and my daughter, Keely Pettit. Keely, come on out here.

[CHEERING]

So thank you all for being here. This is a very exciting day for us and for Southwestern Airlines, a very special day. We are the first mother-daughter duo ever on the flight deck of Southwest Airlines. So thank you for being here.