Policy on Shareholder Rights Plans
1. Southwest Airlines will seek shareholder approval prior to its adoption of a Shareholder Rights
Plan, unless the Board, in the exercise of its fiduciary duties and with the concurrence of a
majority of its independent directors, determines that, under the circumstances existing at the time,
it is in the best interests of Southwest Airlines and its shareholders to adopt a Shareholder Rights
Plan without delay.
2. If a Shareholder Rights Plan is adopted by Southwest Airlines without prior shareholder
approval, such plan must provide that it shall expire unless ratified by the shareholders within one
year of adoption.
3. The Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee shall review this policy statement at
least on an annual basis and report to the Board of Directors with any recommendations it may
have in connection therewith.
4. For purposes of this Policy, the term “Shareholder Rights Plan” refers generally to a plan
providing for the distribution of preferred stock, rights, warrants, options or debt instruments to the
shareholders of Southwest Airlines designed to deter non-negotiated takeovers by conferring
certain rights on shareholders upon the occurrence of a “triggering event,” such as an unsolicited
tender offer or third party acquisition of a specified percentage of stock.
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