From Houston comes word of a big change in the airline industry: the most important airline chief you've never heard of is stepping down and getting out. Larry Kellner, CEO of Continental Airlines for the past five years, leaves the carrier by new year. Kellner will be running a venture capital firm, removing himself even further from the spotlight.That was Kellner's trademark: no one thought of the man as the identity of the airline, in stark contrast with his predecessor, the larger- and louder-than-life Gordon Bethune. Everyone knew Bethune, and when he walked through an airport, folks ran up to Bethune, almost like the faithful flocking to a church leader, eager to kiss his ring.
But what Kellner did was extraordinary: he kept Continental in the top ranks of performers, both in financial and operational terms, he managed its transition from the SkyTeam to the star Alliance, and he avoided a rush to a merger. These days, survival is a major achievement, and Continental did a lot more than survive.
But what Kellner did was extraordinary: he kept Continental in the top ranks of performers, both in financial and operational terms, he managed its transition from the SkyTeam to the star Alliance, and he avoided a rush to a merger. These days, survival is a major achievement, and Continental did a lot more than survive.
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