Mother and daughter pilot a Southwest flight, say it's dream come true

A mother and daughter teamed up to fly a Southwest Airline flight - in the first instance of its kind in the 55-year history of the airline.

It was a proud Captain Holly Petitt who introduced her daughter, First Officer Keely Petitt, on Flight 3658 on July 23.

Videos and photographs of the duo on their maiden flight together have been shared widely on various social media platforms.


'I would like to introduce to you your first officer, a brand new member of the Southwest team of pilots, and my daughter, Keely Petitt," Captain Holly announced from outside the cockpit.

The daughter then comes out and waves to the passengers and hugs her mother, both smiling ear to ear. They then proceeded to fly from Denver to St Louis.

Captain Holly started out as a flight attendant who got the first experience of the cockpit while on a ferry flight and instantly decided to go for her pilot's licence.

"I had goosebumps, I was like this is it. This is what I want to do with the rest of my life," Holly said in one of the videos.

After getting her licence she joined Southwest, the world's largest low-cost carrier, and has been there for 18 years.

One day she took her three children up on an intro flight, and Keely too was hooked.

"I immediately just fell in love and knew this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life," Keely said.

After she became a pilot, this was a question he often faced: "Are you going to fly with your mom?"

Eventually she did get to fly with her mom, on Flight 3658 from Denver to St Louis. Marking July 23 as a very special day in their life.

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