Southwest Airlines has hired Randy Babbitt as senior vice president of labor relations.
Last December, Babbitt resigned as administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, following his arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
At Southwest, Babbitt will have responsibility for all negotiation and communication between the airline and the unions that represent 87% of Southwest employees.
Babbitt began his aviation career as a pilot, flying 25 years for Eastern Airlines. In the 1990s, he served as president of the Air Line Pilots Association, a union that today represents more than 50,000 pilots.