Dhaka, Feb. 28 -- Images circulating online show a man walking down the aisle of a Southwest Airlines flight collecting trash from passengers, drawing widespread attention on social media.

There was nothing unusual about the act itself. What stood out was that the man holding the trash bag was not a flight attendant but the airline's chief executive officer, Bob Jordan.

Jordan, who has been with Southwest since 1988, became the carrier's sixth CEO in February 2022. He previously held 15 different roles within the company before assuming the top post.

In an interview with The New York Times, Jordan said assisting onboard is routine when he travels. He prefers an aisle seat so he can move around the cabin, serve snacks, collect trash, an...