DALLAS — Southwest Airlines is issuing an apology to the San Diego woman who was told she wasn't dressed appropriately on a San Diego to Tucson flight on July 3.

Southwest sent passenger Kyla Ebbert an apology, saying it was "very sorry" on a taping of the Dr. Phil Show Friday, and Southwest president Colleen Barrett was trying to reach Ebbert via telephone.

"We searched for the naked truth, gotten down to the bare facts and she kind of caught us with our pants down," Southwest chief executive officer Gary Kelly said Friday morning. "So we're apologizing and we're going to move on and hope we keep her as a good and valued customer."

Southwest has not disagreed with Ebbert's version of what happened.

Before the July 3 flight took off in San Diego, a Southwest employee objected to Ebbert's miniskirt, bikini and sweater outfit and asked her to get off the airplane or change into other clothes. She was allowed to stay on the flight only after agreeing to adjust her clothing.

A San Diego newspaper columnist first brought the incident to light last week. Then, Ebbert, her mother and an attorney appeared on NBC's Today Show Sept. 7 to complain of Southwest's treatment.

The column and Today Show appearance sparked a deluge of stories and Internet commentary about the incident, much of its negative against Dallas-based Southwest.

The controversy only intensified after another young woman said a Southwest employee in Las Vegas had forced her to wear a blanket over her short-skirted dress with a plunging neckline.

Southwest initially defended its actions without any apology, and Kelly said Friday that the carrier was surprised by the public reaction to what he described as "not a major issue. It's just one that captured the imagination of people."

Kelly, who had been out of town, was briefed on the controversy when he returned to Dallas headquarters Thursday, then acted Friday morning. Kelly acknowledged that the Ebbert affair "kind of caught us flat-footed" as the controversy "just exploded" over the last week.

"I don't think our people did anything wrong. I don't think Kyla in our evaluation of the facts did anything wrong. I don't think either party did anything wrong. But I do think we could have handled it from beginning to end this week better," Kelly said.

"She is a good and valued customer. So in the end, we felt we owed her an apology and just want to get this whole episode behind us. So we will reach out to Kyla and see if we can't keep her as a good and valued customer and move forward."

He added: "Obviously, it's a story that you can only chuckle at."

The text of the apology Southwest Airlines sent to passenger Kyla Ebbert to be read on a Friday taping of the Dr. Phil Show:

"From a company that really loves public relations, touché to you, Kyla. Some have said we have gone from wearing our famous hot pants to now having hot flashes at Southwest, but nothing could be further from the truth.

"As we both know, this story has great legs and it reminds us of the true issue here – you're our customer who did not get an apology. And Kyla, we're very sorry and we would love you to continue flying Southwest Airlines.

"It was never our intention to treat you unfairly, and again, we apologize. Our company is based on freedom, even if our actions may not have appeared that way."