Southwest expects to rebound from difficult 3rd quarter

[Remington]

Remember the commercials where the cool-aid pitcher dude comes busting thru the fence??? That was awesome.
Mega - find your friend yet?

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Insisting that his carrier has "a number of weapons to choose from," Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly told reporters and analysts at the company's Dallas headquarters this week that a 15% increase in year-end earnings remains a goal for both 2006 and 2007.

They now have to battle aggressive pricing pressure as well as keep current and future customers happy by offering greater incentives to stay with SWA. This is an absolute impossible task even if the pilots were working for free under the current model. In the short term they will have to outright lie to customers, which they are doing right now.

 

[TexaSWA]

In the short term they will have to outright lie to customers, which they are doing right now.

How?--

 

[atafan]

I was just wondering when everyone will realize "we be labor" and have nothing to do with what happens at the head shed of our own carrier, let alone someone elses.

BINGO!

That all depends.

If your airline is doing well then pilots think they are special because of all the extra thing they do like cleaning trash in the cabin or smiling at the paxs and giving cool PAs.

If your airline is not doing well then it's all managements fault.

I've never worked for an airline that the pilots didn't always go above and beyond and give 110% but pilots don't hire FAs and ticket agents, pilots don't shedule aircraft, pick routes, finance aircraft, buy fuel or anything for that matter and we don't hire fancy consultants and negotiate golden parachutes.

We fly airplanes efficiently, safely and use our gray matter to keep the airline moving exceptionally well, but that is only a small piece of the puzzle.

 

[SWA/FO]

We have acquired another aircraft from the Ford Company to keep up with our plans for growth. Like the first aircraft we purchased from Ford, this 737-700 was originally delivered from Boeing in 1998 and has low cycles making it a good fit for our fleet. Ford #2 will enter our service in late December configured with only 128 passenger seats, and non-SWA standard galleys and rear lavatories, until a first quarter 2007 transition visit where afterwards, both Ford aircraft will be reconfigured to SWA standards and have few visible differences to the SWA fleet.

[SIZE=+0]However, due to service demand, Ford #2 will initially enter into service and not receive our “Spirit” exterior paint until the transition visit. It will be flying with a white upper fuselage and tail and a blue lower fuselage with the “Southwest” decal on the tail until then. [/SIZE]

Here is another plane for you doubters.... we are even buying AMERICAN. Now we gots 2 Fords in the garage.

 

[MrPink1911]

were they hot?imp:

hot chick pilots are..... HOT!!!

 

[YourPilotFriend]

How?--

Booking phantom seats, the RR program is eligible for flights that don't exist, the no blackout days are actually blackout days, DING! software, the list goes on and on. Once SWA fuel hedges started to slide slightly last year the company instituted yield management controls. These insure the most seats are filled at the highest prices. SWA is leading passengers to believe they are the best airline to fly for, when in reality, they are certainly not.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Here is another plane for you doubters.... we are even buying AMERICAN. Now we gots 2 Fords in the garage.

What's that? SWA is buying American Airlines? Shouldn't a new thread be started for this?

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Who bought your type rating in the 737?

My old legacy carrier....who has made a trip through BK

Tejas

 

[TexaSWA]

Booking phantom seats, the RR program is eligible for flights that don't exist, the no blackout days are actually blackout days, DING! software, the list goes on and on. Once SWA fuel hedges started to slide slightly last year the company instituted yield management controls. These insure the most seats are filled at the highest prices. SWA is leading passengers to believe they are the best airline to fly for, when in reality, they are certainly not.

Not sure what a "phantom" seat is, but if you mean over booking flights, EVERYONE does that. Surely you dont need that explained to you. You lost me on the rapid rewards program and the flights that dont exist. Not sure what is wrong with the DING stuff, I dont use it.

All airlines have seats at different prices, and of course, its more difficult to get the cheapest ones (restrictions, advance booking etc.)

Its not that I dont think we could use a little make over in certain areas, but there is no conspiracy.

 

[BVT94]

were they hot?imp:

YEAHHHHH BOYYYYYYYYYYY!

 

[capt. megadeth]

maybe she will. did she tell you she ships everything on Fed Ex?

Yeah that was it!

 

[capt. megadeth]

At Southwest it's "COOL-aid" not kool-aid.

Cheezy! Cheezy! Cheezy!

Actually, I'm pretty sure it's HALLUCINOGENS!

 

[The_Russian]

My old legacy carrier....who has made a trip through BK

Tejas

Maybe you. But machzero can't seem to answer me.

Remember machzero,

"Before ya 'cuz me, take a look at 'yo self!"

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Not sure what a "phantom" seat is, but if you mean over booking flights, EVERYONE does that. Surely you dont need that explained to you. You lost me on the rapid rewards program and the flights that dont exist. Not sure what is wrong with the DING stuff, I dont use it.

All airlines have seats at different prices, and of course, its more difficult to get the cheapest ones (restrictions, advance booking etc.)

Its not that I dont think we could use a little make over in certain areas, but there is no conspiracy.

Lets say the airplane has 10 seats sold at $49 and the rest are other higher prices. The airline books passengers that don't exist to block the $49 dollar seat sales. It then oversells the higher price seats and puts those people in the $49 dollar seats where there never really was a passenger. If those tickets don't sell, then they re-release those seats at $49 bucks. They also do the same thing by blacking out when you can use your RR.

 

[Skyboy722]

Lets say the airplane has 10 seats sold at $49 and the rest are other higher prices. The airline books passengers that don't exist to block the $49 dollar seat sales. It then oversells the higher price seats and puts those people in the $49 dollar seats where there never really was a passenger. If those tickets don't sell, then they re-release those seats at $49 bucks. They also do the same thing by blacking out when you can use your RR.

Nice theory. Proof? Seems to me an airline couldn't get away with this for 35 years. You should tell all the other airlines about this. They wouldn't be in such a hurry to lower thier fares when WN enters a market. Heck, you could kill the Southwest effect entirely!

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Nice theory. Proof? Seems to me an airline couldn't get away with this for 35 years. You should tell all the other airlines about this. They wouldn't be in such a hurry to lower thier fares when WN enters a market. Heck, you could kill the Southwest effect entirely!

The only started doing this about 6 months ago.

 

[canyonblue]

This has got to be about the stupidest theory I have ever seen on how Southwest stays profitable. Make sure you tell Dateline, they would like to do a whole episode on this. As far as losing passengers, I'm sure you wouldn't dream they would leave your "passenger friendly" Northwest to fly SWA. Let's see, PHX-DTW twice a day is going great, just started DTW-BWI and get ready for DTW-MCO Daily nonstops after the New Year. I think someone in Dallas finally figured out where to get all the extra passengers, Ex-Northwest where the motto is "We're not happy 'til you're not happy". MSP to be announced soon!

 

[SWA/FO]

SWA is leading passengers to believe they are the best airline to fly for, when in reality, they are certainly not.

then tell us O' great PhD of airplanes, who is the best airline to fly for? I would hope that since you are the master of all you might be able to share an answer with us? Please factor in the companines that have not cut pay or bennies. Companies where the check continue to roll in..
That list should be real short.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

then tell us O' great PhD of airplanes, who is the best airline to fly for? I would hope that since you are the master of all you might be able to share an answer with us? Please factor in the companines that have not cut pay or bennies. Companies where the check continue to roll in..
That list should be real short.

I meant to fly on, not to work for. SWA is the best in terms of employment. However to keep that going it will be at the expense of the passengers.

 

[Porky]

What, rebound from difficult 3rd quarter. What happen, only made 100,000,000 this time. Poor little airline.:crying:

 

[YourPilotFriend]

This has got to be about the stupidest theory I have ever seen on how Southwest stays profitable. Make sure you tell Dateline, they would like to do a whole episode on this. As far as losing passengers, I'm sure you wouldn't dream they would leave your "passenger friendly" Northwest to fly SWA. Let's see, PHX-DTW twice a day is going great, just started DTW-BWI and get ready for DTW-MCO Daily nonstops after the New Year. I think someone in Dallas finally figured out where to get all the extra passengers, Ex-Northwest where the motto is "We're not happy 'til you're not happy". MSP to be announced soon!

The flight loads going PHX-DTW are running 91-104% today. Maybe they went to SWA becuase they couldn't find a seat on NWA. A walk on from NWA is $315 on SWA it is $319. Oh and NWA is non-stop, SWA has 1 to 2 stops. Also the PHX continues on to BWI, so you don't even have to get off the plane.

 

[capt. megadeth]

then tell us O' great PhD of airplanes, who is the best airline to fly for? I would hope that since you are the master of all you might be able to share an answer with us? Please factor in the companines that have not cut pay or bennies. Companies where the check continue to roll in..
That list should be real short.

Whatever one sees you through until you retire without raping you a few times along the way. I would cut out the arrogance if I were you because we have yet to see where SWA or anyone else (including UPS) will be in 30 years.

 

[scoreboard]

AND, end of thread, next!

 

[canyonblue]

Oh and NWA is non-stop, SWA has 1 to 2 stops.

Southwest Airlines Detroit to Phoenix 2 Non-Stops

FLT 1255 DTW-PHX, NS
FLT 340 DTW-PHX NS

LOWEST Walk up fare SWA $319.00, NWA $77.00 searched today

On SWA you have to make 3 stops to get from PHX to BWI.

Southwest Airlines Phoenix to Baltimore 5 Non-Stops

FLT 442 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1617 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1488 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1788 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1913 PHX-BWI NS

LOWEST Walk up fare SWA $319.00, NWA $126.00 searched today

You think maybe Northwest could charge a little more than Southwest? How does an airline who loses money charge these prices? And, where in the world do you get your information? 3 Stops? :laugh:

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Southwest Airlines Detroit to Phoenix 2 Non-Stops

FLT 1255 DTW-PHX, NS
FLT 340 DTW-PHX NS

LOWEST Walk up fare SWA $319.00, NWA $77.00 searched today



Southwest Airlines Phoenix to Baltimore 5 Non-Stops

FLT 442 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1617 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1488 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1788 PHX-BWI NS
FLT 1913 PHX-BWI NS

LOWEST Walk up fare SWA $319.00, NWA $126.00 searched today

You think maybe Northwest could charge a little more than Southwest? How does an airline who loses money charge these prices? And, where in the world do you get your information? 3 Stops? :laugh:

Yeah the three stops was through DTW I didn't check N/S PHX-BWI, I was wrong. You see Canyon what I'm talking about, NWA is fare matching the sales of SWA. It has $49 seats avialable, whereas SWA does not all the time. SWA advertises these fares and NWA does not. But it doesn't matter because my aunt tried to get a $49 fare to visit us in DTW on SWA, but they were all sold out within 5 min of the deal being issused back in september. Now that SWA has broken even on those flights, they have reopened the $49 seats. I know they do this because the legacies were doing it before they got the money from labor.
That's why I keep telling you guys to watch out. Especially since NWA will soon be doing LCC point to point international with the 787. The costs with that airplane are so low and the yields so high, we can literally give away free tickets on the routes we compete with SWA domestically. Why this is important is because once SWA is out of the way we can jack up prices and the exec's make billions on the backs of us.

 

[walkthasky]

jacka$$!!

We just wanted to have a party with you guys. We wanted to celebrate SWA's "Lowering of the Bar".

Thanks guys for the great party. Now its over.

you know what, there is just no point in arguing, all bow to the mighty russian who is most informed of this volatile industry that is impossible to predict.

In fact, here is my prediction:
1. fuel will go up, then down
2. carriers will go in bankruptcy, then out or gone
3. ticket prices will go up, maybe a lil down.
4. Wages will go up and down
5. folks on here will never stop bashing each other
6. blah blah blah
7. blah blah blah

there, now i feel like i fit on here

 

[canyonblue]

But it doesn't matter because my aunt tried to get a $49 fare to visit us in DTW on SWA, but they were all sold out within 5 min of the deal being issused back in september. Now that SWA has broken even on those flights, they have reopened the $49 seats.

This is new to you? Have you ever heard of yield management? The availability of $49 seats is ever changing, and based on loads and revenue will change right up until the time of departure. With loads running 91-104% on Northwest today, I hardly see the reasoning behind a $77 fare on Northwest to PHX. But Northwest management can't be wrong, I see how well they have done so far.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

This is new to you? Have you ever heard of yield management? The availability of $49 seats is ever changing, and based on loads and revenue will change right up until the time of departure. With loads running 91-104% on Northwest today, I hardly see the reasoning behind a $77 fare on Northwest to PHX. But Northwest management can't be wrong, I see how well they have done so far.

NWA doesn't make any money off it's domestic product usually.

 

[canyonblue]

NWA doesn't make any money off it's domestic product usually.

Well if I were working at an airline that is charging 75% less than Southwest, and I was working for 40% less pay, I'd have to question that logic.