SWA or DAL

[FDJ2]

Be careful what you wish for. SWA in bankruptcy would be all of your worst nightmares rolled into one. Besides, anyone can take all that information you post and get your doom and gloom. Here's one fact you forgot to post. Southwest is getting a new 737 every 10 days and paying CA$H. That's right $42,000,000 that we could leave to the bottom line if we chose to lease our airplanes. Just how many planes does Delta own?

Who said I was "wishing" for any of it. Those are just the facts. Ignore them at your own peril, not mine.

While SWA may be paying cash for some aircraft and its balance sheet is still relatively healthy, SWA is also beginning to pile on some debt at a rate of 12.4% in just the last year and SWA's cash position has plummetted 30.5% in just one year. Tack on the loss of a large part of SWA's fuel hedge advantage, with SWA's fuel costs skyrocketting by 41% year over year and SWA loss of its low cost employees with labor costs rising over 9.7% in just the last year, you don't have to be a brain surgeon to see where this is all going if something doesn't change.

 

[canyonblue]

While SWA may be paying cash for some aircraft.......

It's not "may" or "some", it's "is" and "all".

 

[canyonblue]

I know a SWA pilot and he tells me about his trips.

Bye Bye--General Lee

PM me his name, then I'll believe it.

 

[FDJ2]

It's not "may" or "some", it's "is" and "all".

and the band played on while the debt increased year over year 12.4%.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

Be careful what you wish for. SWA in bankruptcy would be all of your worst nightmares rolled into one. Besides, anyone can take all that information you post and get your doom and gloom. Here's one fact you forgot to post. Southwest is getting a new 737 every 10 days and paying CA$H. That's right $42,000,000 that we could leave to the bottom line if we chose to lease our airplanes. Just how many planes does Delta own?

The way the money is accounted for in investing activities at could be used by any airline to purchase aircraft. Instead at other companies instead of buying airplanes with that excess cash, they were funding employee pension plans. In fact SW is able to keep its casm so low because a significant portion of the operating expenses are passed along as investing activities rather than operation expenses. Things such as advertising, business supplies, ground equipment, employee vacation time... etc; of which all other airlines report that in operational expenses.

 

[YourPilotFriend]

It's not "may" or "some", it's "is" and "all".

You guys lease 83 airplanes.

 

[General Lee]

PM me his name, then I'll believe it.

Yeah, OK, and then I will give you my AMEX Platinum card number too.... His name is Hoot Gibson......

Do you really think I could come up with legs like that? Yeah, I just looked at your route map and made it up. If you don't know about days like that, you must be a sim guy scared to fly because you flew next to a T Storm once.. Gimme a break.... I gave you the exact legs.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[puddlejumper101]

You guys lease 83 airplanes.

check and see who is the company leasing them to SWA...I believe there is quite a "relationship" with those that provide our leases. From what I have been told those airplanes are owned by a company directly related to Herb and friends. Just an attempt to "incur" debt on paper. SWA is determined to "dirty" up it's balance sheet...it has to. A company with no debt is actually in danger...and management has to find a way to incur debt. Trust me what the numbers say and what is really going on is very different. Just like taxes...the more you can deduct...the less you pay...even if you have to find a way to fabricate it. Companies do this all of the time...especially when the threat of a hostile takeover is out there. I would not be surprised if SWA incurred way more debt this year...even in the form of another airline. UAL and CAL are in debt to their eyeballs...yet look at their stock.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Isn't Hoot an ex shuttle astronaut? I know that he did go to SWA.

 

[FDJ2]

UAL and CAL are in debt to their eyeballs...yet look at their stock.

Have UAL and CAL depleted 30% of their cash in one year, are they paying 40% more for fuel and have their employee costs gone up 9.7% year over year?

 

[StopNTSing]

That is a lie. I know a SWA pilot and he tells me about his trips. He is based in OAK, and he read me off the long 4 day, which included one day-- OMA--STL--MCO--BWI--ALB. The day before he went OAK--LAX---LAS--ABQ--PHX--OMA. Ridiculous. No thanks. I usually go ATL--STT--ATL, and enjoy the tropical breeze for the 1 hour sit down there. It really is nice.


Bye Bye--General Lee

OAK has traditionally had among the worst schedules of any of our domiciles (save DAL-Love). Ask a BWI or MDW-based crew about their last trip and it will sound a whole lot better (i.e. more long-hauls).

I've heard all the arguments, General, but I'm still certain my Dad can take your Dad.

 

[Itsallsogood]

Stay in ATL. Dump the wife.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

That is a lie. I know a SWA pilot and he tells me about his trips. He is based in OAK, and he read me off the long 4 day, which included one day-- OMA--STL--MCO--BWI--ALB. The day before he went OAK--LAX---LAS--ABQ--PHX--OMA. Ridiculous. No thanks. I usually go ATL--STT--ATL, and enjoy the tropical breeze for the 1 hour sit down there. It really is nice.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Not too smooth General. I can tell you that you don't have the full story. Argue all you want about it, but you can't infer all flying at a company with one dude's junior pairing in one domicile. If you pick a better domicile, get a little seniority or work on the weekends instead of during the week, the trips are better. Just like we can't assume all Delta pilots have your sweet schedule. I know a few and they don't have it so good.

Glad you got the good turns. There a more than a few Delta dudes that weren't furloughed and are now at SWA and they are generally happy. Glad you are happy.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Can I ask a question????

who cares?

If a DAL dude doesn't want to fly one type their whole career.....it's a good thing he/she is at DAL.

If a SWA dude wants to fly 6 legs a day (if that was always the case at SWA)....it's a good thing he/she is at SWA.

WHO CARES??????????????????

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Have UAL and CAL depleted 30% of their cash in one year, are they paying 40% more for fuel and have their employee costs gone up 9.7% year over year?

How many of these "other" airlines bought over 100 new airplanes the last 3 years...and will do the same the next three years?

The settlement of hedges had to come out somewhere. I know many want to be the first to call the start of SWA's decline, but I think reports of the death of SWA's cost structure are premature.

How hard would it be to stop the flow of cash by taking delivery of the '700s and selling them to the highest bidder?? Didn't SWA do some stock buybacks too?? Cash flow is hardly under threat.

Yeah, leasing 80 or so mostly older -300s. Who's going to buy those when they get used up anyway?? May not be optimal, but it is hardly a problem. They are a small percentage of the soon to be 518 plane fleet at the end of 2007.

Good try...but don't give up. Just try harder if you want anyone to believe your assertions.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Here, let me help with some real SWA bashing....

If you believe oil will fall under $50/barrel for a significant period of time, SWA just reduced their cash for no good reason. It's a bet and betting doesn't always work out as planned

Anyone else notice SWA says "a significant number of 737-300's" when discussing how many will get winglets? Does that mean some will be sold in the near future??

From the SWA annual report:


Fuel and oil expense per ASM increased 46.2 percent (in 2006), net of hedging gains, primarily due to a significant increase in the average jet fuel cost per gallon. Although the Company's fuel hedge position was not as strong as the position the Company held in 2005, the Company's hedging program still resulted in the realization of $675 million in cash settlements during 2006. These settlements resulted in a 2006 reduction to Fuel and oil expense of $634 million. However, even with this hedge position, the Company's jet fuel cost per gallon increased 48.5 percent versus 2005. The average cost per gallon of jet fuel in 2006 was $1.53 compared to $1.03 in 2005, excluding fuel-related taxes and net of hedging gains. See Note 10 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. The increase in fuel prices was partially offset by steps the Company has taken to improve the fuel efficiency of its aircraft, including the addition of blended winglets to all of the Company's 737-700 aircraft. The Company has also announced it will install blended winglets on a significant number of its 737-300 aircraft, beginning in first quarter 2007.



The Company has benefited from the recent decline in energy prices and is currently 100 percent protected with fuel derivative instruments for its first quarter 2007 jet fuel purchase requirements. These instruments are at an average crude oil equivalent price of $50 per barrel, and the majority of these positions effectively perform like option contracts - allowing the Company to benefit in most cases from energy price decreases. Based on this protection and current market conditions, the Company expects its first quarter 2007 jet fuel cost per gallon to be in the $1.65 to $1.70 range, excluding the impact of any hedge ineffectiveness and derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting as defined in SFAS 133. As of mid-January 2007, the Company had fuel derivative contracts in place for approximately 95 percent of its expected fuel consumption for the remainder of 2007 at approximately $50 per barrel; 65 percent in 2008 at approximately $49 per barrel; over 50 percent in 2009 at approximately $51 per barrel; over 25 percent in 2010 at $63 per barrel; approximately 15 percent in 2011 at $64 per barrel, and 15 percent in 2012 at $63 per barrel.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

deleted.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

deleted

 

[canyonblue]

.. Gimme a break.... I gave you the exact legs.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Gimme a break, where are the 6 legs?

 

[bravodude]

Yeah, whatever jacka#@. Guess what? A lot of people don't want to do multiple legs in the same plane for the rest of their careers, they are already done with the regionals. Quoting directly from one of your FO's --"They work us like dogs..." You do your flying, and I will do mine, which includes options to do a lot of different types of flying. Congrats on your pay, which was a direct result of our pay rates at DL. Someday we will try to get back to your rates, as long as you can hold on to them. You never know.... And I do fly often, just turns mainly, which is ANOTHER thing your company doesn't really offer. (except maybe intra Texas maybe??) Turns to St Thomas and San Juan (which are in the Carribbean, you know, the water below Florida....) from ATL. Almost 8 hours of flying in a day, and still time to get on Flightinfo---every darn day. C ya.


Bye Bye--General Lee

The more you open your mouth the less respect I have for you! How can you even say a word on here when SW pilots make more than you do! I remember you ranting and raving like a little kid that the pilots at delta will never give up scope we will never give in to mgt. but guess what you did. If you need a big airplane to make you feel better go ahead have fun. Just don't forget to post on here how much fun it is to lay over in india or lagos I hear those armed escorts are a lot of fun. As for the SW folks why do you let him play you. Everybody that bashes SW wishes they were there! Who in their right mind would want to fly a 777 for less than a 737.