Outlook for SWA?

[Snaab]

As someone who desperately wants to be a part of SWA one day, I'm inquiring about the current outlook of the airline and how they are positioning themselves to stay competitive and grow.

I was talking to a friend recently who ran into a SWA f/o, and my friend picked his brain about what's up there. Anyhow, some concerns the f/o mentioned were: upgrade time was going to grow considerably, deliveries were slowing down a lot in '08, and no one is sure what'll happen when the 737 production line shuts down.

I always take rumors, etc., with a grain of salt, but I was curious what take SWA pilots have on this. It won't keep me from wanting to work there at all, but I wanted your candid point of view- just trying to stay informed. Thanks a lot!

 

[Daddy]

Plan on a 10 year upgrade if hired today with age 65

 

[General Lee]

Plan on the occasional LBB, MAF, AMA or HRL layovers. Plan accordingly: Bring some Mylanta.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Poahi]

Southwest is a great company. It's well run, it has a winner of a business model and has a relatively happy workforce. It has enjoyed a huge expansion that lasted many years and will be around for a long long time.
Having said that, the big picture is that SWA is going to slow down for a while. Fuel prices are rising beyond its control and at some point, SWA will lose pricing power. It's no secret that many of SWA's routes are unprofitable and the new leadership is going figure out a way to get costs under control and grow earnings. The best way to do that is to become more efficient and focus growth carefully.

Yes, upgrades will slow and I have some friends that are about to get some bad news, but if you like the airline, I would keep trying.

 

[Palomino]

Southwest is a great company. It's well run, it has a winner of a business model and has a relatively happy workforce. It has enjoyed a huge expansion that lasted many years and will be around for a long long time.
Having said that, the big picture is that SWA is going to slow down for a while. Fuel prices are rising beyond its control and at some point, SWA will lose pricing power. It's no secret that many of SWA's routes are unprofitable and the new leadership is going figure out a way to get costs under control and grow earnings. The best way to do that is to become more efficient and focus growth carefully.

Yes, upgrades will slow and I have some friends that are about to get some bad news, but if you like the airline, I would keep trying.

...as the playing field levels. i'm no MBA, but it's pretty simple. if operating costs increase (fuel, etc) then consumer prices increase.

soon all the airlines will have to charge what it costs to ship a human organism around the country. FedEx added a fuel surcharge long ago. time for the self-loading cargo to feel the pinch of the real world as well.

enough has come from the pockets and backs of the airline worker. charge what it costs to travel in an airplane. pretty simple.

 

[Poahi]

A level playing field will favor the network carriers. SWA used to be able to enjoy pricing power because it hedged fuel and the majors couldn't compete with low fares. As ticket prices rise, other carriers will put pressure on SWA. How much? We'll see.

In the past, as fuel prices rose, fares actually dropped as the airlines were trying to kill eachother over market share. I hope those days are behind us.

 

[328dude]

Plan on the occasional LBB, MAF, AMA or HRL layovers. Plan accordingly: Bring some Mylanta.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Ahhh, how cute. Look who's back from his trip. We missed you and your BullSh!t Genital. Once again, youv'e outdone yourself with your intelligent post's.



Atleast with SWA, you don't have to pay for your hotel room while in training and make a livable wage.

 

[General Lee]

Ahhh, how cute. Look who's back from his trip. We missed you and your BullSh!t Genital. Once again, youv'e outdone yourself with your intelligent post's.



Atleast with SWA, you don't have to pay for your hotel room while in training and make a livable wage.

Ah yes, ANC was great, again. I had some real Alaskan King Crab legs. Wow.

And yes, Delta makes you pay for your hotel or pad after the first two weeks, but then Delta pays for hotels at every hot spot in Europe, South America, Asia, and everywhere EXCEPT LBB, MAF, AMA, and HRL. If you want to see the world on someone else's dime, come to Delta. If you want the chance to see Midland or Lubbock, go to Southwest.

Have a great one 328 dude.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[PSL]

General:

I can't believe you sucked into these spats ...

After reading some of your posts which support your well reasoned approach on a variety of subjects ... you throw barbs about some of our RONs (LBB, MAF).

I have been doing the 121 Bag Drag for many years and have come to one irrefutable conclusion ... every carrier has +s and -s. So long as the paycheck clears I would fly a C150 for what I make to fly the 'guppie'.

Take the high road ... your BP will be better for it.

As it relates to our competitive position and business plan ... I know 1/100th of what I need to know to make a empirical conclusion on our future success ... but having experienced the SWA culture I feel confident we are well armed to excel.

I am happy DAL is on its way to recovery. I took no pleasure in watching my fellow pilots/friends give as much as was required by the 'Bankruptcy Process' only to watch some managements never let go of their sense of entitlement.

If you ever find yourself needing to go to LBB or MAF and I am signing the release ... let me know I will take you to a steak dinner that just might chance your mind about TX.

 

[General Lee]

General:

I can't believe you sucked into these spats ...

After reading some of your posts which support your well reasoned approach on a variety of subjects ... you throw barbs about some of our RONs (LBB, MAF).

I have been doing the 121 Bag Drag for many years and have come to one irrefutable conclusion ... every carrier has +s and -s. So long as the paycheck clears I would fly a C150 for what I make to fly the 'guppie'.

Take the high road ... your BP will be better for it.

As it relates to our competitive position and business plan ... I know 1/100th of what I need to know to make a empirical conclusion on our future success ... but having experienced the SWA culture I feel confident we are well armed to excel.

I am happy DAL is on its way to recovery. I took no pleasure in watching my fellow pilots/friends give as much as was required by the 'Bankruptcy Process' only to watch some managements never let go of their sense of entitlement.

If you ever find yourself needing to go to LBB or MAF and I am signing the release ... let me know I will take you to a steak dinner that just might chance your mind about TX.

Thanks. I probably won't go to any of those places, but I appreciate the offer. I have many great things to say about Southwest, like the great pay, the management (for now) and the fun stews. I just stated that there are a few things some of us would not want to do with Southwest, just like there are some people out there who don't want to see the world once a week. The problem I have had on this board is that there are some people on here who get livid if I state anything I don't like about Southwest. It is like I am going against their religion, and they are militants. Different airlines have different flying, and I recognize that, but others on here should take that into consideration when looking at future employement. That is all I am saying, not everyone wants to fly Southwest schedules, routes, or one aircraft type.

And, I would not want anyone to go through a BK. It was not fun and hopefully we will return to greatness soon. Also, you are welcome on our jumpseat to any INTL destination also, and if you are interested just PM me and I will give you the details. We also hit every major island in the Caribbean, along with Hawaii. Take care.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[EMBpilot]

Lots of young pilots + slow growth = pay the price, but if you live in the base it's worth it.

Lots of old guys + lots of growth = fast upgrade and good schedules, if you don't mind moving it's worth it even more.

See the World and variety of airplanes are bonuses, even for less (for now) money.

 

[737lj]

International Jumpseat?

Thanks. I probably won't go to any of those places, but I appreciate the offer. I have many great things to say about Southwest, like the great pay, the management (for now) and the fun stews. I just stated that there are a few things some of us would not want to do with Southwest, just like there are some people out there who don't want to see the world once a week. The problem I have had on this board is that there are some people on here who get livid if I state anything I don't like about Southwest. It is like I am going against their religion, and they are militants. Different airlines have different flying, and I recognize that, but others on here should take that into consideration when looking at future employement. That is all I am saying, not everyone wants to fly Southwest schedules, routes, or one aircraft type.

And, I would not want anyone to go through a BK. It was not fun and hopefully we will return to greatness soon. Also, you are welcome on our jumpseat to any INTL destination also, and if you are interested just PM me and I will give you the details. We also hit every major island in the Caribbean, along with Hawaii. Take care.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Are you telling me that I can sit on the cockpit jumpseat to Europe? This is truly great news, and the most important thing you have ever contributed to this forum. I didn't realize that the FAA/TSA had changed their stance and was allowing offline pilots to occupy the cockpit jumpseat on international flights. This is great news for us all - Thanks!

 

[Big Slick]

http://www.aviationplanning.com/SouthwestResearch.pdf

 

[Lowpayisgreat]

Ultra Low Cost Carrier

All pax 121 airlines will suffer as Virgin and Sky Bus bring a new business model to America. This will become clear many years from now. It wont matter which 121 company you are with. The consumer will buy the lowest ticket period. That means the company with the lowest CASM will win and every other company will try to lower theirs. To do so, it means employees will always be asked to give more. The business model is broken. Only stay at a pax carrier as long as it takes to get on with UPS or Fed Ex. The business model of the airlines is simple, the lowest fare on the day you want to travel wins. You don't have to be an MBA to figure it out. Southwest is the true examle of that for now, stand by for results as they loose there pricing power. What comes around goes around in every sector of business.

 

[LUVChild]

Fuel prices are rising beyond its control and at some point, SWA will lose pricing power.

Partially true.

Fuel prices are rising, and Southwest is feeling the pinch.

However, Southwest still has the lowest CASM ex-fuel in the business. In other words, if you were to take fuel out of the equation for all the airlines' CASM, Southwest would still have the lowest costs. So if all airlines were paying the same price for fuel, and there were no such thing as hedging, SWA would still have the lowest CASM. And of course, in a commodities market such as the airline industry has become, the producer with the lowest costs has the best advantage - they set the prices for a given market.

The only airline that rivals SWA on CASM ex-fuel is AirTran, and there have been a couple of quarters where their numbers beat ours. However, last I checked, SWA still has the lead on lowest costs, even with the non-hedged fuel figured in.

So while Southwest definitely has some challenges right now, and things certainly aren't as easy as they once were, I think people who say, "They'll lose their pricing power once those hedges run out" are not looking at the bigger picture.

Just a thought...

 

[Benhuntn]

Hey General just so you know I have been to more countries and cities outside the US than you can count to and I did it all on your nickle....Now I am happy to fly where the controlers speak English as a 1st language. You keep talking up your European overnights where dinners cost 3x what they do in LBB or AMA. You don't impress me or anyone else here at SWA. Maybe you impress you wife or "right hand" but who cares outside of them where your morally broke airline puts you up!

 

[Russ]

General
Thanks
I enjoy some neat overnights thanks to DAL giving them to us. Places far neater than LBB. Nothing like owning the state of Montana in Delta's name. I do remember fairly recently mainline DAL started service back to Pasco Washington. Great overnight that was, better than LBB I'm sure.

 

[General Lee]

Hey General just so you know I have been to more countries and cities outside the US than you can count to and I did it all on your nickle....Now I am happy to fly where the controlers speak English as a 1st language. You keep talking up your European overnights where dinners cost 3x what they do in LBB or AMA. You don't impress me or anyone else here at SWA. Maybe you impress you wife or "right hand" but who cares outside of them where your morally broke airline puts you up!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and you did it in your green flight suit and all of the french male waiters swooned over you. Thanks Maverick. (or Goose?) I am soooo glad you are happy to go to LBB. Guess what Iceman? At Delta we can CHOOSE to fly either INTL or domestic. Isn't it great to have an actual choice, even in aircraft type too? Ah, you don't care----you are going to go to the Awful House (wafle house) in Midland for a great T-Bone steak. Sounds gooood. So, do you miss that military 757 you flew? Great power, eh? Do you think about it when you are flying a 737-300 in West Texas at 105 degrees F? I bet you do. Ah, atleast you had the experience in it for awhile. I fly it all the time, it is wonderful. What a sexy bird. Some of our newhires are getting hired directly onto it. Enjoy that T bone.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

General
Thanks
I enjoy some neat overnights thanks to DAL giving them to us. Places far neater than LBB. Nothing like owning the state of Montana in Delta's name. I do remember fairly recently mainline DAL started service back to Pasco Washington. Great overnight that was, better than LBB I'm sure.

Russ,

I am glad you like those overnights. Enjoy them while they last. Not only is Expressjet moving in on your territory, but we are also expected to get some used mainline planes shortly (a lot of them fly in SLC right now---I can't say yet which type because the deal isn't signed yet---just a rumor, right? ) and Whitehurst (our COO) just stated we will be taking back some of that same flying you now enjoy. Also, Delta does fly to Montana right now--to Bozeman and Kalispel from ATL on 738s. And as far as Pasco goes, you can have it. Enjoy and watch out for those Jetlink E145s out there. Hillarious.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[emb1452002]

Hey General. Could you do something for me please? Take a few months off from posting on this board. You are too disgruntled and post negative remarks when it is not needed. I am about to give up reading these boards because of you. Thanks much. Peace.