Southwest posts loss on buyouts, hedging

[FIREMAN]

WN loads are increasing and decreasing everywhere else in part due to the lack of bag fees.

AirTran traffic jumps 11 percent in September

That is with bag fees

 

[hoover84]

Southwest's cash balance fell to $902 million in the third quarter from $1.4 billion at the end of 2008.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Difference is Southwest has a LOT of assets. Most of the legacies have already leveraged everything that is not nailed down. Southwest can lease back a lot of airplanes for a lot of cash. Plus most of the routes they fly THEY control pricing. Sourthwest is waiting for someone to die. They have just started the bleeding Untied has been doing for 9 years. And theirs is just a flesh wound. Compare balance sheets and you will see two completely different companies. They Year end report showed around $14 billion in just aircraft assets. . Plus they bought back over a billion dollars in stock last year. Probably not the greatest Idea but all that stock sitting around can be used like cash. Don't cry for Southwest yet.

 

[no1pilot2000]

No worries.....

........for SWA. Compared to other airlines, in good and bad economic times, they still, and will continue to do JUST FINE! I once attened a SWA job information session at BWI. They told me that the airline can buy new 737's with cash. If this is true, the airline can't be doing that bad.

 

[Dan Roman]

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=18200

 

[Full of LUV]

Well, well

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=18200

I'm actually quite proud of my pilot bretheren, on this thread at least.

A little loss to SWA has taken some of the SWA bravado down a few notches to a healthy pride in one's company.

I havn't detected any ill wishers wishing doom and gloom on one of the only airlines that appeared to have a sustaining business model.

Good luck to us all in this economy!

 

[GuppyWN]

I have always been proud to work for SWA. My pay has always been decent, if not outstanding.

The problem I have been having for the past couple of years is internal attitude. We, from the top down, don't treat each other like we used to. My biggest, slightly unrelated, beef is codeshare.

Gup

 

[Jetjockey]

....say what you want....all airlines are bleeding now and the first to lose all their blood will be gone. I hope someone goes because it will be good for the industry as a whole....anyone saying otherwise can't see the big picture....

OK, how about your airline?

 

[redflyer65]

I thought it was a 23 million dollar profit..

 

[RedDogC130]

OK, how about your airline?

what about it? I do not understand your question. Please word it a different way.

 

[no1pilot2000]

Leveling out

I think "the powers that be" and employees at Southwest, need to count their blessings. Whether you like or dislike SWA, they have always had a very good game plan and it's helping them keep ahead of the other airlines, especially in these rought economic times. Has any Southwest pilot ever been furloughed in the history of the airline?

 

[contrail67]

translation: We are increasing the number of southwest passengers and you guys are losing passengers. they are coming to us because we don't charge bag fees.

When things turn around, they will stay with us. (In theory atleast)

They are going over to SWA because our planes are FULL...

 

[StopNTSing]

They are going over to SWA because our planes are FULL...

....and you still can't make money?

 

[mt2]

I thought it was a 23 million dollar profit..

Yep, and a 129 million operating profit, both before special charges...

 

[Scope out RJ's]

....and you still can't make money?

You sure can't seem to lately either!:smash:

 

[StopNTSing]

You sure can't seem to lately either!:smash:

No, but I'm also not claiming our planes are so full that we're turning away passengers to the competition. :smash:

 

[Carl S.]

Hey SWA pilots,
Nice job on the numbers! Just a quick question on the "Warrior" thing. Is this a term you use in company literature or for motivational reasons? I could see "professional", but in present times of conflicts I find this disingenuous to our military overseas fighting. Much like the football coach who talks about war and ultimate sacrifices, they look like dorks who peaked out in high school and would never talk that way if they were ever deployed and know what is going on everyday downrange.

Mark

 

[DeucesWild]

It looks like your management has some answers to your current financial woes. Blame the Pilots!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FSUL1_N-acE

 

[Mr. Magoo]

Relax Francis. There are many kinds of WARRIORS.

Goo

 

[Carl S.]

Please enlighten me on all these"WARRIORS" you speak of!