Please BUY AAI!!

[PCL_128]

I'd like to start the bidding with pure staple

I agree! We would be more than happy to staple your pilots to the bottom of our list! Good call.

Better do you homework. And put away your stapler.

Seniority would be worked out, by law, in arbitration.

If you don't want to have a fair merger integration, then don't buy
anybody. GET IT?

Exactly. But don't let facts get in the way of SWA ego.

 

[Lear70]

I just *KNEW* this thread would bring PCL back out of hiatus from FI postings...

 

[FlyinGuy]

SWA would be foolish to try to buy AT. If it happened, it would be the end of SWA as we know it. There would be continual infighting because no one would be happy. I still believe that the best combo slipped away....the F9 deal.

 

[Lear70]

There would be continual infighting because no one would be happy.

Speak for yourself, skippy, as long as there was a no-furlough clause, I'd take the longevity pay and happily go sit reserve in MCO, MDW, wherever...

I don't think I'd be in the minority, either. Our flight crews aren't nearly as negative as you think we are, except when it comes to being the longest major airline in mediation in recent history with a management group demanding concessions after the most profitable decade of the airline's entire history.

Give us SWA's contract, a management team that didn't constantly reinterpret it to our detriment, and furlough protection? You'd see a completely changed group dynamic. Not hard to understand...

 

[waveflyer]

PCL- you're right- it's all ego.... wtf? - who would f>ck you if SWA bought AT? Who would you fight? Would you hold a grudge and fight every original swa hire? Would you actively separate you and original AT pilots from the SWA fold? Or would you join the team?

You guys have REAL complaints at AT that would disappear if SWA bought you.

Think about that.

Do you know how NOT to complain?

A staple isn't going to happen. But at you're seniority, under arbitration, you'd probably be at the bottom with a decent percentage of AT pilots.

I wonder if you'd ever accept that that would be a good thing over your current situation.

Gulfstream. Pinnacle. Air Tran. -- again- why such an affection for companies that want to f>ck you?

It would be very counter culture for SWA to buy AT just to furlough their bottom guys.

 

[PCL_128]

I think you're wrong, Lear. We'd have at least a third to a half that would be immediately pissed off with anything remotely resembling a staple, and another third that would be just as pissed off within a year of the integration as the joy of the pay raise wears off. It would be a mess, and rightfully so. No employee group should ever have to deal with anything less than a fair and equitable integration.

 

[PCL_128]

A staple isn't going to happen. But at you're seniority, under arbitration, you'd probably be at the bottom with a decent percentage of AT pilots.

Then that would not be a fair and equitable integration. In a merger such as AirTran and SWA (one that I don't think will ever happen, BTW), a straight ratio is the only fair way to handle it. Our operations are incredibly similar, with some hub flying but lots of point-to-point. The equipment is identical, and the only international flying being brought to the table is from AirTran (you've agreed to outsource it). In that scenario, there is no justifiable basis for anything less than a ratio, since you don't have widebodies or international routes to keep out of range of our bidders.

 

[waveflyer]

A straight ratio?

Maybe- but I doubt most would agree- it'll be some hybrid - it won't be a vast number stapled- but it's my guess that probably 10-30%. what I would agree is that there would be 7400 different opinions and any take or leave it presented by either union shouldn't happen- arbitration. Straight line ratio though would benefit AT the most bc of a younger pilot group. Who bought who would enter in and I just don't think it would be judged like that.

I agree- AT is good company and it would make us both stronger to acquire you.

But it would not be a merger. Remember that.

And answer the question: would you ever be part of the team? Could you ever leave the 'fight' and be happy in your chosen career?

 

[Lear70]

I think you're wrong, Lear. We'd have at least a third to a half that would be immediately pissed off with anything remotely resembling a staple, and another third that would be just as pissed off within a year of the integration as the joy of the pay raise wears off. It would be a mess, and rightfully so. No employee group should ever have to deal with anything less than a fair and equitable integration.

Oh I'm not disagreeing with you, I don't think a staple would be appropriate, either, but the acquiring company has a funny way of deciding what is "appropriate" or not...

I'm just thinking of the percentages right now, which I believe are close to what you said at first... about 1/3 would be angry, and the other 2/3 would be telling the MEC to sign it as long as there was a no-furlough clause built into it and wouldn't get irritated until a few years later when there's little upward movement and they're stuck on reserve for 3-4 years.

Like others have said, doubt this will ever happen, but if it did, I bet the MEC and LEC's email and phone would be off the hook with the majority of the pilots telling them to "git 'er done". I think the Frontier pilots are ready to kneecap their MEC at this point... Lessons learned?

 

[PCL_128]

But it would not be a merger. Remember that.

In the eyes of an arbitrator handling an SLI, that doesn't make any difference. Your best argument is the age difference, and that may get you some favor with an arbitrator, but not much. We would have very good arguments for something very close to a straight ratio.

And answer the question: would you ever be part of the team? Could you ever leave the 'fight' and be happy in your chosen career?

Certainly. At SWA's rates, I would be one of the guys dropping half of the month's flying and only doing a couple of trips each month. It still wouldn't be my kind of flying, but at least I'd have a bunch of time off.

I would be much happier keeping AirTran as a separate entity or merging with Alaska, though.

I think the Frontier pilots are ready to kneecap their MEC at this point... Lessons learned?

They made the right move.

 

[maxblast72]

This is a pointless discussion. As cheap as SWA is, they will never pay retail for anything...including other airlines. As long as AAI is a going concern, I just can't see it being worth the price.

It wouldn't necessary cost Southwest anything. Gary Kelly could offer AAI shareholders 3/4 share of LUV for every share AAI and probably get the deal done. From day 1, LUV would control an operation that has been averaging a $10 million/month operating profit for the last 15 months. Also, Southwest and Airtran would stop competing in alot of markets which would help LUV's RASM performance.

If Gary Kelly is a bean counter, you can be sure he is crunching the numbers. If his numbers indicate a merger will benefit LUV longterm, he will pull the trigger on the deal. It is not personal, just business.

 

[27 driver]

From this junior AAI FO, I would gladly take some kind of fair integration with a no furlough clause. I am on the bottom here. I would much rather be on the bottom there. I would come to work happy and with a smile every time.

Most guys and gals here at AAI have been hired post 9/11. What percentage of your group have been hired since then?

 

[Quimby]

3 pages.....that didn't take long. Maybe I'll revise it to 7.

 

[scoreboardII]

what percentage of your group have been hired since then?

45%.....

 

[27 driver]

45%.....

Wow, that many.

 

[waveflyer]

yeah- 5897 pilots

pilot # 3230 has a DOH of 9/13/2001

 

[redflyer65]

Really Genital?

Our payscales are a bit higher than Airtrans?

You mean a bit highert than Delta's right?

Funny stuff buddy.

 

[Lear70]

I think the SWA 4th year F/O's make the same as our 4th year CA's now...

So yeah, I guess you could say SWA pilots make "a bit" more than AirTran pilots. But so does nearly every OTHER major airline. Some airlines' "bit" is more than others, I guess.

 

[maxblast72]

yeah- 5897 pilots

pilot # 3230 has a DOH of 9/13/2001

For comparison, Airtran has 1632 pilots on the July 1, 2009 seniority list with 1133 hired after 9/11 (or approximately 69%).

 

[samballs]

SW buying AAI and establishing a presence in the ATL. Boy would that be fun to watch...

DL doen't know how to compete they would slowly pull out!!