WHY o Why??

[Skybus]

As generally a lurker on here I cannot help but to wonder Why o Why do so many of you folks have so much interest and hostility towards us at WN.

I began my career in a different era, just the beginning of deregulation when there was a genuine bond that tied us all together. After one BK, I hooked up with this outfit for what has been one hell of a ride. Not exactly what I had intially looked for in aviation, but what is today? What I did find was a company where we ALL love out job, coworkers, company and our customers. We work hard and have a great time doing it as well. Not always at the top of the charts pay wise but with a little extra effort (I know that is a bad thing, NOT) my W-2 was always relatively comperable to that of anybody flyling a narrow body a/c. (infact often with a little more hard work could better that of many)

Why o Why is it percieved by so many here that a little extra effort to help enable OUR company to prosper and grow, a bad thing? I once read a thread here where some fool on here scolded another for helping to clean up the a/c. Are you kidding me? Push wheel chairs? I'm Not afraid of being confused as a sky cap by grandma. Sorry if that might bruise your ego Captain. Come to think of it you might even have a chance to spend a little time with the same folks that assure YOU of your next paycheck.

Why o Why must you constantly look for us to fail? Looking for company in your miserable little world where apparently you hate your job, company, fellow workers, managers and customers. Come to think of it u must just "plane" hate life.

I will continue to enjoy slow and steady knowing that this is generally what wins the race and know that MY tomorrow will be full of good fortune, fun and security "relative" as long as we continue down this road that leads us to 15 hours in LBB.

Good night and thanks for reading.

Bus

 

[densoo]

As generally a lurker on here I cannot help but to wonder Why o Why do so many of you folks have so much interest and hostility towards us at WN.

Good night and thanks for reading.

Bus

We're jealous.

Good night and you're welcome.

P.S. Please stop lurking.

 

[boeingdriver213]

WN is the first airline I have worked at where customer service is how they do business. My first day at work, the first words on the first day of training were, "Welcome to Southwest Airlines. We are ecstatic to have you here. WE ARE A CUSTOMER SERVICE COMPANY BOTH TO OUR CUSTOMERS AS WELL AS OUR FELLOW EMPLOYEES. IT'S WHO WE ARE." Never heard that before with that intensity and conviction. And that's the way it has been since. You will seem some whining and complaining here and there, but when I'm working, it's pretty amazing. If you haven't experienced that, then you are missing what few companies in this country offer. That's what this airline is like. That from a 21 year jaded airline jock....

 

[N1atEcon]

I have flown on 90% of the US's airlines as a passenger. Some who are no longer in business. The idea that the customer needs the airline more than the airline needs the customer is dead. Customer service is where it's at.

 

[Tail Gunner Joe]

Customer service is where it's at.

Having the lowest fare on priceline or orbitz.com is where it is at.

 

[no1pilot2000]

SWA has a proven business model that has kept them doing very, very well while other airlines have been treading water, if not drowned already. Is every SWA employee a happy employee, of course not. Infact, I was offered a job at Southwest over then years ago and should have taken it. SWA has survived the airline downturn after 9/11 and especially now, the "Great Recession" as some people are calling it. I don't think they have ever furloughed a pilot in their 30+ year history. The pilots who work for Soutwest should be very thankful that they work for a good company. Whether you like or dislike SWA, you can't argue with the success they have had over the years!

 

[CA Calypso]

Having the lowest fare on priceline or orbitz.com is where it is at.

Not for long-term viability...

 

[FO 4 Life]

Having the lowest fare on priceline or orbitz.com is where it is at.

SWA is not on any of those sites. They are not always the lowest.

 

[GuppyWN]

Bus,

It comes from all the folks who rode the wrong horse and are pissed off about it. My best friend just had his 10 year anniversary at UAL - furloughed.

As you well know you can look back over the past 20 years and see Braniff was king, then Eastern was King, then TWA was King. Western. National 1, Frontier 1. They are ALL GONE!

United was the shizzle in the 90's. Delta bought the company a 767 for Gods sake.

It's now OUR turn to have great schedules and sit very high on the pay chart.

I for one, will do my part to appreciate it and try to help this great company continue to prosper.

Am I always happy? No way. I am pretty vocal about MY opinons because I care. I call BS when I see one of our employees treat customers poorly. I hope you will do the same.

I do miss Herb.

Gup

 

[QCappy]

As you well know you can look back over the past 20 years and see Braniff was king, then Eastern was King, then TWA was King. Western. National 1, Frontier 1. They are ALL GONE!

United was the shizzle in the 90's. Delta bought the company a 767 for Gods sake.

It's now OUR turn to have great schedules and sit very high on the pay chart.

Are you saying you're the next to go? Because that's what you're implying in your response.

 

[anewunion]

This thread is about to make me cry. I thank all of you on FI for helping me make SOUTHWEST the best airline in the world...C'mon stop drinkin the Kool-aid.

P.S...Jetblue is a superior product.

 

[turn&pull]

This thread is about to make me cry. I thank all of you on FI for helping me make SOUTHWEST the best airline in the world...C'mon stop drinkin the Kool-aid.

P.S...Jetblue is a superior product.

We're the "old dog" in this comparison...hard to teach an old dog new tricks...hopefully we can keep up.

Jetblue does have a great product and sometimes we think the company should be keeping up with the jones' a little better, but so far we're hangin' in there. Ride the wave baby while you got it.

 

[Whine Lover]

" MY tomorrow will be full of good fortune, fun and security..."

Always good to have a positive outlook, and I really do like SWA and think they have a great history and culture going for them.

I hope you are right in the rather Pollyannish statement you have made above...But this IS the airline industry you are talking about.

You might want to temper the optimism with a slight dose of reality...

R.I.P. :

> Eastern

> Pan Am

> Braniff

> TWA

> Etc. , etc., etc., etc., etc., ....


YKMKR

 

[pilotyip]

" MY tomorrow will be full of good fortune, fun and security............ about.

You might want to temper the optimism with a slight dose of reality...

R.I.P. :

> Eastern

> Pan Am

> Braniff

> TWA

> Etc. , etc., etc., etc., etc., ....


YKMKR

This is FI we do not deal in reality, we deal in a "What I would like to be" is reality.

 

[chase]

Thanks Skybus

Skybus,

I never went through bankruptcy and hope I never do. It obviously can taint someone with a level of bitterness that can last a life time. Obviously it didn't impact you that way and was obviously one of the reasons SWA chose you to join their pilot corps.

I too feel fortunate to be at SWA and find the constant sniping of some on here toward SWA. I share no ill will toward other carriers as I have friends at all of those carrriers and don't wish for my friends to be out of work.

Business model, leadership, customer service oriented and measured responses are just a few of the intangibles that makes SWA successful. Each of those elements are reasons for failure by other carriers I believe; most of those are outside the control of a pilot and therefore it is difficult to sit by and watch while bad decisons are being made around you and watching your company implode around you.

Thanks for your service Skybus and hope you continue your carrier with the same enthusiasm you show with your post.

I do an informal survey each time it is my leg and simply ask the passengers, "how many first time flyers" and "how many are flying SWA because of bags fly free"...generally 5-15 folks depending on capacity but that tells me the idea of saving money for pax is still important and we will continue to collect all of the leakage from other carriers of those passengers who are leaving the other carriers who do charge for bags....1/2 % per carrier isn't a lot individually but collectively SWA appears to be gaining share that will move it from its current 17% of domestic passengers.

 

[Skybus]

I recently spent 2 hours in Starbucks and at table next to me was a couple that spent 2 hours booking reservations for long distance relationship. Back and forth they went all the while discussing price price and price. On every segment they discussed they always included the cost of their bags into the equation. We were often not the cheapest BUT the bag issue usually brought us to or near the top. My first example of witnessing a decision based on the checked bag issue.

Bus