Southwest Airlines to Acquire AirTran; Spreading Low Fares Farther 6:55 am - PR Newsw

[damnflyboy]

If Delta keeps up their lack of customer service in Atlanta, they will be toast when Southwest moves in. This is a fact---not even debatable.

 

[StopNTSing]

Just curious why everyone thinks that delta is going to get pushed out of ATL so easily? They have been working along side a LCC for decades now... please explain...

It's good old-fashioned FI flame-bait....don't take the bait!

 

[FlyinGuy]

Something just hit me....SWA now flies into DFW. I wonder how AA feels about that?

 

[HalinTexas]

Hmmm. NorWelta. UneeTEDinental. LUVtrain? FLyWiN? SWAT?

I like playing name combos.

 

[Full of LUV]

If Delta keeps up their lack of customer service in Atlanta, they will be toast when Southwest moves in. This is a fact---not even debatable.

Your right, Delta should cancel reserved seating and food service to better compete. I think that the two companies are chasing different customers. No doubt that having SWA in the ATL market will make them focus, I guess we'll see.
LUV

 

[COpilot]

I've always said that SWA will be ACQUIRING Tran. And all I got was smart remarks for it. Well guess what.........it is happening. Good luck to all the Tran employees.

Good job; how many shares of their stock did you have?

 

[jonjuan]

Oh man, that's hysterical.
He bashes SWAPA so much, I'd like to see him try to explain this one!
It's even funnier that everyone knows who he really is!

How long until PCL starts slapping his "We Are ALPA" stickers on WN yokes?

 

[j41driver]

How many pilots does AT have and what is the DOH for the most junior Capt and FO?

The latest list (July 31) shows 1678 on the list and most junior CA is 11/04.

 

[MCDU]

I wonder if they will change the Southwest call sign to the one Airtran uses.

M

 

[Carl S.]

How many ex-Eastern strike breakers(can't use that other word) does AirTran still have? I know my United friends are dying to meet all the IAH CO boys that have no regrets about the 80's. SWA's pilot pool might be getting dirty!!!! When some of our AWA pilots went to SWA in the early 1990's after they were doing the Ansett flying, they were told we do not like your kind, right on!!!

 

[General Lee]

So once SWA squeezes Delta out of ATL, where do you think you'll be based before you're furloughed?

Since Delta leases 70% of the gates in ATL, I just don't think that is possible. Those gates have long term leases too with the city. But, if you think that, well, I guess you might be wrong. But regardless, HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[ATLplt]

How many ex-Eastern strike breakers(can't use that other word) does AirTran still have? I know my United friends are dying to meet all the IAH CO boys that have no regrets about the 80's. SWA's pilot pool might be getting dirty!!!! When some of our AWA pilots went to SWA in the early 1990's after they were doing the Ansett flying, they were told we do not like your kind, right on!!!

Nowhere near enough to worry about...maybe around 50? They're all close to retirement anyway. Good riddance to em!

 

[Dash Power]

Does anyone have the number of pilots in each year of hire at Air Tran?

 

[waveflyer]

Ahh...warnings already issued...how bout mcdu gets a seat in the locker room for the next couple games?

 

[AirMorgan]

So once SWA squeezes Delta out of ATL, where do you think you'll be based before you're furloughed?

That's a pretty arrogant statement. Good luck taking on the largest airline at the world's busiest airport (especially with extremely limited international feed). SWA's last quarterly profit = $112M. DAL = $463M net profit.

How many countries does SWA fly to? Oh yeah... 1. DAL? ... 65! So stop acting like SWA rules the world.

 

[Lear70]

The latest list (July 31) shows 1678 on the list and most junior CA is 11/04.

There's 25 more in class (started last Monday) and given our staffing requirements for the new rest rules coming into effect plus the expansion in routes we already have planned, combined with the fact that this will take over a year to finalize, we'll probably continue with our hiring through March as planned, 25 a month on average for Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan, Feb, and Mar adds another 175 on that list for a total somewhere near 1,853.

 

[On Your Six]

Keep what works at Air Tran....

Well, some mid-level SWA pilots should be happy about this - they won't have to wait 10 more years for a Captain's slot. What is the estimate now for recent SWA newhires - 16 years? Perhaps this will expedite things depending upon the integration formula...

Hey SWA Management (if you are listening) please, please, please keep at least two things that work very well at Air Tran:

1. Seat assignments (work well for premium-paying business travelers)
2. XM Radio (some entertainment is better than nothing on the longer transcon flights)

I hope SWA thinks hard about keeping the few really good things that work well at Air Tran - don't just mold Air Tran into Southwest South (or Tran West). Think about keeping what actually works (that does not include the Air Tran gate agents - they do very little work....).

 

[whatitdoing?]

I can only IMAGINE the reaction from Delta's management when they heard the news. But I'm sure they all got together for an emergency meeting to confirm their coolness and being the world's biggest carrier....oh wait, crap. I don't think this is good news AT ALL for big D with SW being a dominate player in the ATL. Grabbing the popcorn now......along with some Pep.

 

[RNP.15]

Now what happens to the likes of LCC, JBLU, ALK.

 

[whatitdoing?]

That's a pretty arrogant statement. Good luck taking on the largest airline at the world's busiest airport (especially with extremely limited international feed). SWA's last quarterly profit = $112M. DAL = $463M net profit.

How many countries does SWA fly to? Oh yeah... 1. DAL? ... 65! So stop acting like SWA rules the world.

Jesus, Delta pilots just don't get it. Dude, look at your statement.

1. Delta isn't gonna be the largest airline as of Oct. 1. So I'll let you make that statement to Friday if that's what get's you hard. What on earth is Delta gonna do when they can't say, "World's Largest Airline". Fly us...."we're just that cool".

2. Atlanta is the busiest airport in the world. Ok....so what? ATL is a transfer point with little originating passengers. Those originating passengers are gonna go to SW unless they're international. But Delta get's a huge amount of money from passengers to airports like LGA, DCA, JFK, and MCO. Now SW is gonna eat your lunch. So if flying into ATL and saying "I fly into the world's busiest airport" puts a smile on your face, ok. Just remember that when you see nothing but orange flying around.

3. SWA earned 112 or so million for a quarter. You're saying because Delta pulled in 463 million that you're better? Remind me how much you lost over the last 5 years compared to SW. Again, can't see the forrest from the trees.

4. Good luck