From your SWAPA President, Steve Chase Fellow SWAPA Pilots,
Today the members of SWAPA and our counterparts at AirTran-ALPA voted in favor of accepting the seniority list integration provided for in Side Letter 10, paving the way for a full integration of flight operations.
Results of SWAPA's vote, with 95.1 percent of members voting:
83.56 percent in favor
16.44 percent against
Click here to view full results PDF on the SWAPA website.
Results of AirTran-ALPA's vote, with 93.99 percent of members voting:
83.58 percent in favor
16.42 percent against
The affirmative vote should not be seen as an endorsement of the Company's decision to grow through the acquisition. We all know that it is this pilot group's acceptance of the agreement that will best mitigate harm incurred as a result of the Company's decision. Your Association and Southwest Airlines realize that this agreement did not come without sacrifice. Both pilot groups are owed a debt of gratitude for their ability to come to an agreement that will provide Southwest Airlines with what they assert is needed to return our airline to the growth and unrivaled prosperity to which we have become accustomed.
The Company's plan is to begin transitioning aircraft late in the first quarter of 2012 beginning with the 737s at a rate of three per month. It is estimated that Single Operating Certificate (SOC) status will be granted near the same time.
To be perfectly clear, we do not support the strategy of growth through acquisition, not now, or in the future. It is our belief that organic growth is the best for the Company, its Employees and its Culture. Gary has assured us that this plan will lead to significant growth and expansion opportunities, and therefore we trust Gary's comment that "one plus one is greater than two." With the added benefit of seniority list certainty, we expect to realize that result sooner rather than later and will now begin the task of integrating the AirTran pilots into Southwest and SWAPA. This will be a relatively slow process; however, as we work to bring these two groups together, I am sure we will continue to operate as professionals. With this vote our focus is now cast upon Southwest Airlines management and their efforts toward creating a growing and more profitable airline.
On behalf of SWAPA leadership I sincerely thank you for your vote as well as your continued support and professionalism throughout this process.
Steve
