New Southwest Domicile - ATL

[shagadelic]

Just got the email. Atlanta to open with 200 pilots in August 2013.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Hopefully this will ease a small amount of the pain that both sides are experiencing.

 

[Salukipilot4590]

Man, they give you guys a lot of heads up!

 

[SWA/FO]

Maybe the bitching will stop?................nah.

 

[ATLplt]

Maybe the bitching will stop?................nah.

Nope. Not for another 30 yrs or so.

 

[lorien]

Sweet

 

[Dan Roman]

Hopefully this will ease a small amount of the pain that both sides are experiencing.

Not if they don't give first priority to the AirTran pilots who were based there. If they have a situation were an AirTran pilot got displaced out and gets replaced by a SWA guy there you will be creating a nightmare.

 

[GoodTimes]

Grind that axe, Dan

 

[tankerhead]

What's the definition of seniority?

 

[Tripower455]

Not if they don't give first priority to the AirTran pilots who were based there. If they have a situation were an AirTran pilot got displaced out and gets replaced by a SWA guy there you will be creating a nightmare.

Oh, you mean like what's happening to the SW FO's right now?

 

[zippy32]

This whole thing is Steve Chase's fault.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Not if they don't give first priority to the AirTran pilots who were based there. If they have a situation were an AirTran pilot got displaced out and gets replaced by a SWA guy there you will be creating a nightmare.

AT pilots will not be getting displaced out of their AT domicile. When they transition to SWA they will get placed in a SWA domicile. There currently is not a SWA domicile in ATL. Therefore, they will bid and be awarded a domicile based on their seniority and vacancies. When ATL is opened up, every SWA pilot will be required to add ATL to their vacancy list. Once Jul '13 rolls around, they will announce who is awarded or displaced to ATL. Any new AT pilot coming over to the SWA side will bid accordingly. Again, they will be awarded what they can hold. So, there will not be any nightmare scenario like you are stating. This might actually be a good thing for AT/SWA alike.

But, thanks for your concern Mr. Roman!!!

 

[Dan Roman]

Grind that axe, Dan

Not in the least, before some SWA guys jumps in here and say I hate SWA, let me point out the reason I am so active on these merger strings. I work for Hawaiian so I think it's obvious why "smaller" airlines merging into larger airlines is of particular interest to me. Although the only realistic option out there is DAL and Lee Moak was in HNL and went on record dispelling that (I know I know, that and $2 will get you a cup of coffee). Nevertheless, it's a subject of great interest to me. Not so much at my seniority as much as concern for the whole seniority list.
So......back to the original thought on here. If an airline tried to buy HAL, displace pilots out of HNL and than replace those pilots there would be a firestorm. Fortunately there are enough protections to prevent that scenario, both geographically and politically that it is not a realistic concern, but it still is something I hate seeing happen to anyone else.

 

[Tripower455]

This is a plus for both sides IMHO......It'll get the transitioned AT ATL guys back home to ATL, and slow the defacto displacement of SW FOs in the east coast domiciles, particularly MCO......

 

[Dan Roman]

AT pilots will not be getting displaced out of their AT domicile. When they transition to SWA they will get placed in a SWA domicile. There currently is not a SWA domicile in ATL. Therefore, they will bid and be awarded a domicile based on their seniority and vacancies. When ATL is opened up, every SWA pilot will be required to add ATL to their vacancy list. Once Jul '13 rolls around, they will announce who is awarded or displaced to ATL. Any new AT pilot coming over to the SWA side will bid accordingly. Again, they will be awarded what they can hold. So, there will not be any nightmare scenario like you are stating. This might actually be a good thing for AT/SWA alike.

But, thanks for your concern Mr. Roman!!!

In other words the AirTran pilots brought ALL the ATL flying to the table but now it's being divided among the whole list?