SWA plan for 15% ROIC

[27 driver]

We are learning how to start the engines. Maybe a couple of months more.

Your DC9s are doing so great ...we are paying delta to take them. YOUR welcome for your profit sharing check.... Your welcome for having a job, thousands would die for... Without holding the actual qualifications to hold the job or interview for.

Ya... None of us are qualified to fly a guppy domestically.

 

[scoreboardII]

Those fugly dc 9s were quite productive in generaating millions and millions of dollars in bag fees. So much so that the overlord had deemed it appropriate to raise bag fees..... you are welcome for the profit sharing. When will you be able to single engine taxi now that your type rated fos can st art an engine?

717s, so profitable that the overlord is paying another airline to take them off his hands and pay those pilots their guarantee to sit for months.

 

[fletch717]

We are learning how to start the engines. Maybe a couple of months more.

. Without holding the actual qualifications to hold the job or interview for.

I would guess that at least 50 percent of AT pilots are more qualified than you are today junior. Anyone who would "Die" to work at SWA doesn't have much of a life to begin with.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Well fletch if they died, they wouldn't be able to work???

 

[redflyer65]

Wasn't Airtran pretty much open to any codeshare the CEO wanted? ie...Skywest.

 

[fletch717]

The reason the 717 isn't profitable in the SWA model is cost structure.
SWA has a high cost structure, ramp, customer service,ops agent are the highest paid in the industry. It is putting tremendous pressure on profit. The ability to have one agent serve as customer service, ops agent an if needed carry a bag downstairs, for 8$ an hour was a part of our success. The ability to out source ramp in small cities was another way to be competitive in certain markets. Soon SWA will have to address paying unskilled labor more than industry standard. The 717 competed against SWA in a lot of markets successfully, it's not the airplane it is the structure it has to fit in. Example: I flew in to CMH the other day, got off the plane walked down the corridor and on the way back I stopped at the customer service and asked the two agents ( who were doing nothing) about my paperwork they told me I had to see the ops agent. You would never see three agents at one gate at AT. Yes I know SWA makes money almost every quarter, but it seems to be less and less. On the invester call they cite bag fees from AT as the reason for a large portion of the profit.

 

[fletch717]

Well fletch if they died, they wouldn't be able to work???

As SWA/FO put it "thousands would die" for a chance to work at SWA, I am not one of those thousands. Also according to SWA/FO I'm not qualified either. Maybe one day I can fly a Real jet airplane for a real airline, SWA/FO will you help me get through ground school?

 

[Phlintstone]

We are learning how to start the engines. Maybe a couple of months more.

Your DC9s are doing so great ...we are paying delta to take them. YOUR welcome for your profit sharing check.... Your welcome for having a job, thousands would die for... Without holding the actual qualifications to hold the job or interview for.

It is going to take you a couple of MORE months to learn to start the engines :laugh: and yet you poke at AT folks for not being qualified to run a 737 around the US. The KoolAid is strong in this one.

At that pace, it is going to take years for you guys to learn to fly into Mexico City and just wait until you have to cross an ocean. Lord help us if SWA jumps into non-radar around Africa or South American flying - that may take you decades at your current rate. Not that AT has done the latter but I have hundreds of times. It is a giant leap in planning.

Phred

 

[scoreboardII]

The reason the 717 isn't profitable in the SWA model is cost structure.
SWA has a high cost structure, ramp, customer service,ops agent are the highest paid in the industry. It is putting tremendous pressure on profit. The ability to have one agent serve as customer service, ops agent an if needed carry a bag downstairs, for 8$ an hour was a part of our success. The ability to out source ramp in small cities was another way to be competitive in certain markets. Soon SWA will have to address paying unskilled labor more than industry standard. The 717 competed against SWA in a lot of markets successfully, it's not the airplane it is the structure it has to fit in. Example: I flew in to CMH the other day, got off the plane walked down the corridor and on the way back I stopped at the customer service and asked the two agents ( who were doing nothing) about my paperwork they told me I had to see the ops agent. You would never see three agents at one gate at AT. Yes I know SWA makes money almost every quarter, but it seems to be less and less. On the invester call they cite bag fees from AT as the reason for a large portion of the profit.

What your seeing is not the norm, gate agents usually work flight after flight, customer service reps, the ones you talked to at the counter, are usually two per four gates, and no, they don't do paperwork.

 

[fletch717]

Sorry scoreboard every SWA station I go to has twice as many bodies as an AT station. As a matter of fact, right after the sept 2010 announcement SWA peeps were in ATL watching how 1 agent per gate at AT does everything from putting the jet on, printing paper work, and boarding in 30 min or less. Too many people making too high wages. SWA has to address this to be successful in the future. when they do there will be trouble that's what concerns me. The next 3 to 6 years will be a defining time in SWA history.

 

[redflyer65]

The reason the 717 isn't profitable in the SWA model is cost structure.
SWA has a high cost structure, ramp, customer service,ops agent are the highest paid in the industry. It is putting tremendous pressure on profit. The ability to have one agent serve as customer service, ops agent an if needed carry a bag downstairs, for 8$ an hour was a part of our success. The ability to out source ramp in small cities was another way to be competitive in certain markets. Soon SWA will have to address paying unskilled labor more than industry standard. The 717 competed against SWA in a lot of markets successfully, it's not the airplane it is the structure it has to fit in. Example: I flew in to CMH the other day, got off the plane walked down the corridor and on the way back I stopped at the customer service and asked the two agents ( who were doing nothing) about my paperwork they told me I had to see the ops agent. You would never see three agents at one gate at AT. Yes I know SWA makes money almost every quarter, but it seems to be less and less. On the invester call they cite bag fees from AT as the reason for a large portion of the profit.

Wait, so you're proud that everyone at Airtran worked for below industry wages and are touting that as a great thing? So in your world, you guys were eeking out a profit because of horrible wages? Interesting.

Maybe we should just cut everyone's pay at Southwest by 50% so we can do as well.

 

[fletch717]

What I'm saying is SWA pays unskilled labor way above industry standard. SWA must address this if they want to stay profitable. SWA is the car industry of the 60's and 70's and delta and the rest are Japan. They are now doing it just as good and cheaper. It may be a noble thought to want your fellow employee groups to make far above industry wages but it will be your downfall. You won't be able to compete with the big D and others.

Since I am about to start airline 4 I don't care if they import illegals and pay them 2 dollars a day as long as I get paid. Sorry I used up all my team spirit a few years ago. I'm here to get paid, not go to round ups and hang out in the hotel bar.

 

[maxblast72]

The B717 isn't leaving the Southwest fleet because of unskilled labor pay at Southwest. It is due to the fact that the B717 and B737-700 have the same trip burn and crew cost while getting 26 extra seats of revenue. Why add the complexities of a second fleet type for an airplane (B717) that can't do anything the B737 can't do?

With a short wing and durable fuselage/landing gear, the B717 (DC-9) is great aircraft for 200-400 mile legs to feed a hub. The B717 is not a great point to point airplane for 500-800 mile stage lengths (especially when compared with the B737-700 or -800). Which mission do you think Delta is going to use the BRJ for?

 

[scoreboardII]

Sorry scoreboard every SWA station I go to has twice as many bodies as an AT station. As a matter of fact, right after the sept 2010 announcement SWA peeps were in ATL watching how 1 agent per gate at AT does everything from putting the jet on, printing paper work, and boarding in 30 min or less. Too many people making too high wages. SWA has to address this to be successful in the future. when they do there will be trouble that's what concerns me. The next 3 to 6 years will be a defining time in SWA history.

Sorry fletch, but every SwA base you go through is a combined AT /SwA base, do you think for just one second that maybe there is some training and overlap going on as the transition occurs?

Dude, a normal SwA base is more efficiently manned than anything AT ever did.

 

[scoreboardII]

What I'm saying is SWA pays unskilled labor way above industry standard. SWA must address this if they want to stay profitable. SWA is the car industry of the 60's and 70's and delta and the rest are Japan. They are now doing it just as good and cheaper. It may be a noble thought to want your fellow employee groups to make far above industry wages but it will be your downfall. You won't be able to compete with the big D and others.

Since I am about to start airline 4 I don't care if they import illegals and pay them 2 dollars a day as long as I get paid. Sorry I used up all my team spirit a few years ago. I'm here to get paid, not go to round ups and hang out in the hotel bar.

True colors are showing. Let me guess, you're all in for buying the lowest cost whatever and America be damned as well... Hate to bring this up to you, but you're replaceable from a pool of third world workers just like the Ops agents. Careful what you wish for, amigo.