MaxBlast feeling the LUV!

[-9Capt]

"something you won't find on a SWA 737-300."

Or a 737-800 for that matter.

 

[canyonblue]

"I don't get it. Do you believe everything Gary Kelly says or not?"

I believe whatever suits my agenda.

Touche

 

[humveedriver]

What do I know, but the drivers of next contract will be cost vs revenue....buying an airline, dismantling it and then divesting of most of its airplanes had to add to the cost equation...hopefully those synergies will kick in...

I was curious, so I looked at the second quarter statements. 96 million in synergy revenue for quarter number two. 2/3's of the revenue from connecting passengers between the two airlines. Acquisition and integration costs for the quarter was 26 million. This is what was reported to the gov and Wall Street anyway.

Aircraft transitions reported 1 for the second quarter, bringing the total to 12 aircraft brought over to SWA. One 717 has left for Delta. 7 more AT 737 conversions planned for the year. The remaining 33 are planned to go in 2014.. International blah, blah, blah.

All I ask is if they are going to take this long for the shaping operation, is to get the main effort right.

 

[StopNTSing]

I was curious, so I looked at the second quarter statements. 96 million in synergy revenue for quarter number two. 2/3's of the revenue from connecting passengers between the two airlines. Acquisition and integration costs for the quarter was 26 million. This is what was reported to the gov and Wall Street anyway.

Aircraft transitions reported 1 for the second quarter, bringing the total to 12 aircraft brought over to SWA. One 717 has left for Delta. 7 more AT 737 conversions planned for the year. The remaining 33 are planned to go in 2014.. International blah, blah, blah.

All I ask is if they are going to take this long for the shaping operation, is to get the main effort right.

It's all coming down to the new res system. If SWA had their act together on that sooner, the overall integration would have gone much sooner, IMO.

 

[DonVerita]

I suspect that he knows the difference--he's just using that term for derision in your little pissing contest. Certainly, YOU know a little something about that. A little like you acting like every one of our planes--or even most of them--are 737-300/500s.

We do have a few of them, however, and in fact are partly "replacing" your 717s with them, by not retiring them as fast as originally planned. I guess that maybe there's something negative about your "glass cockpit, automated everything" B-717s, seeing as how the company would rather have old 737-300s than keep them. Makes you go hmmmm.....

Besides, -9Capt seems pretty proud of that particular airframe.

Bubba

A few of them? Really?? According to AirlinePilotCentral you have 128 -300's and 20 -500's. That's not exactly, "a few". I realize that APC data may not be entirely up to date, so if you have updated numbers, please post.

There is nothing negative about moving forward with advanced technology. But SWA has an industry wide reputation of being reticent towards innovation and technology. Just look at your IT Dept. for starters.
Fortunately that has started to change with the MAX orders where Boeing said enough is enough of pressuring them to dumb-down the aircraft to SWA specs. Now Boeing is moving that airframe up to the level it should be at and installing a 787 type all glass cockpit. (Ref: Air Transport World Aug. 2013).

Every ATN pilot knows why the advanced 717's were subleased to Delta rather than retiring the old 300/500 models early. It was because SWA is so deathly afraid of a two-fleet type operation (even though every other major already does this) and so Steve Chase could, "capture more Captain seats".

Spin it any way you want. We know what went down and we will never forget. We also know that SWA is far behind the curve on multiple fronts. Hopefully they can catch up; but with a CULTure so ingrained as theirs, a shift out of the old and into the new is a steep hill to climb.

 

[waveflyer]

Oh good lord Don-

The last few air tran posters here have lost all touch with reality-or never had it to begin with-

Please, pilot who has never worked at SWA- tell us what it's really like-

You an CHOOSE to stay jaded your whole life and literally the main person suffering will be you-
The rest of us will keep perspective and move on making the best and welcoming all as we go forward-

Thank god, the rest of air tran isn't as lost as the last dozen here

 

[HowardBorden]

Every ATN pilot knows why the advanced 717's were subleased to Delta rather than retiring the old 300/500 models early. It was because SWA is so deathly afraid of a two-fleet type operation (even though every other major already does this) and so Steve Chase could, "capture more Captain seats".

You can't truly believe this drivel, can you?

The thing that SWA is deathly afraid of is lack of profits, just as it should be. The single fleet type is as responsible for 40 straight years of profit than anything else. The single fleet type allows for less reserve pilots through remarkably reduced training events. Do you realize the domino effect that occurs at airlines like Delta when one pilot retires. The single fleet type allows drastically less training in every segment of the operation from pilots to flight attendants to mechanics to rampers and beyond. The single fleet type allows drastically reduced parts inventory. The single fleet type allows greatly increased scheduling flexibility since any pilot can be assigned to any trip in any base in the system. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

Wake up and realize that every decision made at this massive corporation of more than 45,000 employees is not specifically made in order to screw the AirTran pilots. If you honestly and truly believe that Steve Chase is in charge of fleet decisions, there is simply no hope for you.

 

[redflyer65]

Exactly right Howard.

Southwest 'deathly afraid' of a two fleet operation? Give me a break.

One fleet type has powered big profits over 40 years. And guess what? It still does. End of story.

 

[Spud]

Exactly right Howard.

Southwest 'deathly afraid' of a two fleet operation? Give me a break.

One fleet type has powered big profits over 40 years. And guess what? It still does. End of story.

Southwest and Spirit?

Seemingly, everyone else could figure it out.

 

[madjack]

Word here, when maint. Vetted the 717 the engine issue was a show stopper...

 

[Kenney G]

Word here, when maint. Vetted the 717 the engine issue was a show stopper...

I would guess it is more of a cargo issue. A fully loaded 717 can not cary much cargo at all. AirTran tried and stopped carrying freight a long time ago.

 

[j41driver]

Do you realize the domino effect that occurs at airlines like Delta when one pilot retires?

I believe GL may have mentioned that a time or two...

 

[HowardBorden]

I believe GL may have mentioned that a time or two...

Yes, but he mentions it as a good thing. Either he doesn't care or doesn't realize that that is hugely inefficient and costs the company dearly. When the retirements really start kicking in at Delta, I can't even imagine the staffing levels they will need in order to man the airline when half the pilots are in the school house switching airframes. I guess from a pilot standpoint more pilots on property is usually a good thing but if it is destroying profits it can be a bad thing. With one fleet type and the same pay for all pilots on property, one retirement equals one pilot upgrade and another hired as an F.O. for a total of two training events as opposed to the dozens required at an airline with a dozen types on property.

 

[SWA Bubba]

A few of them? Really?? According to AirlinePilotCentral you have 128 -300's and 20 -500's. That's not exactly, "a few". I realize that APC data may not be entirely up to date, so if you have updated numbers, please post.

There is nothing negative about moving forward with advanced technology. But SWA has an industry wide reputation of being reticent towards innovation and technology. Just look at your IT Dept. for starters.
Fortunately that has started to change with the MAX orders where Boeing said enough is enough of pressuring them to dumb-down the aircraft to SWA specs. Now Boeing is moving that airframe up to the level it should be at and installing a 787 type all glass cockpit. (Ref: Air Transport World Aug. 2013).

Every ATN pilot knows why the advanced 717's were subleased to Delta rather than retiring the old 300/500 models early. It was because SWA is so deathly afraid of a two-fleet type operation (even though every other major already does this) and so Steve Chase could, "capture more Captain seats".

Spin it any way you want. We know what went down and we will never forget. We also know that SWA is far behind the curve on multiple fronts. Hopefully they can catch up; but with a CULTure so ingrained as theirs, a shift out of the old and into the new is a steep hill to climb.

Well, not to pile on, but....., okay, I guess I AM going to pile on.

We have a little bit over a hundred -300s left, and I think 18 or 19 -500s. I realize that may seem like a lot to an airline with a total fleet size of 140 or so, but it's not really that many when it's just over 1/5 of our fleet. And the only reason we haven't retired more (and won't retire some on their orig schedule) is because they're more desireable to the company than your 717s. I don't know if this occurred to you or not, Don, but it's more important to airlines that their planes make money, than it is that their airplanes are easier for the pilots to use. In other words, Southwest would rather keep the -300s longer than to keep your "fabulous" 717s. Why? Let's take a look, shall we? AirTran 717 Cons: lease payments, carries fewer passengers and dick for cargo, less range--and all this for the same cost per hour to operate. 717 Pros: the pilots like the automation better. Wow, that's a tough one to figure out.

As far as there being "nothing negative about moving forward with advanced technology," I agree with you there. However, there's also nothing negative about not switching to the newest technology when it isn't strictly necessary. Especially when you're still making money with the old technology. It's painfully obvious that our business model produces a higher yield than Airtran's ever did with its "advanced technology."

And while Southwest isn't necessarily on the forefront with technology (because they don't feel they need to be), your assertion about "innovation" is crap. Who do you think pioneered the high frequency, low cost model that your predecessor and countless others have emulated? Who had the first airline Internet presence? Who still has the number-1 Internet presence among airlines? Who pioneered the quicker turn to maximize the planes' time in the air? The point-to-point model for efficiency? The single fleet design to allow for more efficient and cost-effective scheduling, training and maintenance? I guess you don't consider it "innovation" if we don't have auto-engine-start on our smallest airplanes.

And finally, this is a serious note Don: if you REALLY believe on any level whatsoever, that Southwest management is getting rid of the 717s to help "capture captain seats," then you really ought to see a professional about your rampant (and obviously debilitating) paranoia.

Bubba

 

[atldc9]

Today...123 -300, 16 -500. Nov 30... 122 -300, 14 -500. Nothing to see here. -500's are going away fast, -300's will get to a fleet of 78, and those will be here for a while. They were going away, but plan changed and the 717's are leaving first.

None of us have any say in these decisions. Why get so territorial about them?