A Good SWA Rumor

[OakRBust]

Hey everybody....


A buddy of mine just did his one year PC (or whatever the hell they call them at SWA) yesterday and he called me with a pretty nice rumor.

He said that his sim instructor told them that rumor has it that there may be two more classes late in the year. With regular classes starting in January.

Hey... I didn't promise a lottery ticket.... But it is better than all the freakin gloom and doom on here!!!


Fly me to the schoolhouse......

OAK

 

[SWA/FO]

I have heard nothing lately from work...

But, I guess Air, inc. is reporting SWA is going to hire 250 pilots next year.

 

[Slug]

Nice rumor

That is exactly the kind of rumors I Luv to see here. I don't know if the quiet is good or not, but seeing SWA info is nice (unsubstantiated or not).


Slug

 

[BrokenWing]

Nice rumor but I think your friend is WAY OFF!! There's no talk about starting up again in January; the only talk is that they MAY start up in the Spring but POSSIBLY wait until the Summer. As we all know, everything is subject to change but I wouldn't put much hope on a return to normal this January. January 2004 might be more reasonable.

 

[Slug]

U in the "know"

Just curious, BrokenWing, are you in the "know" or just regurgitating previous rumors from this board? Just my opinion but you look like you're just trying to stir the pot.

 

[BrokenWing]

To be quite honest with you, I don't think anyone who post on these boards is "in the know." I don't even think that you'll find anyone at SWA that admits to being "in the know." The industry is too dynamic to forecast what is going to happen in the future. I'm basing my comments on things that I've heard from SWA people, the overall economy, the uncertainty of where we stand with IRAQ, the potential for skyrocketing fuel costs, and the fact that there are 350+ people who are pruned beyond belief. I'm not trying to strir the pot; I'm being realistic. You can always give LL a call and ask what she's heard - I'd be surprised if she tells you that there may be classes before the end of the year with thing going full speed in January.

 

[w8n4swa]

Good news is welcome here..

To be in the "know" or not, i'll take anything positive at this point.

Thanks OakRBust! It may not happen, but you made my day brighter!

W8n4swa

 

[RightBettor]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA... now that's funny!!

As for Air Inc. and that Kit Darby fella, do people still listen to that guy? A hundred years ago he'd be roaming the countryside selling snake oil. (or should I say, "He's so oily you could fry chicken on his smile.")

"Hubba, hubba, hubba, step right up folks and get ready for the looming pilot shortage!! That's right folks, the pilot shortage is here!! Buy my package and prepare for the big pilot shortage!! YOU, sir, YOU can be an airline pilot, just step right up here and plunk down about 5 C-notes and I'll get you headed in the right direction in preparation for the upcoming pilot shortage!!"

Oh well, we all know what P.T. Barnum once said.

BTW, I'll take a "bowl of cherries" rumor anyday compared to the "gloom and doom" sludge we've been eating for the last few months. Thanks for keeping spirits bright... oh wait, it's almost Christmas!

Regards,
RightBettor

 

[pegasus]

I also love rumors! The other day, during my lunch break I overheard the following conversation. The janitor's wife's sister travelled to Orlando on SWA and when she asked for an extra bag of peanuts she was told she could have as many as she wanted because "we've got plenty more where they come from". Now I don't like to read too much into that, but don't tell me that the writing is not on the trees. Or woods. (I don't do parables). I mean, if they have a more or less bottomless supply of dry roasted snacks I think it is safe to assume that there should be another pilot class or 2 pretty darn soon. Yessireee, no doubt in my mind at all.

A little later I heard (through an undisclosed source) that Swa had privately announced at a secret meeting (so secret, that no-one was allowed to go) that the number in the pool is confidential. Furthermore, there are 361 pilots who would love to get their hands on that info so mum's the word. This was leaked by courier sparrow.

 

[chase]

Visit to the Reservation Center

Just came back from a 3 day where I visited the OKC Res Center (ORC) while on my overnight. Spoke to people in the "know" and the trend is bookings for 4th qtr are looking stronger than they were several weeks ago. Profit projected for 3rd quarter & increased bookings for 4th. Is it good news? Yes. Enough to think hiring will start before '03, probably not but the trend is upward, not sideways or down, which is always good.

Loads on Saturday were very low (18%), loads on Sunday were 95%, loads today on Monday were in the 60% range. Only ancedotal. Heard in the van from folks that west coast flights are pretty full most of the time....don't know, haven't been there.

 

[Slug]

Desires

Like I said earlier, I too luv the good rumors, but I'll take any conjecture that comes my way. My one true desire though is to be half as witty/eloquent/verbally unchallenged as some of you on this board...........................like Pegasus, W8N, RightBettor.......

See ya in Dallas ------- sooner than later?




Slug

 

[Bake]

I like good "rumor" news so I'm going to spread some more. Looks like 3rd quarter will be a 38.6 million dollar profit for LUV. This is what I come up with when I crunch the numbers listed on different financial sites. Hope it is better than that but given the times we live in I'm glad to see any profit.

Bake

 

[Aplus9]

".....the trend is bookings for 4th qtr are looking stronger than they were several weeks ago."


Chase,

Just wanted to let you know I was doing my part to get us some training classes. I have 2 round trips to take in October, and both are booked with SWA, of course. All of you can thank me later at Dallas.

 

[tredding@swa]

supporting SWA

SO far, I have earned 4 FREE Rapid Rewards tix from my recent patronage of my future employer!! (since Jan!!)

I figure that if my wife & I continue, we will be personally responsible for getting the load factors up to the point where SWA will have NO CHOICE but to start training crews, just to support our needs!

I just hope that the loss of revenue that occurs, after I start class, does not cause me to then create my own furlough!?!?!?

Keep those GREAT rumors rolling in - it's all I have to look forward to until the classes start up in ???? who knows when - looks as if the beer pool will be difficult to call as far as a winner goes... BUT, however, I am still good for the case of cold ones to whomever wins!!!!!

Hang in there fellow drown-proofing instructors! F A I T H will keep us going!

Regards - Tred

 

[chase]

Sept '02 results

Southwest Air Sept Traffic Rose 25.8%
Wednesday October 2, 9:20 am ET


DALLAS -(Dow Jones)- Southwest Airlines Co. (NYSE:LUV - News) September traffic rose 25.8% to 3.26 billion revenue passenger miles from 2.59 billion revenue passenger miles a year earlier. The Sept. 11 attacks and their aftermath significantly hurt year-ago results.
ADVERTISEMENT


A revenue passenger mile is one paying passenger flown one mile.

In a press release Wednesday, the nation's sixth-largest airline said September load factor, or percentage of seats filled, rose to 56.8% from 53.4% the year before.

In September 2000, Southwest's traffic rose 15.9% to 3.3 billion revenue passenger miles. Load factor grew to 65.7% from 63.9% in September 1999.

In the third quarter, Southwest traffic increased 5.8% to 11.92 billion from 11.26 billion last year. Load factor fell to 67.7% from 69.1%.

For the first nine months of the year, Southwest recorded a 1.8% increase in revenue passenger miles to 34.31 billion from 33.71 billion last year. The company's load factor declined to 66.9% from 69.4%.


Commentary

Mixed news but generally upbeat. Another analyst came out Monday with a positive rating on SWA while lowering their rating on the airline industry as a whole. While we're not adding a gazillion flights, things are on an uptrend, not steep but fortunately up.

cheers