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A question for an AirTran Captain

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What do I have left? career expectations? I had plenty here.

Fly-by,

It sounds like the whole purchase sucks for you. The key word is had. Not trying to throw salt in the wound, but the purchase of Airtran by SW is going to change many lives going forward, there won't be anyway around that.

Most, if not all of our pilots wanted to grow internally. Gary had other ideas, so we aren't exactly happy on this side. Maybe 5% or less of the pilots are wearing One LUV lanyards. There's a reason for that.

RF
 
PS. I'm changing my avatar to something less generic since my friend Sacha has added me into the list of Flightinfo legends like TyWebb, Lear and others.
Thanks for promotion, bud. :)
 
Fly-by,

It sounds like the whole purchase sucks for you. The key word is had. Not trying to throw salt in the wound, but the purchase of Airtran by SW is going to change many lives going forward, there won't be anyway around that.

Most, if not all of our pilots wanted to grow internally. Gary had other ideas, so we aren't exactly happy on this side. Maybe 5% or less of the pilots are wearing One LUV lanyards. There's a reason for that.

RF

Agree!

I Never wanted to work at SWA, not because it didn't like you guys or the company, but because i wanted to get early-on at the airline that would become like SWA someday. And the fact that Gary wanted to buy AirTran tells me that we were doing just that.

I was advised to go to AirTran by a retired Delta captain who got hired at 21 at a startup (Delta) to build some flight time and then move on to Eastern. Due to events outside of his will, he retired at the top of Delta's list after having a career that most 40 year old Delta newhires can only dream of.

Everyone's life will change from here on. I'm ready to embrace the new future, just don't feel like I should be taking it in a shorts, while my SWA counterparts are gaining in return.

The Arbitrators will make both sides suffer. Let's hope we can come to an agreement on our own that will make both sides suffer a lot less.
 
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No- no one important has threatened your job. GK simply said he is re-evaluating this purchase in light of your MEC's actions.

That paragraph just lost all of your integrity and the Golden Rule in one swipe. The only real question is, do you believe it ?


Who cares what you have to lose before you are integrated- it's what have you sacrificed to get integrated? How can you show the whole SWA family that's it's not all about you and fighting for every inch of seniority that you feel entitled to? I'm not a religious man, but I like many biblical verses- Luke 14:10 sincerely applies in this case.

Really ? I didn't mention losing anything and I certainly didn't quote the bible. I do enjoy the preaching though.

SL9 was the compromise. And instead of letting that compromise be tested by both sides- you didn't let it go to a vote bc your MEC felt entitled to more.

Let's be real- neither mgmt or this group will allow any AT guy to go above a Morris pilot- that means you lose 20%+ seniority at the best case scenario. Tack on reasonable adjustments for QOL, payraises, MUCH BETTER MGMT AND CORPORATION (which is truly key here) and doing better than SL9 seems very unrealistic-

I'm not sure it'd pass our side-

Complete BS. You would have scurried for the "YES" button. Mumbling and drooling incantations. ;)

but it was an olive branch reaching out to you. I think there would have been a good 40% solid No vote on our side- but the rest would be willing to accept it so that GK had his solution sooner than later- and know that we showed as much leadership as we could to the other groups. I think your side would've voted the same-
Both sides not liking it- but sacrificing for the greater good of SWA- that's why it passed 19-0. Our board isn't crazy- they knew many didn't like this- but they have a different mentality and trust level with our mgmt.

It's water under the bridge- but I'm going back to what I've said all along- lower your expectations and your career at SWA will be very prosperous-

Don't and all I know is trying to push SWA has never worked out well for anyone. I can't do it. Swapa can't. And certainly not ALPA who has a clear conflict of interest and a terrible track record in dealing with swa.

Sure you want to back ALPA over GK? ALPA continues to collect dues- their lawyers keep billing out hours- and their hope is that conflict will build between us.

It's time to intervene on that master plan. If you don't- I'm sure GK will.



Does the Golden Rule only apply to some people ? Do you only apply it some of the time ? When you need it to climb a few percent.

Research 'Cant' and Luke:61.
 
Dicko,

We follow the Golden Rule. We treat others as they treat us.

Gup


Gup,

Have you been told "if" you are integrated, despite a promise ? Have you been treatened with a lower payrate for your aircraft as a retribution ? Have your 17 year Captains been threatened with probation ? Have you been told that if you don't like Arbitration they will ignore it ? Have you been told you might lose longevity and sick time if you don't sign ?

Have your families livelihoods been threatened unless they accept what you think is fair ?

Exactly what have AirTran pilots done to you Gup ? Apart from not allowing you to take their seniority, and stick to the agreement that you signed and then threaten to ignore.

No. You don't treat others as they treat you.

It's cool to be on top. It's really cool to be on top and not act like it. One out of two isn't bad I guess.
 
Agree!

I Never wanted to work at SWA, not because it didn't like you guys or the company, but because i wanted to get early-on at the airline that would become like SWA someday. And the fact that Gary wanted to buy AirTran tells me that we were doing just that.

I was advised to go to AirTran by a retired Delta captain who got hired at 21 at a startup (Delta) to build some flight time and then move on to Eastern. Due to events outside of his will, he retired at the top of Delta's list after having a career that most 40 year old Delta newhires can only dream of.

Everyone's life will change from here on. I'm ready to embrace the new future, just don't feel like I should be taking it in a shorts, while my SWA counterparts are gaining in return.

The Arbitrators will make both sides suffer. Let's hope we can come to an agreement on our own that will make both sides suffer a lot less.


That last paragraph may not be true. It will be interesting to watch. Godspeed!


OYS
 
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Ok- how do you think the golden rule and warrior spirit co-exist?
 
The warrior spirit is easy...we have always seen ourselves at war with all other carriers and outside forces that try to suppress us.

Golden rule? Treat all other SW EMPLOYEES as you would like to be treated. You don't go against the family.
 

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