AAI Caribbean/Mexico Operations

[chase]

In an effort to look post-SLI and final merger, some questions for my AAI cousins as well as your thoughts on the topics of Caribbean/Mexico operations.

Since SWA hopes to dovetail and take advantage of your operations there, some basic questions?

1. Describe the amount of flying (# of flights, if everything is a turn, # of ovrnights, etc) done to Caribbean and Mexico?

2. What is the avg turn time? Do you experience delays?

3. Where do most of the flight originate from, MCO, ATL, other cities?

4. Are the employees there contract or AAI employees?

5. What is being done right/wrong in those operations that you think SWA could learn from?

6. What size equipment are on most of the flights? Should changes occur to this match up?

7. Seasonality changes...what are they and are they affective?

8. Non-revenue likelihood on those flights?

9. Which destinations require ETOP aircraft and which ones don't?

Any other observations and thoughts to share publicly for the SWA guys to learn from. Thanks.

 

[vixin]

I can answer number 9.

Zero.

 

[chase]

I would think flights to Aruba and Cancun from ATL would require ETOPs but not knowing the specific routes or having flown in that part of the world I could easily be wrong. Thanks for engaging and the education.

Vixin, do you fly for AAI?

 

[vixin]

No I am at SWA. Dont get out much ha? Just kidding. Nothing down their needs ETOPS. Not even Bermuda. Just messing with you, but do you have a map or a globe in your office?

 

[chase]

no office, just the web....in looking at Aruba it looked like the final routing would make it a requirement, the same for Cancun if flying direct or something other than flying along the TX/Mex coast.....geographically challenged and public school educated explains my shortfalls

Just looking for confirmation from an AAI person but if you've flown the routes I'm sure the answer is the same....thanks.

 

[atldc9]

Aruba and Cun are currently done within 162 of land. It's not a big piece of land, but it counts! The 60 minute rules start next month, which give us authorization for 405 NM from land. This includes rafts and satcom.

 

[atldc9]

In an effort to look post-SLI and final merger, some questions for my AAI cousins as well as your thoughts on the topics of Caribbean/Mexico operations.

Since SWA hopes to dovetail and take advantage of your operations there, some basic questions?

1. Describe the amount of flying (# of flights, if everything is a turn, # of ovrnights, etc) done to Caribbean and Mexico? Not sure of exact number of flights. MBJ, CUN, and PUJ have overnights. NAS and AUA are usually turns.

2. What is the avg turn time? Do you experience delays?

3. Where do most of the flight originate from, MCO, ATL, other cities? ATL, MKE, BWI, BOS, PIT.

4. Are the employees there contract or AAI employees?

5. What is being done right/wrong in those operations that you think SWA could learn from?

6. What size equipment are on most of the flights? Should changes occur to this match up? 700's now, should be -800's

7. Seasonality changes...what are they and are they affective?

8. Non-revenue likelihood on those flights? Fahgetaboutit!

9. Which destinations require ETOP aircraft and which ones don't?

Any other observations and thoughts to share publicly for the SWA guys to learn from. Thanks.

 

[vixin]

Yep flown the routes myself. ATLdc9 confirms, from the more reliable tranny.

 

[DonVerita]

I can answer #4.

Always use your own in-house employees rather than contract employees. Contract employees don't always know and/or don't always follow Company SOP.

 

[GuppyWN]

I promise you that WN will look at outsourcing gate/ramp handling. The TWU contract has a provision to allow outsourcing with fewer than 18 flights a day.

Gup