AirTran MEC at SWAPA

[jonjuan]

Let me guess, that would be the senior dudes that said "no" to SWA right?

Wait, that didn't happen.

Would that be the senior dudes that told SWA to pull their bid? No that didn't happen either.

Would that be the senior dudes that approved the two $150 million dollar claims for RAH? Nope

Senior dudes that instructed RAH to pull one of their $150 million dollar claims off the table? No

Just curious, how did any Frontier pilot affect the short SLI discussion with SWAPA?

swa/fo-Being non mil-he's VERY lucky to be at swa..... blew a cherry swa ramper along the line.

 

[texman]

What cave did you crawl out of?....The swa pilots don't give us those things - Mgmt of swa does. Therefore the real answer is; we both give each other nothing. In other words our 50 plus aircraft 737 pure growth and international cities with ATL and other hubs - we pilots of aai don't give to you either.

That is how the arbitrators will see it.

Don't forget about our 70+ firm orders.

 

[scoreboardII]

Cleveland rocks.

 

[texman]

Oh, by the way VOLARIS airlines owns FI. This is just a distraction for us pilots in the US, as they take over North, Central and South America.

 

[Kharma Police]

KP,

Not sure if you are kidding or not (re: differences in final retirement account numbers with current company matches).

(AAI 401k match + B-plan = 11.5%)*$150k vs. (SWA 401k match + PS [nominally 5%]=14.3%)*$250k

SWA's dollar match is more than DOUBLE AAI's match (using the salaries above).

You don't normally make such mistakes, so I'll assume you are playing with ASADFW.

-k

PS much better avatar!

Thank you for the clarification! I did not factor in the profit sharing element.

 

[WildcatFan]

Sep 27 AT guys were high fivin in ATL, as they should be, while SWA guys wanted to puke.

If it falls apart...it will be just the opposite.

Tells you everything you need to know about career expectations.

It is what it is.

 

[SWA/FO]

Therefore the real answer is; we both give each other nothing

your lawyers telling you to say that.... ?

We built a profitable airline that your management wanted.

and since we were $1,000,000,000 in debt, our management could go no farther.... so they were willing to sell, in fact willing to sell multiple times over the last 8-10 years.

Forklift Joe was bugging Herb, years ago.

swa/fo-Being non mil-he's VERY lucky to be at swa..... blew a cherry swa ramper along the line.

I heard forklift joe gave you an ANGRY PIRATE... Your the lucky one, I passed the interview - you get a FREE pass.

 

[Tweet-a-Lishus]

Airtran is giving Southwest NOTHING!. It seems it is easy to forget that SWA is Paying 1.4 billion in cash and stock, and assuming a little over a billion in debt. Keep telling yourselves how awesome AAI is. I think you guys are actually starting to believe it!

 

[PapaWoody]

When it comes down to it, AAI is bringing nothing to the table that Southwest isn't paying for. Yes, you have built a profitable airline that has provided a good product. Again, Southwest is buying your product and your management is selling. Your pilot group is extraneous to the deal.


That being said, how many of your pilot group, if given a class date at the same time as a class date at Southwest would have chosen AAI over Southwest? Less than 1%, let's be honest. So how is it that your AAI date of hire should have more relevance than the same date at Southwest? It shouldn't, and WILL NOT at the arbitration. Let's face it, a good proportion of AAI guys DID NOT have the minimums to get hired at SOUTHWEST when they got hired at AAI. So WHY should a hire date at AAI have the same/more relevance as a hire date at Southwest? IT SHOULDN'T and WILL NOT!!! I guess pointing out that all your FO's will achieve a pay scale that was only to be expected from your senior captains won't convince you, but even your CA's achieving an unprecedented gain in career expectations will fall on deaf ears. Ask yourself, would we have been better off with or without the Southwest buyout?...If you truly answer that honestly, the rest is immaterial. AAI pilots career expectancy, no matter how this plays out, goes through the roof. So, here is my blatant exhortation to your M&A committee....this deal can still can go south...please don't let it...you will have only yourselves to blame/be accountable to...don't screw it up...because the ball is truly in your court.

Fraternally,

PapaWoody

 

[Ty Webb]

Hey, Papa Limpy-

I'm sure in your mind, you're making coherent arguments that are advancing the cause of SWA pilots and lowering the expectations of AAI pilots, but in reality you're only reinforcing your own unrealistic expectations, deepening the divide and making it more likely to end in arbitration, where the opinions you are espousing will carry the same relevance as a take-out menu from a Chinese restaurant.

 

[Ty Webb]

.....

 

[zman]

God this airline is going to be so messed up after this merger. I can see the misery spreading now.

 

[Wesb737fo]

God this airline is going to be so messed up after this merger. I can see the misery spreading now.

Only if the handful of bitter people, who only think of themselves and not the good of the entire entity, are put in charge.

 

[maru657]

I rode Virgin to SAN yesterday and saw two SW pilots with stickers on their bags that said "It's an aquisition, not a merger". I'm guessing this will be a rocky merger.

 

[PapaWoody]

Hey, Papa Limpy-

I'm sure in your mind, you're making coherent arguments that are advancing the cause of SWA pilots and lowering the expectations of AAI pilots, but in reality you're only reinforcing your own unrealistic expectations, deepening the divide and making it more likely to end in arbitration, where the opinions you are espousing will carry the same relevance as a take-out menu from a Chinese restaurant.

No, Ty, I'm only pointing out facts that your merger committee should take into account (because the arbitrator will) so that we can get this done in a fair and equitable manner. I'm sorry if that steps on your AAI captain toes, but these are facts just the same; ones that speak to career expectations and the quality of each airline career. Again, nothing against AAI guys as pilots and people, but trying to put your head in the sand about the massive gains that this acquisition brings to your career isn't realistic. If that "lowers your expectations" then they need to be lowered, because expecting relative seniority in this deal is unreasonable, unrealistic, unfair, and every other un-... that you can come up with. I do hope this can be done between the groups, but please don't think that we are afraid of arbitration. Our laundry list of arguments and facts will swamp your singular "but NWA/DAL and USA/AWA did it this way" argument.

Fraternally,
PapaWoody

PS Merry Christmas everyone!

 

[Wesb737fo]

Hey...look....I'm trying to put myself your shoes in an effort to understand the bitterness that I'm reading from a lot of people. I'm also trying to honor the request from our union by not arguing SLI on public forums. While I won't argue specifics, I do find it curious that some argue AAI brings nothing to the PILOTS at SWA. Taking that viewpoint doesn't seem to fit with the SWA culture, especially when your leadership says they want us AAI folks to feel like we are SWA pilots and not former AAI pilots.

So, if the entire company is to be better off after the acquisition, then you would think that it would be logical to think the SWA pilots will be better off as well. Or if not, feel free to continue to spread the hate and not the LUV.

 

[Ty Webb]

So Papa Woody is talking arbitration now, huh?

Sounds like PW tried out his arguments on the merger committee and it went over like a fart in the cockpit.

 

[jonjuan]

I rode Virgin to SAN yesterday and saw two SW pilots with stickers on their bags that said "It's an aquisition, not a merger". I'm guessing this will be a rocky merger.

And then seen on two aai pilot bags, "It's a mirgir, not an akwisition"

 

[jonjuan]

Hey Papa Smurf, do your dog a favor and give it to the neighbors the day before the sli comes out. Don't want to see another michael vick here. Thanks.

 

[swa737-700]

The LUV fest from the SWAPA visit to ATL has passed as I knew it would. How soon one forgets. Many folks are back to whining (both sides). This is exactly like the aa/TWA acquisition (been there, done that), and everyone should be aware of how awful the work environment is at aa, especially when the crew is mixed aa/TWA. I can only hope that the Airtran folks on this board are NOT representative of the feelings prevelant down south. If so, I hope this deal falls through...and soon. If the Airtran folks on this board represent the "2%'ers", then maybe our good deal in this dorked up industry will continue...even after we acquire Airtran. In that case, I truly welcome each and every Airtran crewmember.