Airtran would consider merger or carve out

[Wesb737fo]

Maybe they will just sell some assets that SWA is interested? That way SWA can buy the assets without taking any personnel. Air Tran will get the money they need and SWA will get the assets without any of the problems.

Wow... George M (from ATA) right here on flight info.

 

[Lear70]

Whatever the motive, when management signals that they may break up the company don't get mad at the bidders take aim at management. SWA, like every other competitor will still be fighting for market share. Pissing at SWA will not make what management said go away.

Ummm... that's not what he said. :erm:

 

[General Lee]

SWA will be flying into Atlanta soon enough, it is just a matter of whether it will be to ATL or another unnamed airport in the area.

Yeah, Macon, GA is ready for you guys! Go for it! Or are you talking about Paulding County airport to the NW? The 6000 ft runway with absolutely nothing around it? That would be a great fit for you guys. Try LBB and MAF nonstop from there----pure PROFIT! Other than that, unless you get the Airtran gates, it is doubtful SWA will get much at ATL. Sorry Y'all.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[MILPILOT17]

Yeah, Macon, GA is ready for you guys! Go for it! Or are you talking about Paulding County airport to the NW? The 6000 ft runway with absolutely nothing around it? That would be a great fit for you guys. Try LBB and MAF nonstop from there----pure PROFIT! Other than that, unless you get the Airtran gates, it is doubtful SWA will get much at ATL. Sorry Y'all.


Bye Bye--General Lee

So you're saying there's a chance?

 

[General Lee]

Ahhh, San Juan. I can't wait to do international ops. How many ETOPS do we need?
What if our passport is not up to date?

I hear Volaris is going to do ALL of your future INTL routes, and even the San Juan route (not even INTL) because your own management doesn't trust you cowboys. West Texas and ISP are more your style. That will be FANTASTIC for the Volaris guys.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[mt2]

General =

I hear RJ's are eventually going to do ALL of your domestic routes, and even the Canadian and Mexico routes (barely even INTL) because your own management doesn't trust you rednecks. Seems landing at the wrong domestic airport several times years ago hatched managements plan to keep you guys from embarrassing the Company further here in the US. I guess Europe is more your style -- all that time to study the arrival routes/airport to make certain you land at the right place. This plan will be FANTASTIC for the ASA/Comair/Skywest/etc guys.

But really, even though you're giving away ALL that flying you still get to overnight in places where the dollar doesn't go very far. What a bone-us! Fantastic.

 

[General Lee]

General =

I hear RJ's are eventually going to do ALL of your domestic routes, and even the Canadian and Mexico routes (barely even INTL) because your own management doesn't trust you rednecks. Seems landing at the wrong domestic airport several times years ago hatched managements plan to keep you guys from embarrassing the Company further here in the US. I guess Europe is more your style -- all that time to study the arrival routes/airport to make certain you land at the right place. This plan will be FANTASTIC for the ASA/Comair/Skywest/etc guys.

But really, even though you're giving away ALL that flying you still get to overnight in places where the dollar doesn't go very far. What a bone-us! Fantastic.

That's actually NOT the case. RA, the DL CEO, stated in the last conference call that more RJs were being parked. DL is bringing back mainline planes that were parked in the desert, and DL may even hire sometime in the near future. If you want to get an app, go to IEATCORNDOGSINLUBBOCK.com and print one out. Then, in your best cursive handwriting, write an essay about why you want to "expand your horizons past West Texas" in 3000 words or less. Also, it needs to be in Red ink, with the T's crossed in blue ink. Go for it! Good luck, it will turn out FANTASTIC I bet.


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Quimby]

General =

I hear RJ's are eventually going to do ALL of your domestic routes, and even the Canadian and Mexico routes (barely even INTL) because your own management doesn't trust you rednecks. Seems landing at the wrong domestic airport several times years ago hatched managements plan to keep you guys from embarrassing the Company further here in the US. I guess Europe is more your style -- all that time to study the arrival routes/airport to make certain you land at the right place. This plan will be FANTASTIC for the ASA/Comair/Skywest/etc guys.

But really, even though you're giving away ALL that flying you still get to overnight in places where the dollar doesn't go very far. What a bone-us! Fantastic.

Don't forget landing on taxiways.

 

[Kharma Police]

Don't forget landing on taxiways.

At least they kept it on the pavement...........

 

[JerryLundegaard]

Gee, I came here thinking this was an AirTran thread. What's that idiot the genital doing here?

 

[twepilot]

anyone hear about our gate leases in ATL?

RV

 

[texman]

What is the average age of a airtran pilot. Also any retirement projections over the next 5 to 10 years.

 

[27 driver]

What is the average age of a airtran pilot. Also any retirement projections over the next 5 to 10 years.

10 to 15 retirements per year until 2020. That is as far out as I have done the calculations. Extremely young captain group. Don't count on attrition here at the Tranny.

 

[Metrojet]

SWA will be flying into Atlanta soon enough, it is just a matter of whether it will be to ATL or another unnamed airport in the area.

I think all the airports around ATL already are named. Did you mean an undisclosed location?

Metrojet

 

[Lear70]

I'd say that's about right.

AirTran has a very large core of pilots who are in their 30's and 40's. It's one of the contributing factors to what killed T.A.'s 1 & 2; there isn't a huge group of close-to-65 (60 at the time) pilots who are worried about being unable to start over somewhere else (not that anyone is really worried about that).

I'd say about 20 people a year will either retire or have medical issues that take them out for the foreseeable future. Then you have the people who will leave for Delta or Southwest as they start hiring again (likely mid- to low-seniority F/O's), probably another 20 a year. The majority of upgrades and new-hires will come from deliveries that start next year, not to mention improvements to the Scheduling section from negotiations requiring better staffing, especially in Reserve coverages bumping us to 6 crews per aircraft (estimated).

So, figuring 6 crews per aircraft and adding expected attrition to that gives the following WAG on upgrades/hiring for the next 5 years:

2010: 0 New Aircraft / 159 new hires / 20 CA upgrades.
2011: 7 New Aircraft / 100 new hires / 60 CA upgrades.
2012: 8 New Aircraft / 120 new hires / 65 CA upgrades.
2013: 6 New Aircraft / 86 new hires / 45 CA upgrades.
2014: 12 New Aircraft / 160 new hires / 90 CA upgrades.
2015: 8 New Aircraft / 120 new hires / 65 CA upgrades.
2016: 10 New Aircraft / 140 new hires / 78 CA upgrades.

In other words, in 5 years, someone hired today will be 1/3 of the way up the seniority list and nearly 75% of the existing F/O's will have upgraded with still another year and 10 more aircraft deliveries in 2016.

Theoretically... it's all a crap shoot, anyway. I'm personally betting on either a new, large aircraft order or a merger/purchase within 3 months after negotiations are complete.