Airtran would consider merger or carve out

[scoreboardII]

The argument of a bigger company providing you more stability and more money is unsupportable by the facts.

How big did NWA and AA get only to furlough?

Another example, If you sit at 30% of a given pilot force with a 1-3% "upgrade rate" and your company acquires/merges and becomes twice the size it was and you remain at 30%, you just bought a slowdown of your upgrade. Rightsizing will occur (lowering your %), upgrade rate slows due to size (you can't keep growing at 1-3%, you will probably stagnate, resulting in tripling your time to upgrade).

This all results in LESS money, QOL, and INCREASES you chance of furlough based on historic precedence. Even if if that precedence is SWA.

 

[waveflyer]

That's a good point- the question is where's that line where growth doesn't occur?

For example Virgin's hiring. You going?

On a more even keel- I think we are charging less than market rates in Denver bc there are two lcc's and a major there.

ATL is a huge hole in our route structure- I know people in California who do not fly us regularly bc we don't fly to Atlanta and they need us to. If we add Atlanta- we'll see market share increases in many local markets that don't touch the south- we'll dominate Florida.

I get your point- I really do- I'm just willing to look at any certain scenario

 

[dicko]

I heard from a reliable source while eating lunch by the pool with a SWA FA on vacation in San Juan that SkyWest was gonna carve out AirTran by Thanksgiving.

Or
Originally Posted by 10nCLR
= I also heard from an ASA FA on her back on the beach in MIA, who knows some people in SGU that were in MCO at Disney World say, that as soon as the new SGU airport opens up and starts recieving revenue passengers on jets, is when the 2 sister airlines will become 1. Hahahahahaha. KS.


You appear to have a rich fantasy life regarding FA's, pools and beaches.
Theis nothing wrong with being a dispatcher but you need to lay off the Top Gun fantasy life. You're not fooling anybody.

 

[dicko]

double post

 

[dicko]

I heard from a reliable source while eating lunch by the pool with a SWA FA on vacation in San Juan that SkyWest was gonna carve out AirTran by Thanksgiving.

Or

Originally Posted by 10nCLR
I also heard from an ASA FA on her back on the beach in MIA, KS.


You appear to have a rich fantasy life regarding FA's, pools and beaches.
There's nothing wrong with being a dispatcher but you need to lay off the Top Gun fantasy. You're not fooling anybody. Least of all the FA's

 

[Saluki Dawg]

That's a good point- the question is where's that line where growth doesn't occur?

For example Virgin's hiring. You going?

On a more even keel- I think we are charging less than market rates in Denver bc there are two lcc's and a major there.

ATL is a huge hole in our route structure- I know people in California who do not fly us regularly bc we don't fly to Atlanta and they need us to. If we add Atlanta- we'll see market share increases in many local markets that don't touch the south- we'll dominate Florida.

I get your point- I really do- I'm just willing to look at any certain scenario

I think WN will wait to see how this UAL/CAL Merger pans out and what Assets are required to be divested by DOJ in order for the merger to be approved. For instance, in ATL UA parks on T Concourse and CAL parks on D Concourse, if UA and CAL get together, they will more than likely vacate one set of their gates in ATL for example and consolidate ops in another Concourse thereby opening space for WN to start service.

This is just one example that I'm sure WN is looking at as an option instead of going through with a costly and potentially damaging merger with AAI.

 

[Ty Webb]

For instance, in ATL UA parks on T Concourse and CAL parks on D Concourse, if UA and CAL get together, they will more than likely vacate one set of their gates in ATL for example and consolidate ops in another Concourse thereby opening space for WN to start service.

Survey says . . . . . . . . wrong answer.

The DAL/NWA merger didn't even free up any gates.

Thanks for playing, though. We;ve got some great parting gifts for you to enjoy on your way home to Loserville, including a bag of Salty Chocolate Balls. Enjoy. They're packed full of salty goodness.:laugh:

 

[Cometman]

Survey says . . . . . . . . wrong answer.

The DAL/NWA merger didn't even free up any gates.

Thanks for playing, though. We;ve got some great parting gifts for you to enjoy on your way home to Loserville, including a bag of Salty Chocolate Balls. Enjoy. They're packed full of salty goodness.:laugh:

SWA will continue to do what they have done for the past 30+ years. They will wait and take pieces of assets that go up for sale rather than merge with another carrier. Why would they merge with Airtran and have to offer their employees jobs? Why would SWA want employees that could not get hired by SWA before enjoy the benefits they worked for over the last 30 years? You picked to go with Airtran, now you are stuck with Airtran. SWA does not want any of your problems. Solve your own problems and don't expect SWA or any other airline to solve them.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

I knew someone from AAI was going to dismiss this theory. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Obviously they are going to consolidate gates at all of the Airports they serve. They've already started colocating gates at several of their Hubs. I just know that this hasn't happened in ATL yet primarily because of the lack of available gates.

What I fail to understand is why the ATL Airport Authority hasn't broken ground on a new Comcourse when it's obvious that AAI wants more gates and WN would like to start service as well. I know DL has a lot of pull, but they obviously have the majority of the marketshare in ATL and building more gates to allow AAI and WN to expand is not going to do irreperable harm to the largest Airline in the World. So what's the hold up?

 

[MINIME]

Saluki,

Your theory is not wrong per say. However, you have to consider the politics and the money that it's going to take to acquire those gates in ATL. First, you can rest assured that DAL and AAI have the city of ATL well greased. Just like SWA and AA might have it in Dallas. They will fight SWA tooth and nail to keep them from acquiring any gates. I'd bet money on it.

I'll go so far as to say that the big DAL will be willing to shed quite a bit of blood fighting that battle. Believe it! Now, does SWA have the assets to meet that fight? My guess would be yes. Is it logical and business savy to carry such an assault in this day in age with low yields and a staggering economy? Your guess is as good as mine, but I'll venture to say that not so much.

DAL is not the same airline that it was even 2 years ago. It is much healthier and getting healthier by the year. One could also argue that SWA does not have as many assets as it once did, say...two years ago. Still the healthiest airline in the country, but not as nimble as to try to take on the biggest airline in the world in their own backyard. This is just my opinion by the way.

So in response to your theory, it's not so much AAI you have to worry about. It's the big Gorilla that owns ATL that would put up the biggest fight. A fight that would drain lots of precious cash. Thus, I still believe that if SWA wants or NEEDS ATL, a merger or acquisition would be the easiest and cheapest way. But what do I know, I just stayed in a Holiday Inn Express last night. Apologies for the rant in advance....