Any news at F9?

[StopNTSing]

One person's arrogance is another's inferiority complex.

 

[AnimalTale]

re-read my posts.

CYA

 

[Charlie Brown]

I too like a good Sam Adams.

Wait, were we talking about airlines or beer?

 

[RiteSideUp]

When asked non specifically about our best markets, a member of our management team mentioned DEN. I see no need to have brought it up if it were false.

Unless their ego will not let them say otherwise....

I will also say that you have your work cut out for you. I specifically asked upper management if F9 was a target. The response was " I just don't see where there is room in Denver for 3 airlines." Look at our October and November schedule ramp up in Denver and tell me what you think that implies.

It could imply that they are aiming at united or even the fact that denver is a way tougher nut to crack than they origanally thought. There may not be room for 3 airlines in denver, but I think Frontier is the premier airline operating here and the most reveared of the three. That goes a long way for passenger loyalty and it's sustainability.

Long live F9!

 

[M3pilot]

"My friend I've "been there got the t-shirt." I left F9 and am now a captain at SWA. I made my comment because I really do like the scrappy attitude.

I will also say that you have your work cut out for you. I specifically asked upper management if F9 was a target. The response was " I just don't see where there is room in Denver for 3 airlines." Look at our October and November schedule ramp up in Denver and tell me what you think that implies.

I mean no ill will to your pilot group. I absolutely loved my time and if you had ever read my previous postings on F9 you would see that I have the upmost respect for Sam Addams and his legacy but it's not Sams airline anymore.

Gup"


What an arrogant, pompass statement....we should all leave F9 and go and become a Capt. at SWA. Or we all should've followed your footsteps. Do us all a favor and go back to the SWA threads and leave us alone with the "Airline that is no longer Sam's". What kind of statement was that. I DID go back and read your posts and came to the conclusion that you should go back to "upper management" and ask them for the Lotto numbers for Saturday.
Maybe you could find another venue to focus your time on instead of the flightinfo F9 board.

I can't sit idle any longer. Please don't condescend to F9. Frankly we don't need it to feel ok about our jobs. We're doing just fine in Denver and will continue to do so. BTW, SWA is losing $20M a year in DEN using a model of doing business that they've never used before. Interesting to say the least.

But it appears that a big vat of the same kool-aid that was served to UAL 14 years ago regarding F9 in DEN is being proffered to the ranks of SWA. One paramount difference glares though; F9 was here before SWA.

And...none of us believes that you left F9 for SWA because it is no longer "Sam's airline". You went for greener grass. I hope you truly found it. But don't kid us, or yourself for that matter.

We've been duped by a few fence-jumpers lately who were'nt as sincere as I hope your decisions are based on. But the "sorry guys, but management wants to crush you guys" thing is getting rather old... <yawn> Don't reduce it to cutesy terms like 'scrappiness' - for it is based on much more than that. If you were at all invested here you understand that.

You can just feel the throng of local SWA pilots wringing their hands with a twinkle in their eye as they dream about a new DEN base, devoid of the "little thorn in their side" known as F9...

An unusually high percentage of individuals at this company truly cherish the opportunity to go to work each day and feel strongly so thereabout, that they will do damn near anything to keep that spirit alive. I am one of those individuals; and I have the privilege of working among them. We have pride; we have an awesome team; we have a superior product; we care about one another and in turn - our customers... and that my friends is a powerful recipe for what is known in our industry as a commodity. The local community embraces that fact; not because we throw money at corporate entities with flashy sponsorship offers and silly 'ding' commercials aimed at the wal-mart-style clientele, but a true-to-heart, 'we believed in this town when nobody else did, embracing approach to taking care of our own - from company - to employee - to customer - to community style of doing business. We will not engage in a race to the bottom for greed's sake or any other. We believe in a more professional and realistic, responsible way of doing business which allows for fair, profitable pricing, restoring respect and value to air travel, and genuinely caring for our customers.

I know SWA has a reputation for partying, schmoozing the FAA, and generally creating a 'fun' culture, and I respect many aspects of that. What I will not stand for, however as a peer in this business is the condescending tone that seems so rampant lately. Please, if you can't respectfully acknowledge us as a professional, viable competitor and a native of DEN and CO in general, don't say anything at all. We are proud to employ 4,000 individuals in the Front Range area. We have taken great care of those folks and our passengers. We know your market cap; we know who you are; but don't insult us. We're happy for our own reasons, but we're not ignorant. We don't need your premature/undue sympathy...

Best of luck to you and I hope we mutually enjoy success and fair winds wherever our compasses take us.

M3

 

[canyonblue]

Captain Guppy,

Not only are some of your employees arrogant,............................

CYA

I'm not arrogant, but as far as Denver, the Rockies, Av's, Bronco's and Nugget's suck. :smash:

 

[RiteSideUp]

I'm not arrogant, but as far as Denver, the Rockies, Av's, Bronco's and Nugget's suck. :smash:

You may want to remove the Rockies from that list.....

 

[learherkjay]

Okay,

I'll bite, what is the deal with the animosity here? First of all, I am a DEN commuter and a SWA pilot. I think F9 is a great airline with excellent people; a really great product. Second, I have never heard anyone at SWA mention a desire to put anybody out of business. This conspiracy theory and attitude of "us vs. them" started with Potter claiming war when SWA entered the market. Why didn't he do that when JetBlue or AirTran started business there? There is plenty of business for all airlines at DEN and since SWA entered the market, DEN has risen to the 4th busiest airport in the nation...so isn't that good news for everyone? Also, SWA is not losing 20 mil a year in DEN; it happens to be one of our better markets (I have seen the numbers). I wish my brothers at F9 all of the best...I think both airlines have bright futures

 

[AnimalTale]

I'm not arrogant, but as far as Denver, the Rockies, Av's, Bronco's and Nugget's suck. :smash:

I agree, Brotha! The RedWIngs RULE!!! How are the DC10 turn ons????

KIT,

CYA

 

[GuppyWN]

M3,

Very well written. I thought it was clear in my post that I have a lot of great memories of you guys and I wish nothing but the best. I absolutely left Frontier because I had to plan as best I could for a retirement that was 30 years away. Was it the right move? Who knows. Plain and simple. Educated crap shoot.

When I say that F9 isn't "Sams airline" anymore that exactly what I mean. Sam cared. It was his baby. He wasn't an airline guru. He was a banker that had a belief that he could follow through with an idea and create a great little airline. I went to Sam when I got hired at WN and told him "I want to stay here. Talk me into it." After hearing what each other had to say he looked me in the eye and said "go with my blessing....... and tell Herb I said hi." I'll forever be endebted to him for "giving me permission" to leave a great relationship behind.

Potter was all about Potter. Left F9 once and ran Vanguard into the ground. Came back to F9. Left again with his pockets full. I have no respect for the man. If he's your hero then good on you but that's not how I feel.

Here's what I see in Denver. We want to grow. If we can swing a new concourse or the other half of C we will. We have 5 gates. We have grown Denver faster than any new city we have opened. It is the best new city we have ever opened. The flights are full. YES WE ARE LOSING MONEY IN DEN. That is because we are cutting our own throats to gain market share. There is a big difference between kicking ass load wise and revenue wise. If you do some research you will find that we give up revenue for a couple of YEARS on a new market to gain that initial foothold.

Here's the deal. I don't decide what markets we fly to. I just push the thrust levers up. I hope there is ample business for all of us. Period - but to not hope the best for my current paycheck would be foolish. I am sure you understand that.

Respectfully,
Gup