Article: Southwest losing consumer luster as pilots vote on integration

[KarmaPolice]

Rather than attacking the person, attack his analysis with facts.

 

[Sacha]

Oh, Im sorry...his facts are wrong. And he is a Moron.....

 

[jonjuan]

Look at McAdope's personal history in the Airline Biz.....he isn't qualified to comment on the economic viability of a lemonade stand.... What a Moron....

30 posts a day at 60 years old. Lmfao....speaking of moron. Hey gramps, get off the internets.

 

[hockeypilot44]

I will say that I haven't seen very many Airtran pilots wearing those "one luv" lanyards recently. For a while, almost every Airtran pilot was wearing one.

 

[Sacha]

30 posts a day at 60 years old. Lmfao....speaking of moron. Hey gramps, get off the internets.

3,000 posts by a 35 year old living in his Moms basement.....Perhaps you should face reality....your "career" is a disaster.....

Say....wasn't that you down at the OWS getting run over by the Cop?......

 

[Ky.BrownBourbn]

Rather than attacking the person, attack his analysis with facts.

You want facts, every flight I fly is full, that's a fact!

This was supposed to end when school started back, I don't fly during the week because of my "Juniority", I guess the flights during the week are empty!
KBB

 

[On Your Six]

Pilots ride a confusing roller coaster

The impact of its fare increases on business travellers is now being compounded by the confusing roller coaster that represented its effort to merge the seniority lists between the 6000 affiliated with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) and 1700 AirTran pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA).

In August, Southwest seemed to have achieved a merger milestone when it reached agreement to merge the lists with both pilot groups. This later fell apart and now it is saying that if it cannot reach accord, it will operate AirTran as a stand-alone airline and slowly dismantle it similar to its actions after acquiring Muse Air.

In July, the two groups reached agreement on integration but AirTran’s pilot leadership opted not to send that agreement out for a rank-and-file vote. This has some AirTran pilots calling for a recall of that leadership.
In September, a second agreement was reached and the two groups are now in the midst of a ratification vote that ends 07-Nov-2011.

Following the refusal to put the first agreement out of vote, however, Southwest pulled its sweet-heart deal for AirTran pilots, which is the reason for a recall move. It also completed its alternative plan for the two carriers on 20-Sept, calling for AirTran and Southwest to be operated separately if the integration vote fails. Essentially, the agreement reached in September protects SWAPA seniority rights, leaving AirTran pilots with only pay raises.

Southwest briefed pilots that the Plan B arrangement still earns the Dallas-based carrier savings and revenues because it will retain the baggage fees AirTran charges, approximately USD200 million annually. It would also retain
the 717s that Southwest had previously planned to retire in favour of its own 737s.
This would make Southwest/AirTran the second airline in which maximising merger synergies failed due to pilot problems. It follows US Airways/America West where pilot groups continue to fight over integration six years after US Airways and America West merged. Former US Airways pilots refuse to accept
court rulings favouring America West pilots and, in fact, were recently enjoined from a job action against the airline by another court.

Even so, Southwest comes out the winner because it still gets what it went after in acquiring AirTran – access to jackson-international-airport-atl"]Atlanta[/URL].

The next USair II. First everyone seems to recognize that they probably have lost their LCC status, especially with the higher fares. Then, they alienate their new employees by management siding with one side during the SLI. What a crazy ride this will be.


Godspeed!


OYS

 

[Lowrider717]

I will say that I haven't seen very many Airtran pilots wearing those "one luv" lanyards recently. For a while, almost every Airtran pilot was wearing one.

Don't read anything into it. Nothing personal. They were made in China, right before the ducks, and didn't hold up so well.

 

[pilotyip]

So when does the string of profitable quarters end?

 

[vv100]

As soon as the hedges run out