Bashing The Legacies

[SWA/FO]

I would be embarrassed to think that they were representative of our company.

I like the BOLD print, does that mean you're yelling at me?

I represent myself. I don't speak for Southwest Airlines, nor do I claim to be a spokesman for Southwest. I speak from the heart. Where in this thread are you that upset with me?

What did you just get back from seeing brokeback mountain and are having some type of emotional attack? Now back to the thread...

 

[scoreboard]

Guys, I was trying to have a legitimate meltdown here...Remember?....ATSB: Bad...Discuss...

I'm not familiar with the why of no fund release, anyone? It does seem wacky to have the money and then hold it. I wouldn't put it past them to do the old accounting trick so they don't show as much a deficit for whatever qtr /years they held the cash, anyone know why?? just interested

 

[Flopgut]

I'm not familiar with the why of no fund release, anyone? It does seem wacky to have the money and then hold it. I wouldn't put it past them to do the old accounting trick so they don't show as much a deficit for whatever qtr /years they held the cash, anyone know why?? just interested

In my humble estimation, if UAL had got the loan the only thing different would be that the pensions would still exist. Some similiar version of today's events would still have happened. Just that instead of a 300 ml profit on the part of the ATSB it would be more like a whopping 750ml and UAL pilots would still have a pension. Of course that means the tax payers would not have bailed out the pension so the net loss, for the want of destoying a unionized workgroup, is about a over a billion. Of course this should be no surprise when last nights speech did not even hint at the job losses for UAW.

Score: What do you think about airfares? Raise em big time or what? You guys are on the top of the heap but shouldn't we, airline pilots as a whole, be feeling pretty stupid right now? Or not? No flamebait here.

 

[Flopgut]

Now, here is the flamebait:

Regarding the ATSB: If TWA had been flying into the the timeframe that the events causing the ATSB to be created happened, they would not only still exist, but would be larger than CAL and have all manner of new aircraft on order and be hiring out the wazzoo. IMHO.

 

[scoreboard]

Score: What do you think about airfares? Raise em big time or what? You guys are on the top of the heap but shouldn't we, airline pilots as a whole, be feeling pretty stupid right now? Or not? No flamebait here.

Well, interesting stuff, but no flame or anything but what was the stated reason for not releasing the funds? just curious...

And on the raise the fare thing. I would think we as a segment of the economy "transportation" should feel pretty stupid. Did any or all of the railroad companies ever all operate in bankruptcy at the same time? Nope. why are we? Faster market swings is my guess, the solutions lay inside some business ability to react, ie things change faster than they can adapt.

I was just going to use the analogy that other business's like Micron or HP don't try to put each other out by underpricing, but there it is on there website, complete computers for $399. I guess i'm saying that the market sets the price, not the other way around. If you tried it the other way around, the market would diminish. Look what happenning to GM, they may be gone in a few years. Why? not adapting, not because they can't build what the people want, but because they didn't or won't. :erm:

I'd love for LUV to be back in the hayday splitting stock every few years, making 100 times what we do now, but the market is what it is. I try not to see it as something I can change, just do my best in the system, try to lead turn what I may see as going wrong, etc.

ps, just figured out the icon thingy...

 

[405]

deleted.

 

[Flopgut]

Well, interesting stuff, but no flame or anything but what was the stated reason for not releasing the funds? just curious...

And on the raise the fare thing. I would think we as a segment of the economy "transportation" should feel pretty stupid. Did any or all of the railroad companies ever all operate in bankruptcy at the same time? Nope. why are we? Faster market swings is my guess, the solutions lay inside some business ability to react, ie things change faster than they can adapt.

I was just going to use the analogy that other business's like Micron or HP don't try to put each other out by underpricing, but there it is on there website, complete computers for $399. I guess i'm saying that the market sets the price, not the other way around. If you tried it the other way around, the market would diminish. Look what happenning to GM, they may be gone in a few years. Why? not adapting, not because they can't build what the people want, but because they didn't or won't. :erm:

I'd love for LUV to be back in the hayday splitting stock every few years, making 100 times what we do now, but the market is what it is. I try not to see it as something I can change, just do my best in the system, try to lead turn what I may see as going wrong, etc.

ps, just figured out the icon thingy...

I think the short answer is, both times they were turned down, that the administration hates labor. No, utterly loathes labor. The worker is the ultimate "shock absorber" to the free market in this political climate and I think they wanted to make that abundantly clear.

I think SWA should go ahead and double fares. I don't think you should be worried about market share like other airlines do. You have a different methodology that transcends simple market share (lots of seats at lots of different times). You create a sort of demand for everyone at most of the places you go.

My deal is this: I'm not trying to tell you what to do based on the fact I know what is better, I'm trying to advise you based on how bad I have seen this business get. In other words: no, my contract (and positive job experience) is not so good that I can tell you how things ought to be. I can give you a glimpse at how things can pretty well suck and how you don't want to find yourself here. I think that maybe you need to be a little more critical of your mgt. I know that is not in vouge over there but they might even appreciate it. If you are manageing a company in this business climate, and not getting critizized, you might not be doing enough. I don't think true market share is compatible with what you do and that what you might ought to be doing is (like the oil folks) is reaping the full effect of your advantage in dollars right now.

Plus, my thesis is: The consumer flat out does not deserve low fares! Screw these clowns! I had a guy come over and fix the washer the other day and I ended up giving him $100+! WTF? Now I certainly don't want to go fix washers, I want real money for what I do! What all of us do!

 

[81Horse]

The worker is the ultimate "shock absorber" to the free market in this political climate and I think they wanted to make that abundantly clear.

Well said. I think we're all about flat by now.