Can Southwest really NOT have assigned seating

[iluvflying]

When they start to fly AirTrans international flights? I thought it was required.

Am I wrong?

 

[8v8tr]

When they start to fly AirTrans international flights? I thought it was required.

Am I wrong?

Not AirTrans, AIRTRANZ.

Geeze..

And yes Homeland Insecurity does require assigned seating for international flights. I assume they will keep the AAI software for a bit till they decide which way to go.

 

[Lear70]

That was actually in the Investor Conference Call last week. Southwest's reservation system can't currently handle the international flying, although they didn't say "WHY".

They stated that the new reservation system project had been put on the back-burner until a few other things (like the merger/acquisition/whatever) was wrapped up, then they'd bring it back out to work on, but that it would conceivably be "several" (GK's words) years before they'd have that worked out and they'd use their "codeshare partners" to fly those routes.

Since one of the first steps after DOCC is to establish a code share with AirTran so they can sell the tickets under one reservation system, it seems logical that AirTan would continue to operate at least the international flying separately for 1, maybe even 2+ years until Southwest has it spooled up to seamlessly take over this facet of the operation.

Scuttlebutt has it that MCO AirTran pilots will be the last to transition over to the SWA Ops Cert, making MCO the "international crew base" until the Southwest system is ready to take that part over, as our newest Ops Specs has "transition training to the SWA certificate for pilots beginning in August" in it, so our pilots will conceivably start traveling to Dallas this Fall, but they'll have to put *something* in place to cover the international requirements before Southwest pilots can start flying those routes.

 

[400ADude]

"International crew base" :laugh:

I think a lot of other things have to happen before anything the previous poster says will happen.

 

[Lear70]

"International crew base" :laugh:

I think a lot of other things have to happen before anything the previous poster says will happen.

Patience, oh baiter of the flame.

 

[stalker]

Just curious Lear, why would you guys be planning on coming to Dallas this Fall, when we do not even have a process agreement between our two unions yet? Not flame, I just do not see why they would be doing any Air Tran training prior to a SLI. Please enlighten me.

 

[Ky.BrownBourbn]

That was actually in the Investor Conference Call last week. Southwest's reservation system can't currently handle the international flying, although they didn't say "WHY".

They stated that the new reservation system project had been put on the back-burner until a few other things (like the merger/acquisition/whatever) was wrapped up, then they'd bring it back out to work on, but that it would conceivably be "several" (GK's words) years before they'd have that worked out and they'd use their "codeshare partners" to fly those routes.

Since one of the first steps after DOCC is to establish a code share with AirTran so they can sell the tickets under one reservation system, it seems logical that AirTan would continue to operate at least the international flying separately for 1, maybe even 2+ years until Southwest has it spooled up to seamlessly take over this facet of the operation.

Scuttlebutt has it that MCO AirTran pilots will be the last to transition over to the SWA Ops Cert, making MCO the "international crew base" until the Southwest system is ready to take that part over, as our newest Ops Specs has "transition training to the SWA certificate for pilots beginning in August" in it, so our pilots will conceivably start traveling to Dallas this Fall, but they'll have to put *something* in place to cover the international requirements before Southwest pilots can start flying those routes.

Partially correct, The "International ops." is moving to TPA, The bridge is complete, "International terminal" construction will be starting soon...That was the whole reason for the bridge.

Update on that in 6 months!
KBB

 

[chase]

I have seen the comment in writing on forums that assigned seating is required by TSA as a definitive fact.

Does anyone have any government source document to verify that statement as "fact" or something other than a repeat of what "one has heard as fact"?

SWA currently operates under TSA rules with unassigned seating but obviously has control of passenger manifests. These manifests are run through the standard security screening procedures to include 100% bag match (in theory) just as other domestic carriers do also.

I've heard the comment that international ops requires assigned seating so many times but have never seen anything definitive from TSA/FAA authorities.



BTW, assigned seating isn't the sticking point for the IT ticketing/international integration I've heard but other issues. That is one of the reasons I'm asking.

Any help with this would be useful to confirm this as fact; thanks in advance.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lear70]

Just curious Lear, why would you guys be planning on coming to Dallas this Fall, when we do not even have a process agreement between our two unions yet? Not flame, I just do not see why they would be doing any Air Tran training prior to a SLI. Please enlighten me.

I'm just reposting what's in our most recent Ops Specs. That comes from AirTran management and the FAA, not a union release or an individual opinion.

As far as the process agreement, our union issued a blurb on that last week, stating that SWAPA and AAI ALPA had agreed again, but that management on both sides had a few things THEY wanted changed, which are being addressed. I'm anticipating an announcement on that in the next week or two, but you know what they say, "Murphy was an optimist".

For training prior to an SLI, you got me. Again, it's just what's in our newest-issued Ops Specs. Perhaps Southwest management, as they've repeatedly stated publicly, really *DOES* consider this a done deal going forward and really *DOES* plan to let the process work itself out per A/M as they stated. If so, then there's no reason NOT to continue forward with training pilots, F/A's, ramp crews, etc, and painting planes, reconfiguring interiors, etc.

I hate to use USAirways as an example (and don't want to bring East-West issue into a non-East-West thread but it's an applicable comparison), but they wear one uniform, have one fleet paint scheme, work under one Operating Certificate, and their SLI isn't done, they just have the crews partitioned. Not the way *ANY* of us want to go, to be certain, but there's methodologies in place for it to move forward...

FWIW

I have seen the comment in writing on forums that assigned seating is required by TSA as a definitive fact.

Does anyone have any government source document to verify that statement as "fact" or something other than a repeat of what "one has heard as fact"?

SWA currently operates under TSA rules with unassigned seating but obviously has control of passenger manifests. These manifests are run through the standard security screening procedures to include 100% bag match (in theory) just as other domestic carriers do also.

I've heard the comment that international ops requires assigned seating so many times but have never seen anything definitive from TSA/FAA authorities.

BTW, assigned seating isn't the sticking point for the IT ticketing/international integration I've heard but other issues. That is one of the reasons I'm asking.

Any help with this would be useful to confirm this as fact; thanks in advance.

Thanks in advance.

I don't know what the sticking point is for the IT international ticketing issue is, just that GK said it was going to be several years before Southwest could handle the international ticketing side of reservations. What have you heard?

As for the assigned seating on international flights, to my understanding, it's part of the LASP (Large Aircraft Security Program) and Secure Flight regulations with TSA. I can't find the actual document, but that's what we've been told, fwiw.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Of course SWA wants this to be DONE deal....if they didn't, they wouldn't have dropped 1.4B into this project. To think they are just going to go full speed ahead without making sure they don't leave an escape ladder if things ignite is just stupid. The only way this is going to be expedited is if the unions reach an agreement quickly. Otherwise, we all just sit and wait for things to play out.