Fallout from an age 60-Rule change

[Junkflyer]

Hey they're heroes! We should kiss their feet whenever we see them. My God we are lucky to be in the same airport that our heroic SWA pilots fly in to. They even have a tv show! I think all pilots should donate 10 % of their wages to show our appreciation to our heroes.

 

[SWA/FO]

SWAdude, that is showing no respect at all. As a fellow union brother, I would expect a little more from you. I have made a few points and the comback is always: I can't believe they hired you, or every company has their 10%, you have a type rating etc....Point is you guys always like to attack me. Getting attacked from my own kind, now that is new low. Real nice there SWAdude I expect it from others.

So we have a 9 month FO asking me if Southwest is my first airline? We should be asking him why he went to UAL in the first place looks as if SWA was his second choice?

 

[sf260pilot]

To all of the SWA people on this thread: When was the last time Herb or GK lied to you about what was going on with the Airline? I would be very cautious to respond to a post from someone who thinks they know how to handle a potential problem at SWA based on what they did at their previous airline. The one thing that has kept SW profitable all of these years is its people. Period end of story. A large number of those people are reaching the termination point in their career. I hope the new pilots work a fraction as hard as the 59.9 guys that I know at SW. If everyone does what they can SWA will be fine.

 

[canyonblue]

To all of the SWA people on this thread: When was the last time Herb or GK lied to you about what was going on with the Airline? I would be very cautious to respond to a post from someone who thinks they know how to handle a potential problem at SWA based on what they did at their previous airline. The one thing that has kept SW profitable all of these years is its people. Period end of story. A large number of those people are reaching the termination point in their career. I hope the new pilots work a fraction as hard as the 59.9 guys that I know at SW. If everyone does what they can SWA will be fine.

Nice post. I agree what happens at other carriers does not instantly apply to Southwest. Senior pilots at Southwest, especially most Captains, WILL benefit from a change in age 60. But I still feel that it is because of those very same Captains that made choices in 1994, that I am employed at SWA.

 

[USMC319]

C'mon guys, let SWA/FO have his day in the sun. Many of us remember being in that position with our "bullet-proof" airlines in the past. You remember when seeing a Southwest palne taxi by and thinking...those poor bastards, I feel sorry for them? Well they haven't changed course since then, rather the rest of the industry has taken a dive and now most of us have had to start over or are working for much less. You remember our "big egos" when we were untouchable, so ease up on SWA/FO, let him be like the little dog that spins in circles and jumps up on you when you walk in the door. Its refreshing.

 

[SWAdude]

SWAdude, that is showing no respect at all. As a fellow union brother, I would expect a little more from you. I have made a few points and the comback is always: I can't believe they hired you, or every company has their 10%, you have a type rating etc....Point is you guys always like to attack me. Getting attacked from my own kind, now that is new low. Real nice there SWAdude I expect it from others.

So we have a 9 month FO asking me if Southwest is my first airline? We should be asking him why he went to UAL in the first place looks as if SWA was his second choice?

Don't throw that fellow union brother crap. If you cared about that you would refrain by making us all look bad. Whether you like it or not..

You represent every Southwest pilot with your remarks!!!

This board is shallow.

Humility is a virtue.

 

[SWA/FO]

This has nothing to do with ego... This has to do with "givebacks" that in my opinion are not going to happen, here. That's the short of it.

 

[canyonblue]

You remember when seeing a Southwest palne taxi by and thinking...those poor bastards, I feel sorry for them?

C'mon Dude. These were the comments directed at you then, and all of us still today. As far as many of the people on this board, who really cares what they think of us. Read a little more and find out.

 

[SWAdude]

This has nothing to do with ego... This has to do with "givebacks" that in my opinion are not going to happen, here. That's the short of it.

I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. We don't need to. Our price elasticity can support our profit margin without the hedges. Bottom line.

Don't believe me? Look at this analyst report on our pricing.

http://forums.flightinfo.com/showthread.php?t=66693

This paragraph alone sums it up:

"Competitors fares have increased to cover rapidly inflating fuel costs and have caused Southwest’s unit costs (or CASM) and unit revenue (or RASM) to become relatively lower than the competition. For example, from 2000 through 2Q 2002 Southwest’s unit costs averaged 40 percent below the major airline average, while unit revenue averaged 16 percent below. Over the past 24 months the relative level of Southwest’s unit costs has averaged 47 percent below the Majors, while unit revenues were 28 percent below. These huge unit cost and unit revenue gaps keep increasing, as the second quarter 2005 results show Southwest unit costs 65 percent below the major airline average and unit revenue 48 percent below. These gaps make Southwest more attractive to customers as Southwest fares fall further and further below other carriers. The increased unit cost gap is also interesting to investors as Southwest’s costs fall further below the competition, where industry CASM is now at an all time high pushing above 12 cents. Although fare adjustments relate directly to customer price sensitivity, which must be carefully watched, the fare “headroom” provided by competitors increasing fares allows a chance for Southwest to potentially pocket as much as $2 billion annually if it were to restore it’s historical relative fare gap of 16 percent below the competition (rather than the 28 percent below performance of the second quarter 2005)."

 

[koko nw]

So we have a 9 month FO asking me if Southwest is my first airline? We should be asking him why he went to UAL in the first place looks as if SWA was his second choice?[/quote]

Don't kid yourself, it was. Until 2001 SWA's was the choice BEHIND ALL the global full service airlines for folks in my position applying for a job.

MOST folks getting out in my time period applied for UAL,NWA,DAL,AA and CO. Some applied at Alaska because of proximity, people are salivating now for SWA's because your one of the few hiring.....in short your the flavor of the month.

Now I'm sure there are folks who wanted to pay for a type rating vs getting hired by any of the legacies who where hiring 50-100 folks a month 1997 -2000 but hey what ever floats your boat.

Me thinks you have a HUGE hard on for the legacies because some one didn't get one of the 1000's of jobs that was available and just happens to latch on to SWA.

As for benilli, it's our loss and YOUR gain at SWA's.