For AIRTRAN AND SWA PILOTS ONLY!!!!

[General Lee]

I can assure you that it will not!

HELLOOOOO bestest Friends! RESPECTFULLY, it just won't be up to you. Thanks to the BOND/McCaskill bill, you can't staple anymore. The AT guys know this, and it would be foolish for them to accept any deal from SWAPA, and now that Gary Kelly let the merger out of the bag, it has to go forward. Wall ST likes it, and they also like clean mergers. It just makes more money for the Wall St bankers who handle the deal, and both managements will get successful merger bonuses if it goes well too.

So, you need to relax. CHILLAX MAN! PEACE AND LOVE MY BROTHERS! There is NOTHING you can do about any of this. SWAPA will NOT be running the show, arbitrators will be. If they follow any precedence, they will look at both of you, see if one is distressed financially, look what each brings to the table, and create the SLI. Just because one is bigger than the other, doesn't matter. AT and SWA both bring things to the table. There is no denying that, and that will be brought up at the hearings.

Regardless, ALL OF YOU ARE FANTASTIC PEOPLE, and even though many SWA FOs aren't feeling great right now, IT WILL ALL BE OK EVENTUALLY. TRUST ME MY BROTHERS! And, if you have time today, try to do something nice for someone, like singing outloud the song "We all need, Human touch!" to an over age 60 group of ladies playing cards. See ya!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Dumb Pilot]

Difficult times are coming to this two companies, if this is approved there will be a lot of growing pains associated with this merger because if you think that there will be a 40 or 50% pay raise for the Air Tran guys just like that you should be working for Disney.

 

[CatfishVT9]

It's interesting that the biggest nay-sayers on this thread are "lucktohaveajob" and "Dumb Pilot". Sorta like how dogs look like their owners, the screen names fit the personality I guess.

 

[General Lee]

Difficult times are coming to this two companies, if this is approved there will be a lot of growing pains associated with this merger because if you think that there will be a 40 or 50% pay raise for the Air Tran guys just like that you should be working for Disney.

RESPECTFULLY, Mr Shogun Master in Japan and self professed Dumb pilot, I beg to differ. Do you really think there would be a B-Scale for certain pilots, even though they fly the same plane (737-700)? The 717s are about the same size as SWA's 737-500s also. When DL and NWA merged, the FNWA pilots were given a 30% raise in their per hour flight pay, a raise in perdiem, and better work rules, more bases to choose from, got to keep what was left of their pensions, and their furloughed pilots were given credit for time out on furlough (something they never had before, that gave some pilots year 7 pay when they initially thought they would get year 2 pay when they got back on line). The SLI integration was something decided by totally different people (3 arbitrators), and they assigned the seniority after testimony. Add to that, any FNWA pilot who was on smaller equipment (like a DC9) and got to bid to a widebody got an even larger pay increase. I have a feeling that the Airtan guys will get a huge raise, and that is good for everyone, especially Delta pilots when it comes to a new contract which is due shortly.

Regardless, ALL OF THOSE SWA AND AT GUYS ARE FANTASTIC, and they will enjoy their jobs eventually, even if it does take a little longer to upgrade for a certain group of them. If you have time today, please try to do something nice for someone or something, like telling your kid that he or she does not look like Mt Olympus, even though he/she has a huge whitehead on his/her cheek. See ya!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[kc81900]

RESPECTFULLY, AT brings 40 738s to you sooner than if you could buy them yourselves. (would you like to FENCE those for the AT guys only? The arbitrators would probably do that for you if you want. 5 years?) They bring access to the busiest airport in the WORLD, and the largest city in the South. They bring more slots at LGA, and new ones at DCA. They give you total dominance at BWI and MDW. They bring INTL routes. And, they bring XM radio and some passengers that will pay a bit more for something better than coach. BUT WHO CARES MY BROTHERS????

Actually, they bring their contract period! The pilots of neither airline bring with them one airplane, not one landing slot, and not even an operating certificate. Beside their respective contracts all else is owned by their respective managment. All can be bought and sold as management sees fit.

Access to the busiest airport in the world? I didn't know airtran flew to Ohare!

 

[General Lee]

Actually, they bring their contract period! The pilots of neither airline bring with them one airplane, not one landing slot, and not even an operating certificate. Beside their respective contracts all else is owned by their respective managment. All can be bought and sold as management sees fit.

Access to the busiest airport in the world? I didn't know airtran flew to Ohare!

Atlanta still the world's busiest airport, but Chicago is slipping


By, Ben Matzunbah USA TODAY

Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport remains the world's busiest, "but the mix of other airports near the top is changing," The Atlanta Journal Consitution reports. Those "changes" include a drop by Chicago O'Hare, the airport that for many years vied with Atlanta for the "world's busiest" title.

FOX5 Atlanta writes "boosted by a major expansion ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympic games, Beijing Capital International Airport leaped ahead of Chicago's O'Hare in total passenger traffic last year, Airports Council International announced Thursday." The Beijing airport reported a 16.8% jump in traffic for a total of 65.3 million during 2009. That helped it jump five places to the No. 3 spot, passing O'Hare, which reported an 8.8% decline in passengers for a total of 64.4 million in 2009.


In fact, Chicago Public Radio notes O'Hare "tumbled two spots," dropping "to No. 4, among he world's busiest airports." London's Heathrow Airport also now rates ahead of O'Hare, moving up to become the world's second busiest airport in terms of passengers for 2009.
"You know, it was a perfect storm for Chicago," Joe Schweiterman, a transportation expert with the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development at DePaul University, says to Chicago Public Radio. "We have the weak U.S. Aviation market, and the fact that we're a two-hub operation at O'Hare ... And that led to a drop that's quite alarming," he adds.

O'Hare wasn't the only U.S. airport to tumble in the rankings. The Torrance Daily Breeze reports "Los Angeles International Airport was ranked as the seventh-busiest airport in the world in 2009, dropping one spot from a year earlier." Like Chicago, Beijing was one of the airports to leapfrog LAX.

"I think it's an indication of the incredible growth in Asian tourism and the post-Olympic tourism that Beijing has enjoyed," Michael Molina, deputy executive director of external affairs at LAX, tells the Daily Breeze about Beijing's jump to No. 3 from No. 8.
As for Chicago O'Hare, there was one silver line for it in the world airport rankings. Fox 5 notes "O'Hare still bests (Beijing) Capital by aircraft movements thanks to small regional jets and private planes."
Here's the complete top 10 list (by total passengers) for 2009, according to the Journal-Constitution: 1. Atlanta (87,993,451passengers; down 2.3%); 2. London Heathrow (66,037,578; down 1.5%); 3. Beijing Capital (65,329,851, up 16.8%); 4. Chicago O'Hare (64,397,891; down 8.8%); Tokyo Haneda (61,903,656; down 7.2%); Paris Charles de Gaulle (57,884,954; down 4.9%); Los Angeles (56,518,605; down 5.5%); 8. Dallas Fort/Worth (56,030,457; down 1.9%); Frankfurt (50,932,840; down 4.7%); and Denver (50,167,485; down 2.1%).


Posted Mar 19 2010 10:27AM



Regardless, I think ALL OF YOU ARE AWESOME. REALLY, I DO. And, if you can, try tonight to do special for someone, like give a thirsty child a sip of your Mountain Dew. See ya!


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Ty Webb]

So we have not grown to save and buy Airtran.

Uh, that might seem logical to you, but it really isn't. SWA management knows that AirTran is a terribly understaffed airline that is currently hiring pilots. We will continue to hire another 160 pilots through mid 2011.

We had 3.8 billion in short hand cash and now have 2.4 because of the Airtran purchase.

Doesn't work that way, Chief. Much of the purchase is a stock swap, not cash, and AirTran has $500 million in the bank, so SWA really isn't decreasing their cash position by much at all.
.[/QUOTE]

What do we bring? Hmmmm, I dunno, just a profitable airline with $2 Bil in annual revenues, 155 airframes, 1800 pilots, international ops, $500 million cash, 10 years of profitability, 20 gates at the world's busiest airport.

This merger may actually help you by adding pilots who are junior to you and by adding new deliveries, not just replacements. In any event, we didn't pick you, and you didn't pick us, but here we are.

 

[MTV]

It's interesting that the biggest nay-sayers on this thread are "lucktohaveajob" and "Dumb Pilot". Sorta like how dogs look like their owners, the screen names fit the personality I guess.

I don't know about "lucktohaveajob" but "Dumb Pilot" is one of the brighter guys I have flown with. Even if he is from Wisconsin. Have you heard of a self-deprecating sense of humor? Why so sensitive about someone's opinion?

MTV. SCA in MSP.

 

[texman]

Uh, that might seem logical to you, but it really isn't. SWA management knows that AirTran is a terribly understaffed airline that is currently hiring pilots. We will continue to hire another 160 pilots through mid 2011.





Doesn't work that way, Chief. Much of the purchase is a stock swap, not cash, and AirTran has $500 million in the bank, so SWA really isn't decreasing their cash position by much at all.
.

What do we bring? Hmmmm, I dunno, just a profitable airline with $2 Bil in annual revenues, 155 airframes, 1800 pilots, international ops, $500 million cash, 10 years of profitability, 20 gates at the world's busiest airport.

This merger may actually help you by adding pilots who are junior to you and by adding new deliveries, not just replacements. In any event, we didn't pick you, and you didn't pick us, but here we are.[/QUOTE]

Here on FI some one just said you guys are running avg 5 pilots per plane?

Yes I understand it is a stock swap, but that money will be used to grow the airline hopefully.

I think this Acquisition, which requires a merger by law might just help you and your family. All I ask for is you to buy my beer after I show how to trade your 3 days to two days and make the same money for the month. LOL

 

[texman]

TY,

Do you know of when any retirements will kick in. I think the average age is 35 at airtran?

 

[PCL_128]

Speaking of which what did the Airtran guys offer Midwest?

Relative seniority.

 

[vv100]

Relative seniority.

nevermind

 

[Pilot Knob]

Yawn...

 

[ATLplt]

All I ask for is you to buy my beer after I show how to trade your 3 days to two days and make the same money for the month. LOL

I'll take you up on that. As long as they're $1 beers, of course.

 

[texman]

I'll take you up on that. As long as they're $1 beers, of course.

of course dollar beers only. I will buy the shoots. Crap I remember the FA's buying me shots first year.lol

With all things being said, I think gary will grow the combine airline another 50%.

 

[FDJ2]

Difficult times are coming to this two companies, if this is approved there will be a lot of growing pains associated with this merger because if you think that there will be a 40 or 50% pay raise for the Air Tran guys just like that you should be working for Disney.

I think there will be, with or without SWAPA. The Feds still have to approve this merger, management will want to play nice to get speedy approval and little, if any divestiture of slots, the Airtran pilots are already in mediation, if they ask for parity, the mediator will view that as a good faith offer, if management doesn't accept, they'd be fools not to accept it since it would create heartburn in DC, the mediator would release them for a 30 day cooling off period and self help.

SWA needs a JCBA to get the synergies they want from this merger, otherwise it will tear the company apart, similar to LCC.

Wouldn't it be ironic if the Airtran pilots got SWAPA + 1% and then demand better than category status.

The best thing SWAPA could do, is to try to copy the DAL/NWA model. Negotiate a transition agreement, negotiate a JCBA with pay parity and gains for everyone, negotiate some equity for everyone, negotiate a SLI process agreement to rapidly establish a fair and equitable integrated seniority list and focus on creating a successful merger and new airline with your fellow pilots.

 

[seerickyfly]

You guys are so proud of 50 737's on order. SWA has a bunch on order too. They get them and kick a 300 out the back door. Once they have control of AT's orders I doubt it will change. Also SWA is wanting to convert our 700 orders to 800's. Which sounds great till you realise 3 800's equal 4 700's seat wise. That will slow down pilot hiring for sure. Plus it takes longer to turn the 800... more pax loading/unloading.

I think our company will firm up our soft raises over the next 2 years and keep one payscale for all 73 flying. They mite not even upgrade the 100 plus 300's they were thinking about and just park them all with new 700's/800's. Which to be honest is probally smart because I dont think oil is going to get any cheaper!

Welcome aboard guys! This is a good thing for sure. Just wanted to point out what could happen to these new orders. Hope you all get use to descending at 261 knots in the 700...

 

[ArtVandalay]

I was hired in one of the last classes at swa. Yes we have not grown. Gary did tell our union to get ready for us to buy some one. So we have not grown to save and buy Airtran. We had 3.8 billion in short hand cash and now have 2.4 because of the Airtran purchase. I wanted us to grow organic.

We as a company spent 70 mil to not furlough, this is huge to know that you will have a job and can still pay the bills. With that being said, your MEC will see are pay, scheduling flexibility(ELITT), vacation, are future retirements and management is better for the airtran pilot group. Not to forget our 3300 flights a day route structure and loyal customers, and don't forget the west coast.

So what is fair? What do you bring to SWA?

More important we bring a culture of taking care of each other.

FYI, there is no such thing as a loyal customer in the airline industry. They fly with you because you are cheap, not because you are good.

 

[crj567]

RESPECTFULLY, you actually may be close to that request anyway. It will be up to the arbitrators in the end. BUT REMEMBER MY BROTHER, YOU WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME ON FI, EVEN ON YOUR LBB LBB LBB 4 day trips.

Regardless, EACH ONE OF YOU IS FANTASTIC. EVERYONE OF YOU IS SPECIAL. If you have a chance tomorrow, try to be nice to someone if you can. If you see a hooker walking the street in the rain, offer her your jacket, and give her a rose. See ya!


Bye Bye---General Lee

I am pretty sure Gen Lee is trying to become an iconic Civil Rights Leader.

"I have a dream" (of an overnight in LBB!)

-Oh, and Gen-My car could use another wax. You last one was "the Bomb," but it just rained last weekend! I will be sure to get you a 6-pack of Fresca for your troubles. Just let me know which afternoon you will drop by, and I will be sure to give Tankerclown and Instructordude a ring! We really need to get together again-soon! Our last "boys night out" was a real hoot!!

We can play Hungry Hippos when the waxing is done! Nothing says "Fun" like Hungry Hippos and Fresca!

-Isn't it great being pals?!

 

[texman]

Art

You should know what customer service is. Don't you provide this one on one with your customers at Flex? This is what are fine people do everyday. Would you call Avantair cheap because they are cheaper than Flex, NetJets, and CitationAir. The other post was just my rant and two cents. I am positive about the SWA/AT luv fest. Are we cheap yes, but we do provide great customer service. SWA and Airtran marriage will help shake up the whole industry in a good way.