Gary Kelly Ain't Waitin' for the DOJ!!

[Heavy Set]

Even when Joe L. was CEO the talk at recurrent was the ridiculously low lease rates on 757's and what we could do with those. Maybe you missed it, but even little Sun Country was planning proving runs to Stanstead ... in 737's!

Yes, with stops in Gander after starting in MSP. The main reason they were doing that was to get ETOPS approval for eventual MAC contracts. But, they are doing it again this upcoming summer once a week, from Gatwick this time (via Gander too I believe).

 

[Bill Nelson]

Fireman

We just took all of their production and delivery slots. We won't be able to take any of their aircraft until we actually buy them. Then it will probably just take time to dismantle and take what we want of the aircraft if we don't combine the operations. The AirTran pilots will go where the aircraft go. If they play nice then they will come to SWA and if not they will go with the 717's to the highest bidder more than likely. 51% rule will rule. If there isn't a combination of operations B/M doesn't apply. The ball is in Alpa court.

 

[funnyman12]

You can't tell the DOJ that you plan on merging an airline and then decide to sell off pieces of an airline you acquire. There are legal obligations that the DOJ requires that prevent an airline from acquiring an airline and then selling off pieces of it. SWA must file their plans to the DOJ and they have an obligation to their shareholders. Sorry guys your dreams of Airtran being sold off in pieces is illegal. With Frontier Gary Kelly had stated that if oil were to reach certain levels then SWA would sell/ground a certain amount of the Airbus's. The law prevents the whole screwing the flying public...and employees, unless that is filed with the DOJ.

 

[Ty Webb]

Bill, you crack me up. What do you think, that SWA is going to sell off 85 717's and create a new competitor with lower costs, or sell it to DAL or AMR... or just eat millions of dollars in broken leases, or park em, pay the leases and fend off shareholder lawsuits, all to salve your bruised ego?

GK is a businessman. We are pilots. The deal is going forward, we need to learn to live with it. It will be a good thing for all.

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

Ty,

Im a Dwight Yokum fan, both music and movies. But at first glance, that avatar just looks like a cowboy winking at me. Nothing more frightening than a gay cowboy. Even more frightening than the Freddy Mercury black leather species, gay Indians, and construction workers. I think you should go back to Walter Sobchak.

Just sayin'

 

[bluestreaking]

My Gaydar went off too when I first saw that pic.

 

[Ty Webb]

I'm sure ol' Dwight would be a little bummed to hear that his picture was considered by some to be an invitation to go camping . . . :laugh:

I'll work on it over the weekend.

 

[maru657]

It looks like Gary isn't waiting for DOJ to start taking over. These aircraft will be flown by current SWA pilots before (or even if?) the two operations are combined

This sounds like denial, Looking at current labor law regarding integration and divining Kelly's intentions, I suspect that there is no "IF" or "maybe" in the works for this integration process and that it is a foregone conclusion. Southwest and Kelly need this merger and looking at the sums spent I'm sure it will happen despite a few pilots gripes. Im sure the Airtran captains have just as much right to maintain their seats as any SouthWest Captain.

 

[Mickey D]

Maybe just a different picture of Dwight. His music rocks. I always think of his song "Thousand Miles from Nowhere" when flying over the midwest.

I'm sure ol' Dwight would be a little bummed to hear that his picture was considered by some to be an invitation to go camping . . . :laugh:

I'll work on it over the weekend.

 

[texman]

It looks like Gary isn't waiting for DOJ to start taking over. These aircraft will be flown by current SWA pilots before (or even if?) the two operations are combined

This sounds like denial, Looking at current labor law regarding integration and divining Kelly's intentions, I suspect that there is no "IF" or "maybe" in the works for this integration process and that it is a foregone conclusion. Southwest and Kelly need this merger and looking at the sums spent I'm sure it will happen despite a few pilots gripes. Im sure the Airtran captains have just as much right to maintain their seats as any SouthWest Captain.

I don't think GK's intentions is to dump AT. I believe GK will take care of his immediate family first. As far as seat's and who will keep them, I believe M/B will apply and is the best thing for both AT and SWA, especially for SWA if it goes to court. It's all about what is fair and equitable. So I have full trust in SWAPA and SWA to insure that our family is taken care of first. It's all about the transaction agreement.

 

[Dan Roman]

I don't think GK's intentions is to dump AT. I believe GK will take care of his immediate family first. As far as seat's and who will keep them, I believe M/B will apply and is the best thing for both AT and SWA, especially for SWA if it goes to court. It's all about what is fair and equitable. So I have full trust in SWAPA and SWA to insure that our family is taken care of first. It's all about the transaction agreement.

In other words you think the AirTran folks are not part of your so called "family"?
Say goodbye to your "SWA culture". Especially if SWA F/O's somehow think they are inheriting the AirTran Captain seats.

 

[texman]

In other words you think the AirTran folks are not part of your so called "family"?
Say goodbye to your "SWA culture". Especially if SWA F/O's somehow think they are inheriting the AirTran Captain seats.

Dan, Dan!

Relax brother, Right now AT is not SWA. GK has stated over the past two months that we are still competitors. So if you are my competitor, you are not apart of the SWA family. Does that make sense? If not just PM and we can talk about culture and family, and what it means to be a SWA family member. The way you posted, sounds like to me you have captain insecurities. It's ok Dan relax. This is FI.

 

[Bwipilot]

Ditto on TY's avatar. At first I thought it was an advertisement poster from Brokeback Mountain . . .

 

[Ty Webb]

Tough Crowd, Tough Crowd . . . . :bawling:

I believe a Brokeback Mountain avatar was used for a while by Uppercrust. I don't think anyone even complained . . . . Of course, they probably just thought it was how he rolled . . . . . :erm:

I had a Frank Zappa one that really got people rankled for some reason. I think it was the mustache.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Your stockbroker? Baaaaaaaahaaaaaaaaaahaaaaaahaaaaaaaa!!! Now there's an industry sage!!

Who do you work for ace? Mesa? Gulfstream? I'm sure you'd beg to be stapled at Pinnacle if you could.

2nd or 3rd tier eh? Get schooled jackwagon. AirTran is a Major and with the new contract is only paid less than SWA and ALA. Paid same or higher than all the other Majors on like equipment except for Delta 737NG. Delta DC9 pays equal to AAI B717.

Don't believe me? Go check it out for yourself right here:
http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/legacy.html

Laugh it up. He reiterated today after doing some due diligence that he thought the employees wouldn't be combined due to the importance of the SWA culture in the business plan. Merging the groups could be devastating - just look at the bickering here on FI.

 

[SWA/FO]

Especially if SWA F/O's somehow think they are inheriting the AirTran Captain seats.

Makes me laugh.... "its what your seniority will hold". We aint gots no 4-5 year Captains at Southwest and we wont after SLI. Get use to walk-arounds again, weekends and Oakland.

 

[Bill Nelson]

We aint gots no 4-5 year Captains at Southwest

The AirTran turnover rate is what allowed the quick upgrade times in the past.

 

[GuppyWN]

Did Airtran downgrade captains when you furloughed 200 of your brothers?

Gup

 

[Cobraair75drvr]

You swa boys are funny. Have any of y'all been around long enough to remember when y'all were paid like Fo's at most airlines? And they didn't buy their types. Y'all were a cross between a startup and a regional. Your pay is by default, nothing else. You did not fight for those rates. We did, and you rode our coat tails. Your mgmt. made a very, very, shrewd gamble with the heating oil hedges. Good for them and you. Get use to the 12-15 yr. upgrades and stop acting like such ******************************s.

 

[RedDogC130]

It is funny because the airtran people probably think they would get relative senority with a company like American is AA bought them. Maybe it is a Southwest thing.....

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

[SWA/FO]

You swa boys are funny. Have any of y'all been around long enough to remember when

y'all were paid like Fo's at most airlines? And they didn't buy their types. Y'all were a cross between a startup and a regional. Your pay is by default, nothing else. You did not fight for those rates. We did, and you rode our coat tails. Your mgmt. made a very, very, shrewd gamble with the heating oil hedges. Good for them and you. Get use to the 12-15 yr. upgrades and stop acting like such ******************************s.

Go back to your Delta forum. We listen to you b!tch for years, now its our turn.

 

[Kharma Police]

The AirTran turnover rate is what allowed the quick upgrade times in the past.

There was a time when that was true but we also experienced explosive growth with our seniority list almost doubling during my first few years. When I interviewed in 2004, I was told 3 years to upgrade and moved over exactly as promised. I'm sure there was a time when Southwest had very quick upgrades as well.

 

[roughneck]

I took a few days off from this forum and it was a nice breather. When this is all said and done I hope our new AirTran brothers will feel like part of the family no matter how the SLI goes. Same goes for SWA guys. Regardless of outcome I hope we lick our wounds and move on. Big things are on the horizon for us all.

But in the meantime, Mine is bigger than Yours!

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Well said roughneck. Now let's go kick some a$$!!

 

[Wesb737fo]

There's a class 3 unsubstantiated rumor on another board that Big D may be trying to slow this thing down. It would be interesting to see what is discussed in the corporate war rooms concerning tactics and strategies (all legal I'm sure) during these types of deals. Theoretically, how could other airlines apply pressure to the DOJ to slow down the aquisition and integration of AAI by SWA?

 

[Ty Webb]

Willie's stoned again

The AirTran turnover rate is what allowed the quick upgrade times in the past.

Upgrades are driven by the number of aircraft and their utilization, not attrition, which was mostly by FO's.

I was hired in 2001. We have more than tripled in size since then, with the growth rate at 20% for much of the past ten years. That's where the upgrades came from.

 

[Max Powers]

Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark on the trannies!

In the short run yes, it will leave a mark....In the long run regarding SLI it will only help. They see that 62 number and our side will use that as a Negotiation leverage whilst dealing with the Arbiter.

Forgive the "our side" comment. Soon we will be as one, Albeit "two brothers from another mother"

 

[Max Powers]

And I believe that is the plan. South Americas too. Ty can we have a group hug and just get along?

Dude your such a troll and instigator. TY will easily keep his seat. Just look at the DAL-NWA match up. DAL bought NWA but lost relative seniority.

 

[Max Powers]

Makes me laugh.... "its what your seniority will hold". We aint gots no 4-5 year Captains at Southwest and we wont after SLI. Get use to walk-arounds again, weekends and Oakland.

So your going to downgrade over 300 captains?? Riiiiiiight.

 

[shootr]

It's not a downgrade if your pay and career expectations of final earnings go up (significantly). I would GLADLY take a loss of relative seniority if purchased by a UPS/FEDEX type operation if the end-game earnings worked out in a similar way. Seat is not important. Pay is important. I don't want to upgrade because it's a better seat...I want the money.