Gary Kelly's ATN Comments at Message To The Field

[Ty Webb]

I'm not sweating it. I'm guessing that we don't want it to drag on forever, and SWAPA doesn't want it to go to arbitration . . . so, both sides will want to keep it productive and moving forward, and hopefully come up with something that both Pilot groups can vote on.

Meanwhile, guys like Bobby D, Sundowner and the rest can gnash their teeth and stew in their jealousy.

 

[texman]

To the 717 conspiracy theorists: Why in the hell would GK sell all the lift that's generating a profit? Not to mention, what would you do with all the passengers that annually fly on them...discontinue service so they can choose a competitor? Remember, the 717 creates the majority of the $2.6 billion of yearly revenue, not the lower frequency, long haul 737. I didn't major in business, but it doesn't make much sense to dump a cheap to operate, profitable, and right sized fleet. The fleet commonality argument is bogus as well. The commonality between a 300/500 and a 700/800 are not as high as one might think.

This is NOTHING but scare tactics to manage expectations. Sign here please or your aircraft are sold and you're out of a job. GMAFB

Some of my comments are not a scare tactic. I was just stating what might be a Business move for all shareholders in the deal SWA/AT/DAL. Just talking theory, not conspiracy. I am not nocking the fact the 717 makes money. I never said you would be out of a job. If you have read my post on FI, they have never stated AT guy's "Watch out you may be out of a JOB, sign here or else"! Brother this deal isn't just about us. It's about the 35,000 SWA family members and the future family members. As far as the 717, I have heard GK state the 717 will be scattered all over the US. It will feed the smaller markets, like out west. This is FI. Don't take shizz personal. M/B will manage our expectations.

 

[texman]

Are you putting the Airtran guys down AGAIN? Keep slamming them, and they will hunker down and make sure you pay. I have a feeling they will wait it out until arbitration.


Bye Bye---General Lee

Gen nuts don't start. I like that you come on all the SWA boards and start shiz. I would like to point out is the delta guy's love to instigate our boards. What you need to do is take what you know about your merger and keep it to your self. This is acquisition/merger is different than yours. Putting AT guy's down come on Gen nut's! That remark is a tactic on your part to put anger in the AT's guy's head.

 

[CatfishVT9]

I got to attend the Message To The Field in San Diego the other day. What an awesome party! Everyone had a great time.


Second, he said SWA is unsure about charging fees on ATN flights during the integration due to the fact that recent ATN financials show they would be losing money without the fees.

Finally, he expressed concern over the bad attitudes a poor SLI could create at SWA, though he wouldn't commit to a specific plan to deal with the possibility.

Back to the original post here........

Two thoughts here. First on the bag fee question, just from my observation as an AT pilot (before and after bag fees) and from the few times I've ridden on SWA planes, I'd guess that the assigned seating and bag fees add at least 15 minutes to the turn times. I'd suspect that as soon as the gates agents get retrained and "de-atlanatuded", the increase in aircraft utilization may mitigate the bag fee revenue. Again, not an expert, just an observer.

Second, just exactly what did Gary Kelly mean by bad attitudes over a poor SLI? Did the CEO of one of the most employee friendly places to work in the world mean "those new guys better play ball"? Or did it mean "don't screw the new guys". I would bet that it is somewhere in the middle since he wants a happy and productive employee group once it is all said and done. The sure way to kill the SWA culture is for EITHER side to screw the other.

 

[Flopgut]

Why not give AAI pilots special seniority in ATL? Like AA did TWA in STL.....

 

[Flopgut]

Second, just exactly what did Gary Kelly mean by bad attitudes over a poor SLI? Did the CEO of one of the most employee friendly places to work in the world mean "those new guys better play ball"? Or did it mean "don't screw the new guys". I would bet that it is somewhere in the middle since he wants a happy and productive employee group once it is all said and done. The sure way to kill the SWA culture is for EITHER side to screw the other.

Didn't the answer to that question come in the form of GK not involving the approval of the SWA pilots prior to this transaction? SWA needs this...

 

[Lonestar]

Well, I'm sure there are some AAI guys with equally unreasonable positions who will be also be disappointed.

Wow, Ty is saying there are AAI guys with positions that are equally unreasonable when compared to a SWA guy hoping for a staple. That's saying alot, coming from a guy who constantly shouts that relative is the only fair way for the AAI guys. Maybe Ty is saying there are trannies hoping to staple all SWA below AAI pilots.

Ty, trust me when I say that just as any SWA guy's hope for a staple is unreasonable...you're hope for relative is just as unreasonable!

 

[Lonestar]

If you were a CEO which side would you grow?, the one with the cheaper labor force which happens to be entrenched in your last frontier at the Worlds Busiest Airport...

So you are asking if the CEO would side with the group who voted overwhelmingly to strike (even if that side's airline can't afford the wages they seek), and is currently holding up talks with SWAPA in an effort to make the CEO negotiate with them on matters they have no business in?

 

[Ty Webb]

Wow, Ty is saying there are AAI guys with positions that are equally unreasonable when compared to a SWA guy hoping for a staple. That's saying alot, coming from a guy who constantly shouts that relative is the only fair way for the AAI guys.

I'm not sure where this idea got started, but I haven't said that "relative is the only fair way".

Out of curiosity, I did a search for all posts in the past 90 days made by me (or to me) that contain the words "relative seniority".

In not one of them did I say anything of the sort. Almost every example was another person using those words in a post to me. . . . yet, somehow, I'm the satan in the "Integrated Satanic List".

If you guys need me to keep being the scapegoat, by all means, I've got broad shoulders and a thick skin, but it just ain't true.

See it for yourself:

http://forums.flightinfo.com/search.php?searchid=2644942

 

[Kharma Police]

So you are asking if the CEO would side with the group who voted overwhelmingly to strike (even if that side's airline can't afford the wages they seek), and is currently holding up talks with SWAPA in an effort to make the CEO negotiate with them on matters they have no business in?

You can believe whatever you want, I'm not going to burst your bubble by telling you Santa Claus isn't real. Your moaning and wishing for harm to yourself and us still won't effect the final outcome.