I hear-by challenge general lee:

[General Lee]

General Lee= ((((Cricket-Cricket-Cricket))))

Why would I take this challenge? I love FI. It is a great place to debate the industry. Although I will accept a new challenge. I will use Whateburger's own money to bet him that Southwest and Airtran have a FANTASTIC SLI, and nobody is offended, and it goes smoothly via arbitrators. Deal?


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[redflyer65]

It will go smooth General, and there most likely be less narrowbody Delta planes in 2014 because of it..

RF

 

[Whataburger]

Why would I take this challenge?

Bye Bye---General Lee

To prove that you are willing to back your bullsh!t.

 

[On Your Six]

To prove that you are willing to back your bullsh!t.

Lame alert! I'm glad he hasnt responded anymore to this dumb thread. Let's talk about a thread that needs to be talked more about, like the SLI thread concerning AT and SWA. And why do you think The General's and my wishes for a FAIR SLI for you two is such BS? Embrace it, it will be your future Mr. BigMac. (try not to get upset now please, Mr. short temper)


OYS

 

[chjack]

Agreed - everyone should be thankful of SWA's great contract. It will serve as a basis for other negotiations going forward...

whats so great about a contract that tops out at alomst 50% below what delta's did 10 years ago?

 

[JumpJetter]

I guess that it's 50% ABOVE deltas.......pow

 

[zippy32]

And why do you think The General's and my wishes for a FAIR SLI for you two is such BS? Embrace it, it will be your future Mr. BigMac.


OYS

This is what I envision when you preach your propaganda. Embrace it, it will be your future:

http://jediknight960.tripod.com/palpatine5.jpg

And when you the General get going, this is how I see you guys:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_YcsRkF6yBLI/TCNv7_PgRoI/AAAAAAAALIM/-kgeMPO77FE/s1600/Ace+and+Gary.jpg

The Ambiguously Delta Duo.

 

[whymeworry?]

I like SWA and have a ton of friends who fly for them. Their corporate philosophy is top-notch and their attitude towards employees/ pilots is to be emulated by all.

But that said... you guys crack me up when you compare yourselves to other carriers. A majority of SWA's profitability and market-share gain over the past 10 years was due to fuel hedging and a stronger balance (stronger because of fuel hedges) as the Legacy carriers retreated from the domestic market. You're not as well-hedged these days. In fact, Delta is better hedged for 2011 than SWA (according to the data I've read; feel free to correct me). Furthermore, while SWA pilots are indeed paid more, as they should be, there is the offset of retirement contributions. IOW, most legacy-carrier pilots get slightly higher retirement contributions that their SWA counterpart's 401K match. So the income gap is less than stated.

I'm all for SWA guys climbing the career ladder when it comes to earnings. The better they do they more evidence we have to present in contract negotiations that we are grossly underpaid. But get your facts straight as to how/ why your airline gained so much ground over the past 10 yrs... because the growth of the next 10 isn't going to come as easily. Unless, of course, your hedging guys roll the dice and win the that gamble again. And on that note, I know you think your fuel hedgers are so skilled at their job (they are better than ours but that's not saying much since ours suck so bad), but where where they in 2009 when oil reached $32 a barrel? Or even last year when they could've hedged at $65? The point is, the hedging game assisted your trajectory and that game is a gamble at best.

But I will acknowledge that your management's philosophy of taking care of employees (something DAL isn't that far from now, certainly they're light years ahead of CAL/ UAL) is part of the success equation.

 

[GuppyWN]

I disagree.

SWA corporate success is solely because of the awesomeness of the pilot group. We **** fuel hedges on 10 minutes turns.

Gup

 

[whymeworry?]

I'm glad you think so. Because I lecture our mgmt types all the time that they more the alienate the pilot group, the father they get away from sustainable profitability.

But the fact remains, SWA's profitability has dropped significantly and since fuel hedging advantages went away.

Most Legacy carriers were more profitable that SWA last year, except for maybe AA.

I don't really give a hoot, who is more profitable. I think we're all underpaid (even SWA/ FDX pilots) and we all deserve more. My point is you guys got lucky over the past 10 yrs (hedges) and ought to be keenly aware of how to maintain that top-dog status over the next 10.

As far as aircraft turn times.... that's a relative value. A lot of our turn times are identical to SWA, but some take longer depending on the mission of the aircraft that day (international, etc).