Integrating AAI into SWA

[Flying-Corporal]

I read how religious SWA is about their culture, people, work rules, etc. It hand picks its prospective employees to make sure that they fit SW culture.

SW employees are encouraged to try out other jobs within the company on THEIR TIME OFF and W/OUT getting paid. Supposedly 90% of pilots did throw bags with rampers (!?).

Now, here is the question: How is SW prepared to keep it's culture when 1600 bitter AAI pilots join their ranks?

It's one thing when you hire someone and then mold that person into your standards. It's a completely different thing when you get a group of almost 2000 employees who bring their perception of how the airline should be run.

I just can't imagine AAI pilots throwing bags with rampers, cleaning cabin, or doing anything for the company on their off days.

Will SW be able to fire guys who impact company operations for example by writing scratchy windshields? Or who will taxi slow? Or who will decline to work on their day off due "personal hardship"? What other measure does it have to discipline pilots? Or is it the standard way, you get fired, then you get paid by the union for a couple of years, and then you get reinstated with a full back pay?

I predict the first comment to this msg that AAI pilots will be happy with new pay and work rules. However, all that will wear out after a while. When you start making more money, you start believing that you deserve not only that that but even more, and for less work. I might be wrong, but I think some guys will never be happy no matter where they work and how much they make.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

Blah blah blah..... I hate my life so nobody should be happy. Get a life and worry about things you can control and that actually involve you.

 

[Kharma Police]

I read how religious SWA is about their culture, people, work rules, etc. It hand picks its prospective employees to make sure that they fit SW culture.

SW employees are encouraged to try out other jobs within the company on THEIR TIME OFF and W/OUT getting paid. Supposedly 90% of pilots did throw bags with rampers (!?).

Now, here is the question: How is SW prepared to keep it's culture when 1600 bitter AAI pilots join their ranks?

It's one thing when you hire someone and then mold that person into your standards. It's a completely different thing when you get a group of almost 2000 employees who bring their perception of how the airline should be run.

I just can't imagine AAI pilots throwing bags with rampers, cleaning cabin, or doing anything for the company on their off days.

Will SW be able to fire guys who impact company operations for example by writing scratchy windshields? Or who will taxi slow? Or who will decline to work on their day off due "personal hardship"? What other measure does it have to discipline pilots? Or is it the standard way, you get fired, then you get paid by the union for a couple of years, and then you get reinstated with a full back pay?

I predict the first comment to this msg that AAI pilots will be happy with new pay and work rules. However, all that will wear out after a while. When you start making more money, you start believing that you deserve not only that that but even more, and for less work. I might be wrong, but I think some guys will never be happy no matter where they work and how much they make.

This should be VERY entertaining! Excellent subtle use of flame bait, I might add! Let's see how many of my brethren take the hook...........

 

[SWA/FO]

Supposedly 90% of pilots did throw bags with rampers

I'd say its 100% and we ALL do it on our days off. In fact, there has been a few fights over who would pick up this bag or that bag. We are very passionate about working for free. I know, I speak for everyone, we all would rather work for free then have a day off or spend some time at home.

 

[Ty Webb]

AirTran pilots love to load bags; not usually on days off, but as part of our popular AA&E (Airport Appreciation and Exercise) program.

Before you try it, though, you should understand that our ATL rampers can be very territorial and you need to know the right signs to flash, or you could find yourself backed into a cart, swinging your mag-lite and hollering for backup. This happened to me last June. They took my hat brass, but let me go unharmed. Some guys haven't gotten off that lucky. One guy got tied up and put in the baggage compartment. The Captain took off without him and they found him when the plane got to its destination. Thankfully, it was just going to Gulport, MS not out to the West Coast.

After an FO got shanked on C block (the ramps are called blocks in ATL, if ya didn't know) we got a memmow telling us it wasn't safe to be on the ramp sporting stripes. A memmow is like a memo, but comes from the VP of Gang Affairs' office.

 

[Whataburger]

Flying-Corporal,

You obviously know NOTHING about Southwest Airlines and our Culture. Those are not rampers on the ramp, they are pilots on their days off!!

 

[shootr]

And we clean the cabin and cross seatbelts while the FA's go out on the ramp and have a smoke. Oh...and we come back and pass out peanuts on long legs to give the FA's a break.

 

[yoyoma]

ummm, do the airtran pilots think they are being hired at swa as pilots?? no they will be rampers. why would swa want regional pilots?

 

[Bob Dylan]

I read how religious SWA is about their culture, people, work rules, etc. It hand picks its prospective employees to make sure that they fit SW culture.

SW employees are encouraged to try out other jobs within the company on THEIR TIME OFF and W/OUT getting paid. Supposedly 90% of pilots did throw bags with rampers (!?).

Now, here is the question: How is SW prepared to keep it's culture when 1600 bitter AAI pilots join their ranks?

It's one thing when you hire someone and then mold that person into your standards. It's a completely different thing when you get a group of almost 2000 employees who bring their perception of how the airline should be run.

I just can't imagine AAI pilots throwing bags with rampers, cleaning cabin, or doing anything for the company on their off days.

Will SW be able to fire guys who impact company operations for example by writing scratchy windshields? Or who will taxi slow? Or who will decline to work on their day off due "personal hardship"? What other measure does it have to discipline pilots? Or is it the standard way, you get fired, then you get paid by the union for a couple of years, and then you get reinstated with a full back pay?

I predict the first comment to this msg that AAI pilots will be happy with new pay and work rules. However, all that will wear out after a while. When you start making more money, you start believing that you deserve not only that that but even more, and for less work. I might be wrong, but I think some guys will never be happy no matter where they work and how much they make.

I've been thinking the same thing. Obviously, much of SWA secret of success is the relationship with labor. I can't see them dropping a nuclear bomb on the list by integrating AT pilots with anything more than a staple.

I heard the other rumor about the holding company being the actual entity buying AirTran, as SWA has no intention to integrate, but to run two airlines. and eventually close AirTran down. With the new crappy AirTran contract, this seems more plausible.

One last thing is that SWA could just walk away if the AT pilots don't cooperate. Since the AT pilots just signed the lousy new TA, I can't see them having much leverage to demand anything - otherwise they have to go back to their crappy new TA.

Probably when it's all said and done, AirTran pilots will be begging for a staple...all part of the grand plan.

JMHO

 

[Kharma Police]

ummm, do the airtran pilots think they are being hired at swa as pilots?? no they will be rampers. why would swa want regional pilots?

Sweet!, with our pay protection we will be the highest paid rampers in history!