MaxBlast feeling the LUV!

[Kenney G]

Word here, when maint. Vetted the 717 the engine issue was a show stopper...

I would guess it is more of a cargo issue. A fully loaded 717 can not cary much cargo at all. AirTran tried and stopped carrying freight a long time ago.

 

[j41driver]

Do you realize the domino effect that occurs at airlines like Delta when one pilot retires?

I believe GL may have mentioned that a time or two...

 

[HowardBorden]

I believe GL may have mentioned that a time or two...

Yes, but he mentions it as a good thing. Either he doesn't care or doesn't realize that that is hugely inefficient and costs the company dearly. When the retirements really start kicking in at Delta, I can't even imagine the staffing levels they will need in order to man the airline when half the pilots are in the school house switching airframes. I guess from a pilot standpoint more pilots on property is usually a good thing but if it is destroying profits it can be a bad thing. With one fleet type and the same pay for all pilots on property, one retirement equals one pilot upgrade and another hired as an F.O. for a total of two training events as opposed to the dozens required at an airline with a dozen types on property.

 

[SWA Bubba]

A few of them? Really?? According to AirlinePilotCentral you have 128 -300's and 20 -500's. That's not exactly, "a few". I realize that APC data may not be entirely up to date, so if you have updated numbers, please post.

There is nothing negative about moving forward with advanced technology. But SWA has an industry wide reputation of being reticent towards innovation and technology. Just look at your IT Dept. for starters.
Fortunately that has started to change with the MAX orders where Boeing said enough is enough of pressuring them to dumb-down the aircraft to SWA specs. Now Boeing is moving that airframe up to the level it should be at and installing a 787 type all glass cockpit. (Ref: Air Transport World Aug. 2013).

Every ATN pilot knows why the advanced 717's were subleased to Delta rather than retiring the old 300/500 models early. It was because SWA is so deathly afraid of a two-fleet type operation (even though every other major already does this) and so Steve Chase could, "capture more Captain seats".

Spin it any way you want. We know what went down and we will never forget. We also know that SWA is far behind the curve on multiple fronts. Hopefully they can catch up; but with a CULTure so ingrained as theirs, a shift out of the old and into the new is a steep hill to climb.

Well, not to pile on, but....., okay, I guess I AM going to pile on.

We have a little bit over a hundred -300s left, and I think 18 or 19 -500s. I realize that may seem like a lot to an airline with a total fleet size of 140 or so, but it's not really that many when it's just over 1/5 of our fleet. And the only reason we haven't retired more (and won't retire some on their orig schedule) is because they're more desireable to the company than your 717s. I don't know if this occurred to you or not, Don, but it's more important to airlines that their planes make money, than it is that their airplanes are easier for the pilots to use. In other words, Southwest would rather keep the -300s longer than to keep your "fabulous" 717s. Why? Let's take a look, shall we? AirTran 717 Cons: lease payments, carries fewer passengers and dick for cargo, less range--and all this for the same cost per hour to operate. 717 Pros: the pilots like the automation better. Wow, that's a tough one to figure out.

As far as there being "nothing negative about moving forward with advanced technology," I agree with you there. However, there's also nothing negative about not switching to the newest technology when it isn't strictly necessary. Especially when you're still making money with the old technology. It's painfully obvious that our business model produces a higher yield than Airtran's ever did with its "advanced technology."

And while Southwest isn't necessarily on the forefront with technology (because they don't feel they need to be), your assertion about "innovation" is crap. Who do you think pioneered the high frequency, low cost model that your predecessor and countless others have emulated? Who had the first airline Internet presence? Who still has the number-1 Internet presence among airlines? Who pioneered the quicker turn to maximize the planes' time in the air? The point-to-point model for efficiency? The single fleet design to allow for more efficient and cost-effective scheduling, training and maintenance? I guess you don't consider it "innovation" if we don't have auto-engine-start on our smallest airplanes.

And finally, this is a serious note Don: if you REALLY believe on any level whatsoever, that Southwest management is getting rid of the 717s to help "capture captain seats," then you really ought to see a professional about your rampant (and obviously debilitating) paranoia.

Bubba

 

[atldc9]

Today...123 -300, 16 -500. Nov 30... 122 -300, 14 -500. Nothing to see here. -500's are going away fast, -300's will get to a fleet of 78, and those will be here for a while. They were going away, but plan changed and the 717's are leaving first.

None of us have any say in these decisions. Why get so territorial about them?

 

[Clyde Frog]

So when are you leaving?

Any FAT guy would be just plane "NUTZ" to leave the land of Herb. This is like winning the lottery. And I should know. I've bought a bunch a scratch off tickets in my day but they have never payed off close to this.

 

[ron burgundy]

.............

 

[ron burgundy]

No, I wasn't involuntarily assigned training. With 65 ATL 717 CAs going to training in Jan/Feb 2014, my time at AirTran was limited as I probably would have been junior assigned training early next year. Since my wife is heading to Dallas for FA SMT on Nov 4, I figured we might as well head to training the same month.

I could have held ATL, BWI, DAL, DEN, HOU, or MDW in the August SWA bid. I could have held ATL, BWI, DEN, HOU, or MDW in the September SWA bid. And for October, I could have held DAL, DEN, HOU, or MDW. So based on the last 3 months worth of vacancy bids at SWA, it looks like my commute will be less than 2 hours and I have a chance at holding ATL pretty quickly.

I can no longer hold PA-RLC so I am stuck at 78 hours of pay credit. That comes out to about $12.5K per month at AirTran for the duration of my career here. At SWA, 100 TFP of credit will exceed $12.5K per month. At AirTran, I accrue $970 of sick time per month. At SWA, I will easily accrue $1,300 (or more) of sick time per month (10% of monthly TFP credit). And the icing on the cake is a 1% reduction in my union dues (approximately $150/month).

Duly noted..you are a whore!

I have more respect for the people that actually are.

 

[SWA Bubba]

[/COLOR]


Duly noted..you are a whore!

I have more respect for the people that actually are.

He's a whore? Because he ran the numbers and other variables, and figured that for him, he'd be better off transitioning sooner rather than later? Wow, tough crowd. Personally, I think he'd be stupid for passing up something that was better for his family--out of pride, or worse yet, out of spite. Whatever though; I guess it's an individual decision.

Bubba

 

[scoreboardII]

If the 717 was so great, why did they make so few?


They suck.