MDW here comes Airtran

[Ty Webb]

Geez, it's like a self-cleaning oven around here . . . I don;t have to do anything but sit back and watch the show . . . .

 

[rvsm410]

Go Airtran!!!! It's fun to see other carriers watching what we do.....

 

[fifty30retard]

Nice thread. uke:

Because it doesn't laud Southwest?

 

[HalinTexas]

ATA will be letting go 100 ground employees and 100 pilots (for now) as a result of this pull back.

We are not taking any more deliveries, and the military charters are decreasing. We have an L10 delayed in a D-check, another one coming due, 3 737-300's, about 16 B737-800's, and an equal number of B757's. These numbers are probably going to change. Rumor has it we'll be down to about 30 airframes. That means about 600-650 pilots left. We have about 850 active on the list now. The cuts are getting deep enough that displaced captains will be getting furloughed soon.

The impending liquidation/fragmentation of ATA is just a sign of things to come.

This industry sucks.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Geez, it's like a self-cleaning oven around here . . . I don;t have to do anything but sit back and watch the show . . . .

To paraphrase you from a different thread..."ATA would be in better shape if Airtran's deal had beaten SWA's."

I still have no idea how that assertion makes sense. Please tell.


BTW, ATA is getting kicked way too much. I hope the situation starts to improve, SOON! I thought SWA and ATA had a good relationship going and it should be producing. I have no idea what the problem is.

 

[DonVerita]

BTW, did anyone just notice that the retail price of gas in ATL just went up to $3.70 a gallon!!!
/Citrus

Looks like the UnAccountablility Dept. at AirTran got burned for not auditing their fuel contracts. They'll probably ask the pilots for concessions to cover this.

Can registered user, "Dave Siegal" from US Airways please weigh in on this issue.

 

[FlyFastLiveSlow]

Looks like the UnAccountablility Dept. at AirTran got burned for not auditing their fuel contracts. They'll probably ask the pilots for concessions to cover this.

Can registered user, "Dave Siegal" from US Airways please weigh in on this issue.

From the FL Fuel Guru....the ATL fuel price showing on the release is NOT correct!!

 

[crosscut]

ATA will be letting go 100 ground employees and 100 pilots (for now) as a result of this pull back.

We are not taking any more deliveries, and the military charters are decreasing. We have an L10 delayed in a D-check, another one coming due, 3 737-300's, about 16 B737-800's, and an equal number of B757's. These numbers are probably going to change. Rumor has it we'll be down to about 30 airframes. That means about 600-650 pilots left. We have about 850 active on the list now. The cuts are getting deep enough that displaced captains will be getting furloughed soon.

The impending liquidation/fragmentation of ATA is just a sign of things to come.

This industry sucks.

As per Aviation Week & according to Dennison, ATA's code share w/Southwest has been a success. Tell that to the 200 that are being laid off. Your chairman is talking out of both sides of his proverbial mouth.

 

[Jim Smyth]

Airtran is a good company that is keeping there costs in line and offers a good product. There is still alot of room at Midway and competition is a healthy thing. Also the MSP market would have normally been a blood bath if you went in against NWA on that perticular route but since they are down on there luck right now its a great time for a challange from a LCC in the MSP market. I dont think they will be able to come after you like they did in the old days. At least not right now.

I dont understand the reduction in ATA service either. Its in all markets that we dont serve and we can feed each other with the codeshare agreement plus I hear there loads are good. All I keep hearing from the inside on our end is how well things are going with the codeshare. We have spent alot of money and time with ATA which shows me we do want them to do well. I am sorry to hear about the furlough of more Pilots upcoming. I was hoping that with all the good things I have heard from the codeshare, that they would be able to start recalling pilots on there end.

FWIW, I flew with a former ATA pilot on my last trip. He was already furloughed when he got the call. Really a good guy and we need to hire more ATA Pilots! Anyone from the Southwest Peoples Department reading this forum? Hello.................

 

[mdf]

Geez, it's like a self-cleaning oven around here . . . I don;t have to do anything but sit back and watch the show . . . .

I have to say I like it much better when you insult instead of your fellow company men/women. You go right for the juglar, and I don't have get a copy of hooked on phonics to read your posts!!

 

[mnboyev]

ATA Fellas are good folks !! Welcome all that have come to wear the AirTran colors !!

Hey Steph... Keep em coming on the property !! Get those great folks through indoc Before the Holidays !!

The USAIR gate and ATA Gates in MSP are Torn up bigger that doo doo..?? Wonder where they'll put the flights ? Probably on E1... Holding out sucks big wind baby.

I heard only a 737 will work on the ATA gate ?? Better check it out fellas.. Im sure the accountability dept will get it straight .... LOLOOLOOL

 

[SWA/FO]

Guys....FOs still don't make policy here at SWA. All I am saying is if there is money to made on those routes we will make a play for them. None of this is set in stone, of course...just my opinion. I guess the gates we could use in MSP would come from ATA's unused gates and/or that SunCountry terminal.
(if its still there)

I don't think we are scard of AirTran...if we were, we would just buy you guys. We kicked your A$$ in the MDW deal and will be kicking your a$$ for years to come. You guys know thats right..Face facts, baby... nobody wants to listen to Elton John all day long on XM. That what ones own ipod is for.

I too thought that ATA deal with the codeshare thing was working great. I have several friends over there and I happen to like them a lot. For the record I have several good friends over at AirTran too.

 

[Airtran Fanatic]

I don't think we are scard of AirTran...if we were, we would just buy you guys. We kicked your A$$ in the MDW deal and will be kicking your a$$ for years to come. You guys know thats right..Face facts, baby... nobody wants to listen to Elton John all day long on XM. That what ones own ipod is for.

I hate it when posts turn into "my dad can beat up your dad" kind of deals. I dont think SWA is scared of Airtran, but also, I dont think that Airtran is afraid of SWA either. I think we could probably compete all day long against one another (cost wise) and not bat an eye or break a sweat. I think there is room in MDW and the rest of the United States for both of us.

May we all prosper! AIRTRAN, SWA, and ATA!!

PS. I wish the Elton John thing would go away... : there are a lot of great stations on the XM besides that lite rock or whatever... If they had asked me I would have told them to paint Motley Crue on the side

but they didnt

 

[AFcitrus]

Guys....FOs still don't make policy here at SWA. All I am saying is if there is money to made on those routes we will make a play for them. None of this is set in stone, of course...just my opinion. I guess the gates we could use in MSP would come from ATA's unused gates and/or that SunCountry terminal.
(if its still there)

I don't think we are scard of AirTran...if we were, we would just buy you guys. We kicked your A$$ in the MDW deal and will be kicking your a$$ for years to come. You guys know thats right..Face facts, baby... nobody wants to listen to Elton John all day long on XM. That what ones own ipod is for.

I too thought that ATA deal with the codeshare thing was working great. I have several friends over there and I happen to like them a lot. For the record I have several good friends over at AirTran too.

You're right nobody likes listening to Elton John all day. But they sure do like listening to that MLB, ACC, Big-10 or Pack-10 game that they are not able to be in front a TV for while flying across the country. Try getting those on your ipod, bud.

 

[TriStar_drvr]

FWIW, I flew with a former ATA pilot on my last trip. He was already furloughed when he got the call. Really a good guy and we need to hire more ATA Pilots! Anyone from the Southwest Peoples Department reading this forum? Hello.................

Thanks. Although it seems our record of getting through the interview process isn't very good....

 

[TriStar_drvr]

ATA Fellas are good folks !! Welcome all that have come to wear the AirTran colors !!

Hey Steph... Keep em coming on the property !! Get those great folks through indoc Before the Holidays !!

Thanks for the endorsement. Now if Steph is paying attention....

 

[TV9Driver]

Yeah, what's the deal? I had an ex-ATA guy in my new hire class at AirTran and he said out of the 44 or so ATA pilots offered preferential interviews, only 2 were hired. Sounds like SWA is missing the boat on a great group of pilots. Their loss is our gain!

 

[apdsm]

I guess the gates we could use in MSP would come from ATA's unused gates and/or that SunCountry terminal.

Or quite possibly the gates that SWA is rumored to already own at the new Humphrey terminal!

 

[airline#5]

It's true. SWA had no intention of hiring any ATA pilots. They offered the pref. interviews to help win the battle of Midway. As an ATA pilot I wish to hell that AirTran would have won the bid for the ATA gates. I have know doubt that they would have hired many ATA guys just as they have all along since SWA paid to protect their turf. As if ATA mngmnt hasn't f'ed their pilots enough, SWA had to jump in on the fun. When they have assurance that ATA's 8 gates will go to them, Kelly will instruct his lacky Dennison to shut the place down. Plan complete, with no objection from Daley. Out of work again.

 

[SWA/FO]

Lots of ATA folks jumped infront of many applicants here at SWA. That is a fact.

Unfortunately, some did not interview so well. When you have had a job for so long, one tends to get out of "interview shape". Maybe some people thought they were already "in" and let their guard down during the interview or like I said before they had not interviewed in a while and it showed. The SWA plan gave ATA a fighting chance.