More good LUV'n

[ATKTK]

In Hot!
Yes....I'm an old fart. 22 years and counting of privileged service!
Looking forward to DAL.

 

[chase]

Macro vs. Micro View

I realize when one is looking at no paycheck or little paycheck the micro view is all one can deal with & my following comments are meant to provide long term hope but not necessarily short-term relief. However, for those in the pool your time will come soon. For those waiting the results of the DB the following news doesn't improve your chances but does illustrate why you're wise to continue pursue SWA over other airlines. However, getting food on the table is a priority regardless of which airline!

1. More routes shows optimism by the company vs. pessimism. There's plenty of that out there. We're adding new routes not instituting old ones that had been reduced like other airlines. We will build on the routes & make long haul a bigger portion (more profitable portion) of our overall financial picture.

2. Airport expansions to conclude within the next 12 months. HOU, MDW, BWI all major hubs = more orginating flights to more destinations. Airport expansions are the long pole in the tent which can limit growth. No longer a factor at these hubs. Other hubs allow for a lot more growth (DAL n/a).

3. Airports that desire more SWA are buying back gates from airlines that are underutilizing them. MSY, RDU, LAX, others. Definitely a trend that airports are seizing on to control their own destiny vs. allowing airlines that are hurting bringing down an airport. Controlling the gates allow them to provide gates to low cost carriers like us, JB, ATA, ATr. Definitely seems to be a trend when reading recent news articles.

4. As noted in previous post, expanding training facilities; sims, instructors, the building will be expanded with the next 18 (guestimates) months to allow for even more sims! Obviously those can be put on hold since ground hasn't been broken but the plans are there.

5. SWA raised $350m+ last month through bond sales. Why would a company obligate itself for more debt (relatively low cost debt) when it still has a lot of cash on hand? It takes money to make money! Having one's money (not all of it but a larger portion than necessary) sitting around & not doing anything with it doesn't generate cash for cash sakes. Therefore, take some of one's own + other folk's cheap money & use it to fund a controlled but steady growth which will return profits off the money borrowed or that would've sat around collecting dust!! Whali, eureka, you have continued but aggressive growth funded by realitively inexpensive money with alot of cash still available in case of emergency.

6. SWA prides itself on treating everyone like they like to be treated. It is reasonable to have a slight pause (maybe a month, maybe just several weeks) to allow the PD & training to catch up to the number of folks recently interviewed/trained. Going to fast without proper absorbtion into the system can frustrate a lot of folks. Remember, everyone, EVERYONE, have been under a lot of stress; Jenn, Heather, Amanda, everyone in the PD, training, interviewers, etc. They all may need a lull for awhile. Just my thoughts. Don't have any idea on how valid this paragraph may be but I believe it may have.

7. 14 of 19 planes to be delivered by June from delayed deliveries from last year. 7 more aircraft scheduled for 2002 deliveries above these. That would be 26 airplanes for the year.

8. What if 1st qtr is a lost? Will SWA stop growing? No. What better time to show huge expenditures to get them out of the way than in what is normally the toughest qtr of the yr, the 1st? Would it break our record? yes but is the record more important than have future gains that would exceed current expectations? I would say go ahead & make rational expenditures & look beyond what is good for one quarter. Now is not the time to be timid when it comes to taking advantage of growth opportunities.

Hang in there to all. More good news will be coming. To all searching for jobs, not just with SWA good luck & God Bless. cheers

 

[Slug]

Thanks Chase

 

[727driver]

My 2 cents

I think one of the reasons that SWA has added more nonstop flights at Midway, i.e. Phoenix, Seattle, San Deigo, San Fran is to compete with ATA.

In the past it seemed the two carriers coexisted at MDW with ATA flying the longer nonstops and SWA the direct but with stops flights. Customers prefere direct nonstop flights and SWA is responding. Especially since ATA has ambitious plans to grow at MDW with a brand new fleet of 737-800s and 757-300s.

SWA does not want ATA to grow their market share and take over an important hub.

 

[Slug]

Confirmed by rumor

727 driver is right on. a friend of mine in a feb class gave me a synopsis of what one of the VPs for route structure said. Basically SWA is going after market share specifically against ATA at MDW. They are adding routes common between the carriers to basically low ball them out of business. From what the VP said, ATA has a hard time competing head to head, so SWA was adding those routes specifically.

slug

1. deny, deny, deny
2. start rumors
3. make counter accusations