New AT servicep

[humveedriver]

DALLAS, Feb. 3, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –*****Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV)*****and its wholly owned subsidiary AirTran Airways announced today the carriers received route authority approval from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) for AirTran to operate new international flights between Denver International Airport and Cancun International Airport and between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Cancun International Airport.* Austin is a new market for AirTran Airways, joining Denver and Cancun on AirTran’s current route map. AirTran’s new international flight schedule will now include the following flights:

Between Denver and Cancun:

Daily roundtrip service starting April 16, 2012, through July 7, 2012
Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday service starting July 8, 2012, through Aug. 12, 2012
Saturday and Sunday service starting Aug. 13, 2012, through the end of the schedule (currently Sept. 28, 2012)
Between Austin and Cancun:

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday roundtrip flights starting May 25, 2012, through Aug. 31, 2012
Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday roundtrip flights starting Sept. 1, 2012, through the end of the schedule (currently Sept. 28, 2012)
In addition to the new international service, AirTran will operate new domestic roundtrip service between Houston Hobby and San Antonio and between Houston Hobby and Austin to support the international flying.***** The new service between Houston and San Antonio begins May 24, 2012, and the new service between Houston and Austin begins May 25, 2012. Both roundtrips are scheduled to operate through the end of the current flight schedule (which is Sept. 28, 2012).

“We are excited to offer more domestic markets new opportunities to travel to Mexico,” said Bob Jordan, Southwest Airlines’ Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer and AirTran Airways President. “The additional service is one way Customers are already realizing the benefits of the Southwest and AirTran acquisition.”

To book these flights, please visit www.airtranairways.com or www.southwest.com.

Today’s announcement adds to the new AirTran international service scheduled to begin May 24, 2012, between San Antonio and Cancun and between San Antonio and Mexico City. Additionally, beginning June 3, 2012, AirTran will initiate service between Orange County, Calif., and Cabo San Lucas/San Jose del Cabo and between Orange County and Mexico City.


- Looks like AT will start intra-TX before Aspen after all ;-). Has SWAPA been addressing any of the timeline slippage issues? If it's not cool to discuss here, I would be grateful for a PM.

 

[redflyer65]

Very cool. Haven't heard much about the timeline.

 

[texman]

2015 it's all good. Anything beyond that I will be pissed. I think this is what you will see on the west coast too. You guys cant grow. They will utililze the crap out if you. Get ready to be productive boys and girls. They are just starting to pre set the network and connect the dots. This will be a good indication for what base will get the most of the deep south ops. I always thought sat or hou would be good. AT side is going to see 6 legs a day baby. Welcome to SWA.

 

[texman]

The other thing is Soc and us Swa pilots getting trained up. I think the AT side will see a lot of the intl for a while. The cool thing is Swa/AT are bringing two things to the table. AT's ability to do intl right off the bat. SWA bringing the mass of customers and domestic route structure to the intl side to grow initially on the AT side(not airplanes). As AT cities shut down the airplanes need to be used, this is some thing the two are bringing together to help the big picture once we are one. I am not too concerned as long as my profit sharing is going up. BUT, if this goes past 2015 then us SWA pilots will have a big issue.

 

[klr1395]

What are you guys nuts? We are being whipsawed and you are happy?? I would highly anticipate our accountant management to find ways to extend this as much as possible into our already present domestic network.

 

[Bill Nelson]

Whipsawed?

We are taking their domestic flying and adding it to our schedule and they are increasing the Intl ops on their side because we can't do it yet. No whipsaw. It is just good business.

 

[humveedriver]

The other thing is Soc and us Swa pilots getting trained up. I think the AT side will see a lot of the intl for a while. The cool thing is Swa/AT are bringing two things to the table. AT's ability to do intl right off the bat. SWA bringing the mass of customers and domestic route structure to the intl side to grow initially on the AT side(not airplanes). As AT cities shut down the airplanes need to be used, this is some thing the two are bringing together to help the big picture once we are one. I am not too concerned as long as my profit sharing is going up. BUT, if this goes past 2015 then us SWA pilots will have a big issue.

What is the status of your int'l training? Has anyone completed/started it yet? When does SWA anticipate you guys all being int'l qualified? 2015? I bring it up because even with the current schedule, some AT 737 Captains will never have to downgrade now (most senior). For less senior Captains like me, it's keeping me from downgrading and having the chance to bid for a SWA domicile I live in. Although it will be a long time before SWA sends me a profit sharing check for the cheap labor I provide, I am grateful for not be furloughed. I guess I'm just curious if you guys care how this thing is played out. Or if you just roll with the punches because the money is still coming in.

 

[texman]

What are you guys nuts? We are being whipsawed and you are happy?? I would highly anticipate our accountant management to find ways to extend this as much as possible into our already present domestic network.

I don't remember giving the company restrictions on any thing. They can't grow the AT side. They are shutting down cities on the AT side. They have to use these aircraft. If they don't transfer over everything over by 2015 then we will have issues. Did we sign or restrict the company not to allow them to do this. I saw this coming when this went down. They are going to use AT rates and optimize them as much as they can until 2015. I think a lot of the SR FO's on the Swa side wants the upgrades to come faster which I understand. I think a whipsaw is what Brian Bedford does best. Google him when you get a chance. We are my friend are in a transition. Unless you know something we don't. I can understand your frustration though. We just have to hold steady and see how this unfolds.

 

[texman]

What is the status of your int'l training? Has anyone completed/started it yet? When does SWA anticipate you guys all being int'l qualified? 2015? I bring it up because even with the current schedule, some AT 737 Captains will never have to downgrade now (most senior). For less senior Captains like me, it's keeping me from downgrading and having the chance to bid for a SWA domicile I live in. Although it will be a long time before SWA sends me a profit sharing check for the cheap labor I provide, I am grateful for not be furloughed. I guess I'm just curious if you guys care how this thing is played out. Or if you just roll with the punches because the money is still coming in.

We start intl training this spring. it should be done this year. We got the notice recently. Cheap labor? I wouldnt call it that, but more cost effective with the optimizer. Don't get me wrong, I only say this with respect. My belief is they quicker to get you guys over the better. One group. If SWA looks for relief on the time line, I would vote NO! What I meant by the profit sharing, is if it is positive then it is good as a whole. I thought you guys are or will be part of the profit sharing program this year?

 

[humveedriver]

We will see profit sharing SEP 2013. We pay in 19 months before we see any results. My understanding is that it's the same way for you. But we had to give up 10.5 percent defined contribution to get that. Bummer. I make 161 an hour as a Captain on 11 year pay. My SWA counterpart makes quite a bit more per trip/hour. So I think SWA is getting some pretty good bang for their buck out of me. Thanks for you response to the timeline and training questions. I agree completely that we need to be one pilot group as soon as possible. I don't see it as whip sawwing either. But it creates haves and have nots within the pilot group. More so on our side, as our pilots transition to "the promise land" .