Outlook for SWA?

[T3700]

Originally Posted by AFcitrus
At the risk of setting off a firestorm... here goes. I have heard recently from two reliable sources (one within AAI management and the other from a reputable Aviation media source) that there will be a signifigant shift in ownership of 717's over the next couple of years. That ownership shift is going to be in the form of a merger between AAI and either AA or SWA. I am told that AAI would fight an AA merger but would welcome a SWA merger. Having said that, how do you folks from SWA think an integration would go? Serious answers only please. If you can't contribute intelligently to the conversation (w/o flamebait), please keep your comments to yourself.

Thanks


Significant shift in ownership of the 717's. It should be obvious! We are going to trade them in on E-190's at the 40% discount in pay our union "negotiated" for us.

 

[Bake]

Thursday to BoarJuly 26, 5:36 pm ET Average Plane Ticket Prices Fall in 1Q
Thursday July 26, 5:15 pm ET Average Air Fares Drift Down a Little in the First Quarter

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The average price of a plane ticket on U.S. airlines fell slightly in the first quarter from year-ago levels, a new government report said.
The average price of a domestic round-trip plane ticket was $380 in the fourth quarter, down 0.6 percent from the same quarter last year, the Transportation Department's Bureau of Transportation Statistics said Wednesday.
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The lowest were found at Dallas Love Field, Chicago Midway Airport, Houston's Hobby Airport, and the airports at Islip, N.Y. and Buffalo, N.Y.
Shares of U.S. airlines lost altitude Thursday along with the broader market. U.S. Airways Group Inc., Midwest Air Group Inc. and Alaska Air Group Inc. posted declines in their second-quarter earnings as they struggled with high fuel prices. US Airways shares fell 7 cents to $34.50 in after-hours trading after falling 27 cents to close at $34.57. Midwest Air rose 1 cent to $13 after the close. Shares finished 91 cents, or 6.5 percent, lower in the regular session at $12.99. Shares of Alaska Air fell $2.78

By Beth J. Harpaz, AP Travel Editor Southwest Airlines Experimenting With Various Ways of Boarding Families



Why the hell is LBB, AMA, HRL, OMA, and all the rest of General Lee's bitchs not in this list. Oh yeah, We must get paid more to go to these places than destinations in Europe. Places where he can "relax". General you keep Amesterdam, we will keep the pay check.

 

[PCL_128]

I try to stay out of the pi$$ing matches on here, but this is one argument I've never understood.

You guys keep bringing up our 20 min turns and saying they're a negative.

Please explain how doing longer turns is a positive.

Well, I don't like 3 hour turns anymore than you would, but I'm not exactly fond of the idea of 20 minute turns either. I like enough time to take a piss and grab a sandwich occasionally. Most of our turns are 35-45 minutes, which I think is just about right. Not wasting much time, but still enough time to take care of things. I just don't understand how you guys can stand doing those 20 minute turns constantly.

 

[GuppyWN]

Anatomy of a 20 minute turn.

On the decent you call back and see if the FA's want anything. Usually they don't, unless you're buying, at which point they ask if there is a Ruths Chris in the airport.

Taxi in. Get the cash from the cappy. He offers to get the clearance.

Checklist. I'm outta here. Try to get off before granny in row one wobbles into the isle cause she'll be hanging onto both sides of the door, dramatically slowing your departure.

Scoot up the jetway while turing on your cellphone and slicking back your hair, sucking in your gut and picking the peanuts out of your teeth.

Slide into line at XXX and order up. While the order is being prepped you must collect all utensiles and condiments or it will further delay your turn. Also call wifie to check in.

Down the jetway and on the jet in 8 minutes. Not bad. Give out change and give your drink order to the FA as your closing the lav door.

Ask the FA for a can of water to wash the soap from your hands because they added potable water and depressurized the system.

Jump in the seat. Cappy asks for the checklist at which point you realize he didn't get the clearance.

Get the clearance. Ops tosses in the loadsheet. Run your flow, punch the numbers and run the checklist. Release brakes and start pushing. After you've blocked the alley you call for push.

Take off and repeat as neccessary.

Poetry in motion.

Gup

 

[Dude]

Bravo! And that people, it how it is done. I can do six legs in 8 hours and 20 minutes.

 

[Poahi]

That's a great anatomy and I'm glad it works, but there are a few potential pit falls in rushing like that.

1. Can't greet the pax as they exit/enter the A/C. Where's the LUV?

2. You may have missed that bird strike because no one did the walk around and now MX is on the way 2 minutes prior to departure because they caught it, looked for the CA and took the logbook.

3. The CA, unfamilar with the airport programmed the wrong runway and the FO didn't review it. You fix it after T/O.

4. In a rush to run flows and checklists, no one entered the squak code.

5. You forgot the salsa for the FA's and they are salty.

On the other hand, you don't get paid for sitting on the ground.

 

[waveflyer]

I know we're on duty for 12+hours to get 6-7 hours pay... From what i understand- the average trip at southwest is a 3 day flying 7/day,crediting 24+ w/ consistent showtimes and a 9hour duty day. Layover 15 hours and repeat.... I can work hard and w/ quick turns for years on end when my sleep pattern is good ,i know i'll get 4 days off and no day won't be so long that i'm completely wrecked.

 

[Bake]

Brilliant!!!!!

 

[Mach 80]

http://www.aviationplanning.com/SouthwestResearch.pdf

 

[Snaab]

Brilliant!!!!!

I'll 2nd that!

 

[PCL_128]

GuppyWN, if that works for you, then good on you, man. For me, though, that just sounds way too rushed and stressful. I'd rather have the extra 20 minutes to relax and take it slow. I can turn a plane in 15-20 minutes if necessary because we were late coming in, but I don't want to have to do it consistently. To each their own.

 

[vixin]

You can get the job done in 5 minutes with out being rushed. Its not rocket science boyz. On a 25 minute turn I am often chatting with the FA's, welcoming the folks, going to the honey pot etc. etc.. I guess each to his own.

 

[328dude]

Awesome GUP..... Less time looking cool in the terminal leaves more time on the beach.

Let's go.....

 

[Bake]

90% of the time we are ten minutes early with a 25 minute turn equalling 35 minutes. Cockpit setup is 5 minutes max. That leaves 29.5 minutes of " Do whatever you want" time and 30 seconds running the checklist prior to push. Walk arounds by the pilots are only done on crew changes, originators, and at the end of the day.

 

[Aubie]

To answer the original question, there's a lot of misinformation on this thread and this forum in general (or should I say in general lee) regarding what a SWA day is like. I have flown here almost 3 years and have had 0 overnights in AMA, HRL, and LBB. The one in HRL was a blast becuase of the 3 hotties we were with. Average trips per day around 3, perhaps a little higher out of Dallas. 10-yr upgrade not accurate, probably around 6. GK recently spoke at a PT in Dallas and the theme was "stand by and fasten your seatbelts. change is a-comin'." Things will probably look significantly different around here this time 2 yrs from now.

The best advice to anyone is this: don't listen to morons who define quality of life by rushing to their computer every day when they get back from their trip to log on to flt info and respond to questions on southwest threads with the same tired BS about us flying 6 legs a day and overnighting in LBB all the time. (Never done either.)

 

[CHQ Pilot]

I see your points and I had the same questions when I started.

1. Can't greet the pax as they exit/enter the A/C. Where's the LUV?

After 3 trips it all fell into place. I have enough time to stand in the jetway and fold up strollers and help people with wheelchairs. I don't have any kids, but I never realized what kind of Rube Golderberg machines manufacturers came up with when designing strollers. I'm starting to get the pattern of push this button, fold this, latch this, and finally clip that.

2. You may have missed that bird strike because no one did the walk around and now MX is on the way 2 minutes prior to departure because they caught it, looked for the CA and took the logbook.

That's what the orange is for...birds can see us and know we're coming.

3. The CA, unfamilar with the airport programmed the wrong runway and the FO didn't review it. You fix it after T/O.

I hope the Captain is familiar with the airport. I mean we only have 63 cities (right now). In three months I made it to over 50 them, and I have still yet to see LBB, AMA, MAF, or HRL. Just hasn't been in my cards. Maybe someday though...

4. In a rush to run flows and checklists, no one entered the squak code.

It happens, but no more so when I did 45 min turns at the regionals. We're all human. I try to keep a good flow and there are a couple of checks in our briefings which allow you to catch it, so it's fairly rare.

5. You forgot the salsa for the FA's and they are salty.

Now, isn't that the truth. That's where you've got to be quick on your toes and have a secret stash of chocolate. At least you'll get some coffee or a Dr. Pepper on the next leg.

On the other hand, you don't get paid for sitting on the ground.

You're right about that. In addition to that it translates into more time off at home with decent pay.

I thought 25 minute turns were going to be tough, but SWA has pefected the system to the point that that I was part of a crew that turned an almost full aircraft in 18 mins to get back on schedule. I was a little amazed how it worked. It takes a lot of help from everyone, but it can be done.

 

[ivauir]

A level playing field will favor the network carriers. SWA used to be able to enjoy pricing power because it hedged fuel and the majors couldn't compete with low fares. As ticket prices rise, other carriers will put pressure on SWA. How much? We'll see.

In the past, as fuel prices rose, fares actually dropped as the airlines were trying to kill eachother over market share. I hope those days are behind us.

If you think that fuel hedging is the only thing that gives SWA its pricing power then you will continue to be shocked at our sucess.

 

[ivauir]

No. But you can put me on ignore. Please do so.

Bye Bye--General Lee

How about you just ignore threads that relate to SWA as you have nothing but ignorace to offer?

 

[ivauir]

FWIW.... General... I always get a chuckle out of your posts! The SWA guys as a group are absolutely scared to death to leave the CONUS... end of story.
Been there done that - and I have absolutly zero to prove to you.

Their fear is disguised as bravado... how they love Amarillo... or don't want to be caught dead in Sydney (because they're to far from home???...)

Fact is... international flying (ETOPS/alternate/ China/polar considerations) does add an element they're no doubt unfamiliar with but it's not Voodoo magic like many of them speak of.)

You think that a significant portion of our pilot population hasn't already done this? Fool.

International flying can be an absolute hoot (with a good crew, as anywhere) and is a great way to see the world and experience things you wouldn't otherwise stateside (pyramids, castles, pubs, cathedrals, etc... ad nauseum)

Personally, after having been privileged to visit over 80 countries/territories SO FAR... I wouldn't trade it for the world! I think I am blessed to have a much broader perspective on world events than some of my neighbors.

YMMV,

BBB

BBB, I'm really happy you like what you do. It is a shame you feel the need to denigrate what someone else does in order to feel good about your self. Get a shrink.

 

[ivauir]

Yeah, but the chicks dig our Russian Boat Commander uniforms. They swoon when they think we are going to CONQUER THE SKIES!! It looks professional, rather than James Dean-ish.

And, I would love to get off this topic, but anyone who slams me gets a retort. You know that is how I operate. Have a good night.

Bye Bye--General Lee

So now every one else is to blame for your behavior? Take some responsibility for your actions. Schedule a session with BBB's shrink.