Siegel says-SW to kill USAirways

[jetblue320]

Re: Sip, don't gulp the Blue Aide

Some of you Blue Dudes and Dudettes are really drinking to much of what ever they are feeding you guys over there at JetBlue. I agree with a320drvr, its all about the money. Its retarded to think otherwise. It is easy for the Mgmt. at JB to take the high and mighty, "we have heart, we don't want to put the last nail in the coffin" , road when you only have 55+- airplanes. In reality, if JB had the resources they would be anywhere they thought they could be to get rid of competition and make money. Its called Business. If you Blue God worshippers would take a step back and look at the situation as what it is, "A Business", not some new age esoteric movement, you might not sound so brainwashed and naive.

It all boils down to marketshare and making money!!

JMHO

You are entitled to your opinion but consider this; maybe it is possible to do both, that is, run a successful business and have a heart? I mean that you don't have to "outwardly" appear to be bullish and still be successful. Does JB consider what the others do when making business plan decisions? Absolutely. But I can tell you that our main focus is what happens in our kitchen first, and not our competitors. I know you find it hard to believe as an outsider, but then again, you don't have to.

Take care.

 

[brew3departure]

First off, I agree with everyone who's said that there are other reasons behind this company or that company moving in or "not" moving into specific markets.

I, too, though, have a problem with people saying that SWA is doing this only to "kill" USAir. It is, truly, all about money. Airways has some huge money making routes (any of their east coast hubs to Providence RI is a good example) -- did SWA convene and say "Okay, guys, how do we kill Airways the fastest?" Personally, I don' t think so. Maybe some SWA guys with the inside track can say differently - if so, I digress. SWA and Airways are truly two different products. I think SWA said "We need to make money - fast. Where can we do that?" As I've written on here before, PHL has one of the HIGHEST yields going to Chicago.

Airways, from my limited experience, doesn't seem like it needs help down the spiral here -- but Ty Webb said it - if they want to beat back SWA, or at least make it interesting for the next year or so, advertise all the things people _hate_ about SWA -- that's what the other low cost carriers seem to be doing.

-brew3

 

[amfteamster]

Jetblue320,

I think you are missing my point, simply put, JB does not have enough resources to "kill" a competitor, so its easy to put a label on what you are not doing as having heart or not wanting to hurt anyone.

I hate using analogies, but its kind've like a football game in which a win advances you in the playoffs. You realize your opponents secondary is weak. What do you do? You send out your fastest recievers to go deep and get a score. My point is if you don't have any receivers to go deep(resources), you don't have that particular option of scoring. And after the game the coach says the reason he didn't go deep is because he didn't want to hurt the secondaries feelings. Give me a break.

 

[jetblue320]

Jetblue320,

I think you are missing my point, simply put, JB does not have enough resources to "kill" a competitor, so its easy to put a label on what you are not doing as having heart or not wanting to hurt anyone.

I hate using analogies, but its kind've like a football game in which a win advances you in the playoffs. You realize your opponents secondary is weak. What do you do? You send out your fastest recievers to go deep and get a score. My point is if you don't have any receivers to go deep(resources), you don't have that particular option of scoring. And after the game the coach says the reason he didn't go deep is because he didn't want to hurt the secondaries feelings. Give me a break.

Sure, I understand your point and you are correct. We do not have the resources. My point is (and maybe I wasn't clear enough) is that label or otherwise, it is what we choose to do and although it may be hard for you to understand because you don't work for JB, we are focused on our plan and our plan is not to knock off the other guy, it is to continue to drive our own destiny. If the other guy self destructs or gets "killed", we don't want to lay claim to it. Another example would be LAS. Remember National? Did we start JFK-LAS service to "kill" them? I don't think so. Did it put "a nail in their coffin"? Probably. Did we boast that fact? Heck no. So, I guess it's all a matter of perspective. I was just sharing mine, as were you.

C yaaa

 

[Hose A. Jiminez]

Mgmt at JB may indeed have a heart but if they are allowing it to influence decisions on where to offer service you guys had better keep those resumes updated.

In my opinion its all spin doctoring. JB is flexing muscle by inferring that they are strong enough to put Usair down, while hiding behing their "heart" to avoid being called out.

I believe they wish to avoid a sudden fall of USair because of the vacuum this would create (as someone mentioned earlier). This would quite possibly lead to an immediate toe to toe confrontation with SWA. At this stage in the game JB could not Direct TV and blue potato chip and pilot-with-goatee their way out of that.

 

[SWA GUY]

David Seagull said, "SWA is going to kill us".

Not so fast Mr. Seagull.

USAir has been killing themselves for over 10 years. Starting with the fact that they have never defined what they do. Which best describes USAir as a carrier? International, low cost, East coast, domestic, long haul, or short haul? When you are getting beat at every juncture wouldn't it be a good idea to figure out what you do and work to improve that specialty? Or at least modify your business plan to have a specialty?

Secondly, SWA is ONLY going into PHL to make money. If USAir fails its not because SWA showed up on the doorstep unnanounced. SWA announced PHL last fall, plenty of time to get your ducks in a row. Adapt and overcome.

SWA goes into markets where the pricing is ripe for the taking. We did it in TX, CA, AZ, FL, and have historically done it on the E coast. Years ago when we took BWI from USAir that should have given them a clue of things to come. Yet, nothing was done, no battle plan enacted to defend the Hubs.

Poor management over the years is what is going to kill USAir, not SWA.

Note My best friend is a furloughed USAir pilot...he feels the same way as I do on this subject. Also, Mr. Seagull was my former boss.

A more accurate message Mr. Seagull should have conveyed would have been," When SWA comes to PHL, we are going to kill ourselves".

 

[PurpleTail]

Just watched the streamline video link posted by dlredline, thanks.

What a joke, Seagull is a major tool. How far behind the eight ball you have to get before you start doing business better. The most blantently obvious downfall is his own admittal that Airways does not have a good website. Come on now, the internet isn't exactly new. Everyone knows a computer doesn't call in sick and doesn't need any benefits...HELLO...lower operating costs.

It is a little late now to go begging your employees to save the company. The employees have given back soooo much already and management has pissed it all away.

This has nothing to do with JetBlue, SWA or anyone else for that matter. The employees could work for free and mangement still would lose money, fumbling idiots.

Best of luck but it doesn't look good.

 

[XUSAir]

Idiots

I could not have said it better myself!

 

[G4G5]

The folks over at LUV must have seen the video too. SWA to double size in PHL by the summer.

http://news.morningstar.com/news/DJ/M03/D25/200403251047DOWJONESDJONLINE000712.html

 

[bigred]

PHILADELPHIA, March 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV - News) today announced a major expansion of its soon-to-begin service to and from Philadelphia International Airport.

Today, during his address before the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, Southwest Chairman Herb Kelleher made the exciting news announcement that 14 more daily nonstop departures will be added to Southwest's schedule, effective July 6. This will bring to 28 the number of daily nonstop departures Southwest will operate from Philadelphia by mid- summer.

"The response to Southwest's initial announcement of flights has been overwhelming," Kelleher said. "Philly Customers said, 'We Want More,' and we're happy to deliver."

Effective July 6, 2004, Southwest will begin 14 additional daily nonstop flights to the following cities: Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood (one daily), Houston Hobby (one daily), Los Angeles International Airport (one daily), Manchester, N.H. (four daily), New Orleans (one daily), Raleigh/Durham (four daily), Tampa Bay (adding one nonstop for a total of two daily); and West Palm Beach (one daily).

As previously announced, Southwest Airlines will begin its Philadelphia service May 9, 2004, with a total of 14 daily nonstop flights to the following cities: Chicago Midway (three daily), Las Vegas (one daily), Orlando (three daily), Phoenix (one daily), Providence (five daily), and Tampa Bay (one daily).