Southwest Airlines adds flights on 9 DIA routes

[Red Baron]

Yes, I am sure this announcement is the result of last weeks quarterly numbers...

Yeah, these were planned a few months ago. We don't just add without planning first.

RB

 

[Whataburger]

and to this day, I still can't figure out why we don't have MX there

For the same reason that Republic moved the Frontier MX to MKE - taxes. Apparently Denver has a huge tax (24% is what I was told) on the value of parts that are stored at the airport. Therefore we just pay Delta to do our dirty work.

 

[slaquer5]

I agree with you-- I'm glad that your friends over here at SWA give a good representation of what we're all about--nice people who feel lucky to have a good job. It seems like there are a few posters from many of the airlines here that aren't necessarily a good representation of what the "average" pilot thinks. I would say that the vast majority of us got to our own airlines partly out of luck, and "choice" of which airline to work for didn't have a whole lot to do with it; Much of it depends on who was hiring when we each decided to move on from our previous jobs. For instance, when I was looking to move on to the majors, Southwest was about the only one hiring. It worked out great for me and happened to be my first choice, but given different times and other companies hiring, who knows where I would've ended up. I have tons of friends at every airline who went on multiple interviews with many majors, only to be offered a job at one of them, making the whole process somewhat "luck of the draw." Some also were seperating from the military at a time when only one or two carriers were hiring. I really hope that none of us wish any ill-will on our brethren at other carriers. When it comes down to it, none of us really know if we made the right decision on which carrier to go to (if we were even given a choice) until our last breath comes and we still have some money left over after all is said and done.

That could not have been said better. JMO

 

[StaySeated]

For the same reason that Republic moved the Frontier MX to MKE - taxes. Apparently Denver has a huge tax (24% is what I was told) on the value of parts that are stored at the airport. Therefore we just pay Delta to do our dirty work.

Correct, Hickenlooper and Denver treat parts as "property" due to the time that the parts "reside" in Denver. Therefore, the parts are taxed as if they were a hanger or a building. Totally amazingly stupid on Hickenloopers part, as he is driving away jobs.

Frontier was considering storing their parts at a remote facility and then driving whatever they needed to the airport. When the heavy MX was farmed out, that idea was scrapped.

SWA has a lot more political savy than F9, so maybe they can work their magic with the dummies in charge of DIA.

 

[sfomarc]

I love to hear good news in the industry. Especially when it's about reputable company's such as Southwest.

Unfortunately some of the attitudes of the more frequent WN posters on here are really sad. Luckily from the friends I have that work there I know better.QUOTE]

Couldnt agree with you more

 

[maxblast72]

Yes, I am sure this announcement is the result of last weeks quarterly numbers...

Indirectly yes. Southwest and Airtran management's have a basic idea of what Republic's RASM/CASM is in MKE and DEN long before Republic announces their quarterly numbers (since all three compete and study/set ticket prices in many competing markets out of the two cities). The numbers announced last week publicly just confirmed what Fornaro and Kelly already knew. Now that it has been proven that Republic is struggling to turn profits with the branded operation, look for continued additions of capacity in DEN and MKE by Southwest and Airtran (and probably a little from the legacies too) until Republic's branded operation is knocked out. Same thing happened to Independence, Midwest, ATA, Aloha, and many other airlines that had trouble competing with their competition.

 

[puddlejumper101]

I had heard a rumor that SWA purchased or leased the CAL MX hangar in DEN. I don't know how true this is but have heard more than one person bring that up.

 

[TZtoSWA]

I had heard a rumor that SWA purchased or leased the CAL MX hangar in DEN. I don't know how true this is but have heard more than one person bring that up.

Probably true. My base Chief said the DEN pilot base is going to happen they are just working out when it will open. So if we have enough flights out of there to justify a pilot base, I'm sure its past time to make it a mtx base. The CO hangar rumor has been around here for a while.

 

[Quiet Flight]

Was going to ask about the CAL hangar now that UAL/CAL are merging. Doubtful they'd keep both hangars at DIA, no? The UAL one on the northeast side is HUGE.

 

[GuppyWN]

Yeah......... We'll take the UAL hangar and "UAL" can take the CAL hangar! I'm sure everyone will be cool with that.

Gup