AFcitrus- do you have timing on that "we love the 717?"
Bc I was in the room months before sl2 hearing GK announcing very publicly that the 717 would not be part of SWA's plan.
This article was in August 2011- the tentative agreement was reached in sept'11, and voted in by 84% in November -
Now can we dispense with the bs that somehow AT was mislead?
Here's the public part:
http://www.aviationpros.com/news/10372945/southwest-boeing-717-not-part-of-future-fleet-plans
TERRY MAXON
SOURCE: THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS
CREATED: AUGUST 30, 2011
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Aug. 30--ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Southwest Airlines Co. has concluded that the small Boeing 717s that it picked up in the AirTran Airways Inc. merger don't really fit into its fleet plans, chairman and chief executive Gary Kelly said Monday.
"It's not different enough or unique enough that it really brings any advantage beyond what a 737 would do," Kelly said at the Boyd Group International aviation conference at a resort near Albuquerque.
With leases expiring between 2017 and 2024, the airplanes may stay in the Southwest fleet for quite a while, but Kelly said the future of the 717s, which it leases from Boeing, is among the matters under discussion as Southwest talks to Boeing about future aircraft orders.
"It's a good airplane, but not one that I see we have to maintain for the next 20 years," Kelly said.
Kelly noted that Southwest didn't see a need for anything smaller than its 137-seat Boeing 737-700s before deciding in 2010 to buy AirTran. Southwest operates 25 Boeing 737-500s, which has 122 seats, but hasn't bought any that size in two decades."
Also:
Aug 5, 2011:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/southwest-appears-less-bullish-on-717-360443/
Aug 30, 2011- USA today- Are air tran pilots the one pilot group that doesn't read the mcpaper?
http://travel.usatoday.com/flights/post/2011/08/southwest-boeing-717/545260/1
CAPTIONBy Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY
Southwest CEO Gary Kelly says the Boeing 717s acquired in his airline's acquisition of AirTran will disappear from the company's fleet sooner than later.