Southwest Airlines schedules its first flights in Memphis

[redflyer65]

Arrogance or just stating the facts General?

Facts are facts.

I'm in no way arrogant about Southwest. I'm proud of the factual history and proud to work here, that it. Nothing more.

I wouldn't be happy at DL, and apparently you wouldn't be happy at SW. We get it.

Scoreboard is correct. Simple pandering.

 

[General Lee]

Red, welcome to FI. This board is for rumors and opinions. And when I gave my own opinion on why I wouldn't want to fly your type of flying, it was total blasphemy. The sky suddenly turned dark green and the World was coming to an end.... It was unbelievable. Hey, not everyone wants your job, and that made many of your pilots NUTS.... When trying to compare their jobs to legacy jobs, I pointed out to them that there is domestic flying also at a legacy. That didn't go over well.... Just stating the facts.... It's not a bad idea to compare job types, that helps perspective employees look at differences. I still praise your company on many things, like financials and treating MOST of the employees well. I just compare types of trips, turn times, lack of variety in aircraft, etc, which is all true. Feel free to add anything when anyone is mistaken. That's a good thing at FI...

I am interested in something you stated. Why wouldn't you be happy at a place like DL? I told you my reasons for SWA (too many legs per day, one plane type, short haul and no long haul, West Texas, etc). Honestly, what are your own reasons? Thanks.




Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[fr8doggie]

Hey, I heard that SWA was going to start MEM service. Is that true?

Also, is this an SWA jet?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5zVVKXT8Vi0

 

[PBRstreetgang]

I didn't think "Ooops, the CB popped" or whatever seemed all that interesting. But, PBR did, and he was ALL OVER IT.

I do read threads concerning the legacies, and most of them in the Majors board. I enjoy all parts of this industry, and that makes some people mad. I enjoy the debate and giving opinions on FI, and if I do it in the Regionals, Cargo, LCCs, Foreign Airlines, or Majors section, some people are threatened by that. (ie PBR) A girl like that knows she can't debate, and resorts to attempted slams that have no affect whatsoever. But yes, I do look at other sections, and pick and choose which threads I want to read.


Bye Bye---General Lee

Ahhhhha,
On target, fire for effect! Genny, you pick and chose the posts that you will not have to provide any technical accuracy, this is the elusive truth. Given you haven't ever set foot into an airplane much less a 767, means that you are becoming exposed for who and what you really are. A pimply faced overweight basement poseur with huge mantitties. Sorry you have to live in a fantasy world, hope your blow up doll Chelsea, appreciates you.

 

[waveflyer]

I am interested in something you stated. Why wouldn't you be happy at a place like DL? I told you my reasons for SWA (too many legs per day, one plane type, short haul and no long haul, West Texas, etc). Honestly, what are your own reasons? Thanks.


Bye Bye---General Lee

Hub and spoke, outsourcing, sellouts, and other sh/tty people who work there

 

[bluesideup1]

After years of listening to the General I believe he has finally lost it and now it is this:

General Lee
This message is hidden because General Lee is on your ignore list.

 

[General Lee]

Hub and spoke, outsourcing, sellouts, and other sh/tty people who work there

Funny stuff.......thanks for the laugh...


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[SWA Bubba]

Hey, I heard that SWA was going to start MEM service. Is that true?

Also, is this an SWA jet?:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5zVVKXT8Vi0

Nah... I don't think that MEM thing is actually true. I think it was just a rumor started to give Gen'l Lee something to post about, because we all know how shy and retiring he is, and that he needs a little encouragement to get him to say anything on the board.

Bubba

 

[SWA Bubba]

I am interested in something you stated. Why wouldn't you be happy at a place like DL? I told you my reasons for SWA (too many legs per day, one plane type, short haul and no long haul, West Texas, etc). Honestly, what are your own reasons? Thanks.


Bye Bye---General Lee

<Waveflyer> Hub and spoke, outsourcing, sellouts, and other sh/tty people who work there

Funny stuff.......thanks for the laugh...


Bye Bye---General Lee

Hey, YOU'RE the one who asked for an honest answer, and he gave it. Wave was a little more abrasive than he had to be, but they were honest answers. "Outsourcing" and "sellouts" are philosophical arguments, while "hub and spoke" and "people" are practical, everyday arguments. I won't go into his philosophical points, but to expound on the practical ones, I agree with him; that's why I'm at Southwest. Here's what matters to me:

-- I did enough transoceanic international in the military; I don't care enough to do it now, because it's too hard on the body to do it on a regular basis, especially as I get older.

-- I don't like the idea of domestic hub and spoke flying where you do a bunch of turns from your fortress base. You're limited to a only a handful of cities, based on your base and aircraft type. At SWA, I can fly to literally every city on the Southwest route (and I have, excepting some of the newest AirTran additions). We get to overnight in literally every corner of the country, and soon to the Caribbean and Mexico and beyond. You can bid and/or trade for any city you want. There's none of that "damn, my equipment doesn't fly to that city!" crap. That's also variety, and it's FANTASTIC, General!

-- I don't see "one plane type" as a negative. It allows you to have that variety of destinations, and I don't want to keep moving up (or down, in the bad times) and spend years, or even decades, chasing the "most desirable" end plane. I don't like hanging out at the training center, and I'd hate to think that I'd have to spend multiple weeks at a time there, learning a new plane or seat, 10 or 12 times in my career.

-- Regardless of payscale, our trips are more pay-efficient, so I can spend fewer days at work per month to make the amount of money I think I need. We're also more flexible on overtime than other airlines; if you want to bust your ass and fly more, you can average 160tfp or more per month (normal line is ~95tfp). I don't, but you can if you want. Or just do it once in a while if you want. Whatever you think you need.

--"Too many legs per day" is obviously a judgment call. Some people actually like lots of legs (you remember; takeoffs and landings are the actual flying part of our job), and some people like longer flights. Variety again. Regardless, our average stage length gets longer every year, and right now, our average trip is just under three legs per work day. That's just about right in my mind.

-- I haven't done a west Texas overnight in years, because there aren't that many to begin with, and I don't personally want them (I'm too old to hang out with the tipsy college girls in LBB, and I like my BBQ to be more of the pork variety, which is sacrilege in Texas). So I pick other places to fly to. We have a lot of cities to choose from, so I get that variety.

-- As far as Wave's comment about sh1tty people, I'll say that there's good and bad people everywhere of course, but the people here at SWA are a drawing point. We almost always have a good time on overnights, often with multiple crews yukking it up together.

-- Better historical job security. My friends at other airlines tell me that ALPA tells them to "expect" one or two furloughs in their career. Why the hell would I want to expect that?

-- Better discounts at our hotels. Need I say more than "1-2-3"? More than once I've seen other airline crews (incl Delta) pretending to be SWA, cashing in on our discounts.


Anyway, these are some of the reasons that I (and Wave) don't want to fly for Delta. Personally, Southwest is the only airline I ever applied to. What does that tell you, General?

To each his own. You obviously like what you do at Delta, but why do you find it so hard to believe that other people would prefer something else? I'm glad you like what you do; you should be glad that we like what we do. Know what I mean?

Bubba

 

[General Lee]

Bubba,

Thanks for response. If that is how YOU feel, then great. Many of your answers could be refuted, like flying hub and spoke from only one hub (since merger most planes go through multiple hubs now during trips), INTL in the Military being even close to a Legacy trip, flying one plane for a career being a good thing (complacency, boredom), West Texas overnights (ELP?), and productive trips (INTL beats 30/7 on most trips, with 3 man crew so paid to rest during flight, etc), and mostly fun on layovers at your airline vs other airlines having fun too.

Regardless, thanks for your response. That is how you feel, and that is good to share.


Bye Bye---General Lee