Southwest/ATA Plan WOW....

[FarginDooshbahg]

Every one of these "offers" tries to put on the best "show". Yessirree, we're going to bend over backwards to help your failing company, no matter what the cost. Of course, our own company and employees matter, but we'll do whatever it takes to ensure that your company remains intact and no jobs are lost.

In my best Bill Clinton voice: "I will do everything in my power to create thousands of new jobs. And oh, by the way, I did not have sexual relations with that woman."

 

[rudderdog]

In my best Bill Clinton voice: "I will do everything in my power to create thousands of new jobs. And oh, by the way, I did not have sexual relations with that woman."

How about this one......

"Two Great Airlines, One Great Future"

Don Carty

 

[Dizel8]

"Not one nickel, not one job"

 

[tz800ca]

OK ATA, reality check time.

This was a defensive move by WN, period. Also, don't ever believe a third party when they say they are going to grow you. They won't. SWA pilots, flight attaendants and gate agents will crap their pants when that starts to happen. Then they're gonna do everything they can to make sure you don't make it and then they will really be in the driver's seat at MDW. Trust me, that is all they want. All you have to do is look at history to see how it will play out. SWA will get the gates and over time ATA will get be treated more and more as a step-child until one day it is dismantled by the "board Members" that WN plants on your board.

The best way out would have been for the FL deal to go through and keep your airline independent with the possibility of future growth, profitibility and recalls.

I'll bet my last dollar that this WN deal will not be good for TZ in the long run.

Boy, you sure do not give GK and CB any credit for thinking out of the box do you? I thought that is what made WN the great airline it is today.

Sure there would be issues, but I for one would think they would do the right thing and those issues would get worked out to everyone’s benefit.

This has the potential to be HUGE for both companies. Heck, WN has for all intensive purposes "conquered" the USA, why not the world?

 

[75M]

TZ,

I hope you're right. I really do.

 

[PHXFLYR]

To all you ATA guys and gals out there who think the Southwest offer is the way to go, I have just 2 words to say.... TRANS STAR!!!! Anybody remember them ?


PHXFLYR

 

[TZFO]

SWA's plan might not be the best one for us, however it is the lesser of two evils.
AirTran will keep only 400-500 crew members and SWA plans to keep up to 800 and 53 planes.
SWA wants to wipe out our current mgmt and place their own into office. SWA's mgmt is highly sucessful and they will do the same for us.
Both companies are presenting pref. interviews, but a pref interview at the most sucessful airline ever isnt too bad.
I think the bottom couple hundred pilots are screwed either way, but there will be less folks on the streets if SWA takes over.

 

[UALjan15]

It seems to me like if this deal goes through (doubtful) SWA keeps AirTran out of the picture, and with those expensive leases, high fuel prices without hedging, the money will only be a short-term fix. I say "doubtful" because not only would this have to pass muster with the bankruptcy court, but also with with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) and it reeks of antitrust (monopoly) concerns to me.

I don't see antitrust concerns being much of a factor here. ATA and SWA, while they do together completely dominate MDW, they don't compete on many non-stop routes (8 or 9, I think). The consolidation of these 2 competitors is unlikely to force an exodus of the remaining airlines serving MDW. As for the MDW monopoly, it is the nature of airlines to have monopolies at certain airports--that is a natural by-product of our hub-happy system. The DOJ will be unconcerned with a MDW monopoly as long as competition in the region and across the country is not overly impacted. With ORD positioned as a direct alternative to Chicagoland O&D customers, there is more competition in this market than any other market I can think of.

 

[race#53]

http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/epm3.html

See the link for the rest of the story;

To all you ATA guys and gals out there who think the Southwest offer is the way to go, I have just 2 words to say.... TRANS STAR!!!! Anybody remember them ?


PHXFLYR

 

[HalinTexas]

Thanks #53. Nice little summary.

I don't think there is as much similarity between TranStar and ATA.

No one's proved anything that implies SWA bought TranStar to screw the employees. I am not familiar enough with the story to know what happened to the employees of TranStar after Oct. 1987. Anyone care to enlighten me?

 

[75M]

Ok, without looking, I'm gonna guess they were bought to eliminate competition. Let me know if I'm wrong.

 

[ultrarunner]

Folks, SWA is going to do what is in the best interest for SWA shareholders. THAT, my friends, comes FIRST, and is undisputed.

SWA will get what it wants for what it wants to pay, in order to reach the above goal. Or, they will walk.

Public comments by SWA about this and that, are nothing more than 'forward looking statements'. It is ALL SUBJECT TO CHANGE.

As far as employees go, SWA will take ONLY the minimum number required to execute it's business plan. Of which only a glimmer has been divuldged. SWA will require that as part of the deal. This will force ATA to layoff those employess that are not needed, insuring that ATA will have to assume the costs associated with these layoffs.

This is "standard aquisition stuff" boys and girls.

This is NOT to say that SWA will not subsequently lay off after the deal, but they will not likely bring on folks in order to get rid of them.

This is how it works folks. Companies with 'cash in hand' have leverage beyond belief.

Survival of the fitest, and I'm all for it.

 

[Jim Smyth]

To all you ATA guys and gals out there who think the Southwest offer is the way to go, I have just 2 words to say.... TRANS STAR!!!! Anybody remember them ?


PHXFLYR

Ah, the ole TransStar issue surfaces yet again. I have flown with Ex TranStar Pilots that were hired here at SWA after the fact and was told that the TranStar Pilots were as much as fault with there demise as SWA was. They wanted instant raises to SWA pay scales and made threatening remarks to the hand that was currently feeding them as well as union (ALPA) issues. They were told it would come in time but that wasnt good enough. Herb is a true man of his word but they wouldnt listen so he shut the whole operation down rather than deal with the problems that were starting. So PHXFLYR if you have any other revelations that you would like to share with us about the TranStar deal please do!

I assume Gary was well groomed by his predecesors and I see alot of Herb in him. SWA is fair, ask most of the Morris Pilots. (sorry you always have your 5 percent whiners!)

I worked for Midway Airlines until they went out of business in November of 1991. At the time Northwest and Southwest were also bidding in the bankrupcy courts for the gates/assets or lack there of, of Midway Airlines. Northwest was going to take the whole operation intact and Southwest only wanted to offer interviews. You can guess who everybody sided with! Low and Behold Northwest pulls out of the deal and we cease operations 3 days later. Now in the process Southwest got snubbed pretty bad, people even yelling in the court procendings etc. After Northwest pulled out of the deal at the last minute SWA made an exchange of old DC-9's that SWA had from the TranStar deal that were parked out in ELP for the gates that Northwest now had (due to money paid making Midways payroll for the last few months while the deal was being worked out) at Midway but didnt want anymore.

So what did SWA do after this? They offered an interview to every Midway Airlines employee that wanted to attend. This was done one month after we ceased operations in December of 1991. This was done by SWA and didnt have to be. It was done first class at the Palmer House downtown Chicago. Alot of ground employees were hired immediately out of the interview. Other higher positions were filled in time as planes came on board. SWA hired more Ex Midway Pilots than all the other ALPA airlines combined! So theres where doing the right thing in my mind comes in. I think SWA will protect its investments but will also do the right thing for the ATA folks. I know from my time with SWA that ATA has always been held in very high reguard with our management. YMMV.

 

[traffic pilot]

I know as a pilot at SWA that I consider ATA pilots as fellow brothers.
I look at them with a little more luv than other fellow airline type dudes. that's all I've got to say about that.

 

[atafan]

traffic pilot You give me hope for the profession.

Thankyou!