Southwest In Talks With Chicago Midway About More Gates

[mnboyev]

You guys can ride our seats anytime (if the flight crew has any say in the matter)..... I offered to give an ol United fella commuting, his 25 bucks back after the agent charged his visa.... He was very gracious and gentleman like... Good Fella.... Commuting is the pits and anything we can do to make it less painful.... we should all do it...

Hey, SWA FO..... settle down !.... We're coming to MDW baby... see you at Mr C's.... EV

 

[SirFlyALot]

"""""

 

[mt2]

Yes, that's what the AFA letter said but according to an ALPA LEC rep slots are what was meant. That is why further down in the AFA letter it states we'll still be flying the LGA and DCA routes.

This is all subject to change several hundred times over before all is said and done however.

 

[SWA/FO]

EV, see you at Mr. C's.... MDW is a better commute for you, right? Gotta love that.

 

[717pilot]

FL717....LISTEN UP! Those...... are not saying anything good about your english! Oh I forgot your now a 737 Captain. HEY! CoNGRATS on the upgrade!! Just remember Im still SENIOR to you!! "**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** it JIM!!

 

[FL717]

FL717....LISTEN UP! Those...... are not saying anything good about your english! Oh I forgot your now a 737 Captain. HEY! CoNGRATS on the upgrade!! Just remember Im still SENIOR to you!! "**CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED** it JIM!!

Actually I owe YOU the congratulations! I was already a Captain on the 717, I just transitioned over to the 737 because I knew that you were upgrading on the 717.... and you're senior to me be-atch, and there was no way I was gonna let you steal my crappy reserve line. (D*mmit Jim!)

Have fun and give me a call when you get a chance.

Oh by the way..........

 

[freightdogfred]

Southwest has always given its jumpseats to whoever went through the trouble to send a letter requesting it to our VP of flight ops and is authorized by the FAA to be there. We were giving jumpseats to many other airlines for many years when they didnt even reciprocate with us. Kinda pissed some of the guys off that commuted off line and couldnt get the jump seat because of that rule. But we kept smiling and taking there pilots on our jumpseats. It's a bargining tool during contract negotiations and with the current state of the airlines in general I think since money isnt too likely for most airlines in the next contract, maybe some of the other airlines can get the jumpseat favor returned. The last few years we have added alot of airlines to where we can give multiple jumpseats without the gate agent giving you any crap for it. So if we all work together we can improve everyones commutor life.

Also FWIW, SWA likes competition. So we welcome you Airtran guys to the Windy city. We have always liked the ATA guys and have the highest respect for them and hope they can stay around too. There is plenty of room for everyone.

Jeez....Finally a voice of reason. Look at the man's total time and heed a voice of experience. Let management fret over gates, slots and money and let the pilots concentrate on flying. Throwing rocks at each other serves no useful purpose.

In a selfish attempt to hijack this thread, I submit to you that SW has the industry's hottest F/A's.....

 

[SWA/FO]

So let me get this straight... first you guys charged the 25 then you didn't or was that before you did?

Only Kidding...just kidding guys.... it was a joke...no hijack attempt here. I don't care about the gates.

 

[mad691]

November 5, 2004 Friday

SECTION: BANKRUPTCY; M and A Auctions

LENGTH: 334 words

HEADLINE: ATA sets terms for Ch. 11 auction

BYLINE: by Lou Whiteman

HIGHLIGHT:

The airline also reaches a deal to sell its Midway Airport operation in Chicago.

BODY:


ATA Holdings Inc. has filed the procedures for parties wishing to bid on its gates at Chicago's Midway Airport at what could be a competitive Dec. 1 auction of the bankrupt airline's assets.

The Indianapolis-based carrier filed for Chapter 11 protection in late October in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana. ATA said at the time it had reached a deal to sell its Midway operation, along with gates and landing slots in Washington and New York, to Orlando, Fla.-based AirTran Airways Inc.for $87.5 million in cash.

ATA in the filing said that "consummation of the AirTran transaction is a significant and important step" in the company's reorganization, and it urged the court to approve the procedures.

But analysts said to expect several other airlines to at least consider bidding on ATA's assets. The company was negotiating with the parent of America West Airlines Inc. before declaring bankruptcy, and officials at that Tempe, Ariz.-based carrier have expressed interest in pursuing all or part of the company.

Southwest Airlines Inc., ATA's chief rival at Midway, also could consider buying some of ATA's gates in Chicago. And New York-based JetBlue Airways Inc.might tender a bid for ATA's landing rights at LaGuardia Airport, analysts said.

ATA also disclosed new details of its agreement with AirTran, which gives AirTran the option to subtract up to $8 million from the price to repay a debt to the city of Chicago for jetway expansion at Midway. AirTran also may back away from the deal if fuel prices rise above $2 per gallon or if Chicago rejects the gate swap.

ATA filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 27, citing high fuel prices and intense competition from Southwest and other low-fare airlines The company hopes to reorganize around its large military charter operation and its scheduled service from its Indianapolis hub.

AirTran has said acquiring the ATA assets would help it expand deeper into the Midwest, allowing the company to diversify from its primary hub in Atlanta.

URL: http://www.TheDeal.com

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

It's too early for SWA and AirTran guys to start a fight...The merger between the two companies will not happen untill 2010.

 

[SWA/FO]

did you mean "buyout"...

 

[mt2]

Jumpseat battle

I'll take the verbal sparring about jumpseat privileges as an indirect compliment to ATA crews and our liberal jumpseat policy. It is always a pleasure to come/go to DFW, MSP, DEN, etc so I can have a bunch of SWA pilots on board. As a commuter on SWA I am grateful for the rides afforded me by SWA and their reciprocal unlimited jumpseat policy for ATA crews. I am always treated by crews and agents as one of their own in MHT and MDW !! The ATA crews really appreciate that and we do our best to return the favor however and whenever we can. I'd like to believe that this little bit of grovelling is because SWA pilots will miss that.

ATA and SWA have co-existed at MDW without becoming adversarial ala UAL and AA at ORD, in fact we have a healthy dose of admiration and respect for one another.