Southwest to buy AirTran...

[PCL_128]

Wow, our most junior Capt is a Jun 01 hire date.

Yeah, it would be a very interesting integration to say the least. Hence why many of us would just prefer to stay on our own.

 

[airlinepilot]

Well at least it would be a big QOL increase for all (reserve guys get 15 days off) and all the FO's would be making 6 figures ASAP. I don't think we will merge with anyone. I think Kelly is bargain shopping and looking for airlines in $$ trouble. But, everyone still says Air Tran is all the places we need to be. It will be an interesting year.

 

[PCL_128]

Well at least it would be a big QOL increase for all

Not for me. I like flying standups and spending every single day at home. I somehow doubt that SWA would continue to allow some of us to fly 1-2 legs a day and block 30 hours a month for 70 hours of pay.

and all the FO's would be making 6 figures ASAP.

That's all well and good, but I'd prefer to get paid a little less and not have to work as much. Money isn't everything.

 

[TV9Driver]

mdf,

AirTran has the East Coast locked up pretty good. We have alot of presence in New York (SWF, HPN, LGA, EWR) IAD, DCA, PHL, BOS and also all over Florida (RSW, SRQ, FLL, MIA, MCO, DAB, JAX, TPA, PBI) and alot of gate space at ATL.... Not to mention really good revenue out of IND, FNT, BMI, etc.....

I've been saying for a while that we are a really good buyout target. We make money, we're very low cost, we've got a great route structure, low debt ratio, and we don't own much. Plus our stock is south of $10/share...

 

[mach zero]

Well, I do think we did deserve a little more truth from both sides about what was coming. We were told we would shrink but not go away. If AirTran was the victor we were told we would continue at our current size and operation.The Southwest puppet who was put in charge of ATA holdings laid us off after being on the job for 3 days.
As far as the number of ATA guys hired I would wager that my number of 6-7 guys out of the pref interview is pretty acurate. Over the past three years I have no idea who has finally made the move over. Nothing against the pilots of WN. The management is smart and they got what they wanted.(MDW)

I'll take that wager on 6-7 guys total. More than that were hired here. I helped several myself.

I don't care what you were told by AirTran. The odds of Chico existing long term after the deal would not have been good. AirTran tried regional feed didn't like it and got out of it. That is probably what would have happened in MDW as well.

 

[curtis46]

Denver center this afternoon:
"Citrus,traffic 12 o'clock"
"traffic in sight"
"Sw, traffic 12 o'clock"
their answer, "company in sight"
Do you guys at SW know something that we don't or are you just taking your dream for reality?

 

[FIREMAN]

Denver center this afternoon:
"Citrus,traffic 12 o'clock"
"traffic in sight"
"Sw, traffic 12 o'clock"
their answer, "company in sight"
Do you guys at SW know something that we don't or are you just taking your dream for reality?

Not long ago some Citrus guys were saying the same thing about Midwest.

 

[CA Calypso]

That's the problem with you SWA people... Why would you want to "do damage"? That means other people not on your property can't feed their kids or pay their alimony. Remember, we're all in this together... or at least, that's what I thought

LXAPilot,

This has nothing to do with "SWA People." I really don't mean this as callous as it probably sounds - but flying airplanes is a business. Airlines are in existence to make a profit - not to provide toys for pilots. They either grow or die. There will be winners and there will be losers.

It would be wonderfully altruistic to say that "we're all in this together" - but that is naive. Each airline and its respective pilot group will look after their own best interests - often at the expense of another group.

It would be wonderful if this was a true brotherhood - but it isn't.

 

[ATLplt]

It ain't gonna happen folks. Now, let's get down to real business...Patriots or Giants, Miller or Bud, Ford or Chevy? :beer:

 

[PCL_128]

It would be wonderful if this was a true brotherhood - but it isn't.

You're right. As long as people think like you do that we're all in competition with one another, we'll never be a true brotherhood.

 

[400A]

It ain't gonna happen folks. Now, let's get down to real business...Patriots or Giants, Miller or Bud, Ford or Chevy? :beer:

Patriots, Coors Light and Chevy Z-71!!!!:beer:

 

[FIREMAN]

It ain't gonna happen folks. Now, let's get down to real business...Patriots or Giants, Miller or Bud, Ford or Chevy? :beer:

Giants, any beer not on the side of a race car,Chevy

 

[cl65capt]

It ain't gonna happen folks. Now, let's get down to real business...Patriots or Giants, Miller or Bud, Ford or Chevy? :beer:

Patriots, Sam Adams and a Chrystler 300

 

[curtis46]

Not long ago some Citrus guys were saying the same thing about Midwest.

yeah,but nobody here ever talked about stappling Midwest guys to the bottom of our list.
A SW guys that i know ,asked me if i heard of SW buying AT because he was tired of being an FO!!!
I told him to go FK himself
just stay away!!!!

 

[MINIME]

yeah,but nobody here ever talked about stappling Midwest guys to the bottom of our list.
A SW guys that i know ,asked me if i heard of SW buying AT because he was tired of being an FO!!!
I told him to go FK himself
just stay away!!!!

That's right... It would mean faster upgrades for a good number of SWA F/Os wouldn't it? Hadn't given much thought to that side of the equation.

Not to wish anything on the AAI guys, but their group is much more junior than the LUV group.

 

[BigEasy]

Ok I guess I am an oddball but my resume includes all three airlines in question.

While being on the furloughed list at ATA I was offered a position at Airtran. With a family to feed I was not going to wait for the actual job loss, I left for Airtran. Since I resigned ATA I lost my right for a preferential interviw. In reality only a few got hired out of about 70 or so.

At Airtran I noticed quited a number of former ATA pilots coming over. So from what I saw first hand Airtran did initially hire more form ATA than SWA.

No here is the kicker, not very many, heck I can't think of one, actually liked working for Airtran. Once again not the pilot group here, just management and company culture. One former ATA pilot just flat out quit. And of course yours truly made it to SWA eventually.

So, you can argue who hired more but in the end it is nothing but a pot to piss in.

I really doubt we will see this happen, but if we do join forces I will be happy to see alot of the guys I flew with or hung out with at the Trannie.

Good luck to all of us.

Bigeasy

 

[Wesb737fo]

One former ATA pilot just flat out quit.

Hmmmm.....I wonder who that was.

 

[FlyinGuy]

PCL, you are dreaming if you think that true brotherhood exists! Sure we all wish the best for our fellow aviators, but you show me one pilot group that is going to sacrifice to help out another group. It aint gonna happen.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

For all the guys that think SWA/AirTran won't happen:

It might not, but for sure SWA and CAL WILL merge with someone.

Both CEOs said that neither SWA or CAL WANT to merge, but if any other airlines merge, they will be FORCED to merge (I'm assuming becauase they would be to small to compete on their own.).

DAL/NWA will happen (my guess is 99% probability). If it doesn't, then some other merger will happen, which will trigger CAL/SWA to find merger partners.

The railroad industry had many more times the number of railroads in the US than the airline industry did, and now they're down to, basically, 4 giant railroads in the US, and only 5 in N. America. The airlines will follow.

I was wondering how an AirTran/Midwest/Frontier merger would work, and they could even add Alaska to that mix-it would be a pretty good route structure?

It will be a VERY interesting 6-12 months!!!

cliff
YIP
PS-I haven't applied at UAL, but, if they merge, I would apply with them immediately. I think the new management could do a lot with UAL-the current management has no plan, other than to merge.

 

[Lowrider717]

It will be a VERY interesting 6-12 months!!!

That's funny right thar. I've been saying that same thing for the past 5 years.