Southwest to buy AirTran...

[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.

 

[spitfire1500]

SWA has never put a pilot on the street.

Last I checked neither has AirTran

 

[Lear70]

We had an ATA pilot in my new-hire class. Nice guy, kept to himself, but you could tell he wasn't having a good time.

When he got recalled by ATA, he went... while stopping by the C.P.'s office to tell him what he thought about airTran.

I heard this directly from FP, couldn't believe my ears when he told me what the pilot had said. Not going to post the details, not really necessary, except to say that I didn't think it was anywhere near *that* bad...

Sure, management's trying to squeeze every last drop of blood they can from their employee groups these days, but it still beats the regional I came from.

Of course, I'm treated better these days flying charter than I was at any airline. They treat me like an adult, give me the keys to a jet with a $250,000 credit card and say "save as much money as you can but do the right thing for our clients" and I do. Problem is, of course, the money isn't there long-term...

Makes me kinda wish I had bailed for NJA before I had the termination on my record - can't get considered now...

Personally, I know the pilots would hate it initially, but merging with SWA and getting their management group in charge would, eventually, mean a much happier pilot group *IF* the management culture didn't change at SWA.

 

[Flyboynfla]

Hey Spitfire - Make that statement after 25 more years in business!

 

[CA Calypso]

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.

PCL 128,

I didn't say I was a proponent of this line of thought. I was just making an unemotional observation that fifteen years in this industry has afforded me.

Airlines are competitors. Therefore when you work for a different airline - you work for the competition. Do you honestly think that one group of pilots would sacrifice themselves for another? Do you think the Ford auto workers would throw themselves on their sword for the benefit of GM autoworkers?

Is anything I said untrue?

 

[PCL_128]

PCL 128,

I didn't say I was a proponent of this line of thought. I was just making an unemotional observation that fifteen years in this industry has afforded me.

Airlines are competitors. Therefore when you work for a different airline - you work for the competition. Do you honestly think that one group of pilots would sacrifice themselves for another? Do you think the Ford auto workers would throw themselves on their sword for the benefit of GM autoworkers?


Is anything I said untrue?

It's not a matter of throwing themselves on their swords for another group. The problem is that many pilots are actively hostile towards pilots from other airlines. Pilots from other airlines work for the competition, but they aren't themselves the competition. Pilots from different groups should try to work together to develop strategies that benefit the entire profession rather than salivating over the thought of events that could cripple the careers of pilots from a competing carrier.

 

[CA Calypso]

It's not a matter of throwing themselves on their swords for another group. The problem is that many pilots are actively hostile towards pilots from other airlines. Pilots from other airlines work for the competition, but they aren't themselves the competition. Pilots from different groups should try to work together to develop strategies that benefit the entire profession rather than salivating over the thought of events that could cripple the careers of pilots from a competing carrier.

I agree with you - I hope things evolve this way...

 

[RedDogC130]

It's not a matter of throwing themselves on their swords for another group. The problem is that many pilots are actively hostile towards pilots from other airlines. Pilots from other airlines work for the competition, but they aren't themselves the competition. Pilots from different groups should try to work together to develop strategies that benefit the entire profession rather than salivating over the thought of events that could cripple the careers of pilots from a competing carrier.

I get it so the Patriots are practicing with the Giants in hopes that they learn how to play the game better next season. trading plays and the Patriots want to give the best players to the Giants to give them an even edge... Not sure if that really made sense but oh well..

I do disagree about the competition part of the topic with regards to pilot v. pilot a little. I would never be rude or mean to another pilot from another airline, in fact I take pride in seeing if they need help woth anything if I have the power to do so. I never want to see someone lose a job but if it means that I keep mine and their company goes out of business and mine survives...hope you have money saved. Why would I sacrifice my company to save another...that does not make much sense. Business is competition...to make money off the other guy. I am shocked you don't get that. Just like when we gain experience and flight time, I want my resume better looking than the next guy in hopes that that takes me over the top to get the job. I didn't get my Masters degree because I like to go to school, I got it because it would look good on my resume...I hate to admit I did learn some good stuff though.

 

[Lear70]

I do disagree about the competition part of the topic with regards to pilot v. pilot a little. I would never be rude or mean to another pilot from another airline, in fact I take pride in seeing if they need help woth anything if I have the power to do so. I never want to see someone lose a job but if it means that I keep mine and their company goes out of business and mine survives...hope you have money saved. Why would I sacrifice my company to save another...that does not make much sense. Business is competition...to make money off the other guy. I am shocked you don't get that. Just like when we gain experience and flight time, I want my resume better looking than the next guy in hopes that that takes me over the top to get the job. I didn't get my Masters degree because I like to go to school, I got it because it would look good on my resume...I hate to admit I did learn some good stuff though.

And that's one of the reasons this job will never again be what it was.

There is a *reason* all the ALPA MEC's get together to discuss things, including negotiating strategies.

There is a *reason* that non-ALPA airlines get together to try to influence the votes in Washington when it affects us.

There is a *reason* that "pattern-based bargaining" is used by just about everyone, including SWAPA and the NPA among others.

We can either work TOGETHER to accomplish our goals or we will all certainly suffer separately. Just because your airline has been on a roll for a decade and now has the highest narrow-body paid pilots in the world (and better than many airlines' SWB's), doesn't mean it will always be that way.

Competition is healthy, certainly. However, management at most Legacies as well as the LCC's have learned that co-existence is the key to survival. Maybe there's a lesson for you in there, too.

I hate to say it, but since the Pandora's box of deregulation can never be shut again, perhaps competing on SERVICE and letting the customer pick, rather than believing it's a competition between PILOTS, might get us farther towards our collective goals and make ALL of us profitable without having to sacrifice another airline and the hundreds of thousands of lives that go along with it.

Just a thought.

 

[airline#5]

RedDog...you are a tool. Now go get your doctorate.

 

[CA Calypso]

And that's one of the reasons this job will never again be what it was.

There is a *reason* all the ALPA MEC's get together to discuss things, including negotiating strategies.

There is a *reason* that non-ALPA airlines get together to try to influence the votes in Washington when it affects us.

There is a *reason* that "pattern-based bargaining" is used by just about everyone, including SWAPA and the NPA among others.

We can either work TOGETHER to accomplish our goals or we will all certainly suffer separately. Just because your airline has been on a roll for a decade and now has the highest narrow-body paid pilots in the world (and better than many airlines' SWB's), doesn't mean it will always be that way.

Competition is healthy, certainly. However, management at most Legacies as well as the LCC's have learned that co-existence is the key to survival. Maybe there's a lesson for you in there, too.

I hate to say it, but since the Pandora's box of deregulation can never be shut again, perhaps competing on SERVICE and letting the customer pick, rather than believing it's a competition between PILOTS, might get us farther towards our collective goals and make ALL of us profitable without having to sacrifice another airline and the hundreds of thousands of lives that go along with it.

Just a thought.

I agree that pilot groups should work together and I think to the greatest extent possible they have.

However, I don't think that management thinks co-existence is the key except in a few certain circumstances. Delta and AirTran in Atlanta, United and Frontier in Denver, etc. The smaller carriers' existence in those cities keeps out another large hubbed carrier. Other than that, when a carrier is knocked out of business it creates opportunities for other carriers - either through growth or increased margins. Hence the move toward consolidation - we are moving to fewer mega carriers rather than peacefully co-existing together.

And the customer has been picking the winners - but not on service but on price. Unfortunately, air service has become just another commodity.