Southwest won.

[Ty Webb]

Everyone here has an opinion.

I'll play the piano in one of the local hoehouses before knocking on the door at AAI. Our differences shall forever be irreconcilable.

Anyone who is stupid enough to make a comment like this will certainly come to see it pass.

All hail Powderfinger, our new Village Idiot.

 

[Jim Smyth]

Morris Pilots did quite well if you ask me! They all got a pay raise for the most part with unlimited ability to work as much as they wanted to make alot more if they so desired. No more stand up overnights. Job security. All are very senor right now in the Left seat with weekends and holidays off if they wish. They were given a 01-01-1994 senority date of hire which untitled them to profit sharing for the full year of 1994 which I'm sure they didnt realize until later on. They have a healthy 401K. Lets not forget all the stock options either. Sure you have your 5 percenters that wouldnt be happy if they got every day in the week off but I can assure you the majority are quite happy right now. The only thing I can say that they took a back seat to was being put at the bottom of the senority list. If they would have been given date of hire it would have moved them up about a year or so. But Morris had alot of senority issues within there own ranks with Serira Pacific, Ryan and Morris list. Plus you had a few of the Bishops move right to the front of the class too. So I dont think they had it too bad.

 

[TexaSWA]

Last time SWA bought an airline, if I remember correctly those boys and girls didn't fair to well. Can some of you SWA folks that were around for the Morris deal provide some info?

Yeah they got shafted!!!

They're all millionaires for sh1tesake!!!

Delville,

You have an excellent point that I do agree with.

 

[Boeingman]

Yeah they got shafted!!!

They're all millionaires for sh1tesake!!!

.

I'm talking about the ones that "didn't make it" . Obviously those on property made out well. Thanks for the lesson.

Remember you're not a millionaire until those options are converted and the money is sitting in the bank at retirement.

 

[Boeingman]

Morris Pilots did quite well if you ask me! They all got a pay raise for the most part with unlimited ability to work as much as they wanted to make alot more if they so desired. No more stand up overnights. Job security. All are very senor right now in the Left seat with weekends and holidays off if they wish. They were given a 01-01-1994 senority date of hire which untitled them to profit sharing for the full year of 1994 which I'm sure they didnt realize until later on. They have a healthy 401K. Lets not forget all the stock options either. Sure you have your 5 percenters that wouldnt be happy if they got every day in the week off but I can assure you the majority are quite happy right now. The only thing I can say that they took a back seat to was being put at the bottom of the senority list. If they would have been given date of hire it would have moved them up about a year or so. But Morris had alot of senority issues within there own ranks with Serira Pacific, Ryan and Morris list. Plus you had a few of the Bishops move right to the front of the class too. So I dont think they had it too bad.

Jim:

Thank you for the well thought out and intelligent reply. I should of been more specific in my question as I was thinking that there was some sort of weeding out of Morris pilots at SWA before they made it on property. Was I mistaken in the assumption that there was not a wholesale integration of all the pilots there at Morris?

I'm sure ATA will have more clout than Morris, but watching ALPA abandon the TWA guys (no flame, no judgement on right or wrong, just a fact and observation AA folks) I'm wondering how the process will fair for them.

Thanks

 

[Jim Smyth]

Boeingman, Actualy at first I was a litttle pissed reading your comment but it was obvious you didnt understand what had transpired with the Morris buyout and it's good to know what actualy happened from an insider. Sometimes it's easy to Slam a company before knowing the facts but I guess thats what makes this forum good to learn from one another.

Intially SWA wanted to interview all the Morris Pilots and pick the ones they wanted just like in the interview process. The Morris Pilots stuck together and said it was all or nothing. After alot of internal debate with the union leaders for Morris and SWA it was decided that SWA would take all of them. There were 202 Morris Pilots that came on board as of 01-01-1994. Some of them didnt have a type rating either which was a first for SWA as far as I know. The main reason that SWA wanted to interview them first was that there was a few of them there that had been terminated at SWA for various reasons and I am sure there were strong feelings by SWA managemant types that didnt want them back. All in all it wasnt perfect merger/buyout/accusation but wasnt bad either. When your being acquired you never get the better end of the deal IMO. But as the industry has taught us it could have been alot worse thats for sure.

Now the ATA situation is very fluid at the moment. Gary stated that as a company we are not taking control of ATA which we did in the Morris deal so it's a completely different type of situation. So I am not sure how it will shake out when its done but I wish all the ATA folks the best. Hopefully we will gain a stake in ATA and help them get back on there feet and make a profit on our investment in the process while protecting our home turf so to speak. The ATA folks and SWA have worked very well together in the past and I see great things in the future for both of us. With any luck down the road the ATA will prosper and be able to bring some of the folks back that they may have to furlough in the near term. From my own experiance I know that SWA likes the home team meaning ATA folks in Chicago. So I am sure the furloughed ones will have a very good opportunaty to interview and get hired at SWA in the interm. We have ambitious plans for next year and will need alot of good qualified help.

 

[Boeingman]

Boeingman, Actualy at first I was a litttle pissed reading your comment but it was obvious you didnt understand what had transpired with the Morris buyout and it's good to know what actualy happened from an insider. Sometimes it's easy to Slam a company before knowing the facts but I guess thats what makes this forum good to learn from one another.

After rereading it this morning, I don't blame you since it wasn't worded very well. Thanks for giving me the benefit of doubt on that one. I never intended it as a slam, but it did sound like it. My bad! The forum is perfect to be able to learn and it is abhorrent because it can't impart inflection in tone of facial expression to help the communication. Nature of the beast.

You're correct I didn't know what happened and it, like all rumors grow in intensity until put to rest. I think your reply will help with some very emotional roller coasters going on at ATA right now.

Intially SWA wanted to interview all the Morris Pilots and pick the ones they wanted just like in the interview process. The Morris Pilots stuck together and said it was all or nothing. After alot of internal debate with the union leaders for Morris and SWA it was decided that SWA would take all of them. There were 202 Morris Pilots that came on board as of 01-01-1994. Some of them didnt have a type rating either which was a first for SWA as far as I know. The main reason that SWA wanted to interview them first was that there was a few of them there that had been terminated at SWA for various reasons and I am sure there were strong feelings by SWA managemant types that didnt want them back. All in all it wasnt perfect merger/buyout/accusation but wasnt bad either. When your being acquired you never get the better end of the deal IMO. But as the industry has taught us it could have been alot worse thats for sure.

Again, thanks for the time to answer. Knowing the facts, it was a good deal.

 

[atafan]

Jim Smyth,

Sir, you are a real gentleman and I'd be proud to work with other SWA employees just like you!

 

[Ty Webb]

It sounds like you are making an assumption that there will be some sort of list integration . . . . and I don't see where that would ever happen out of a minority ownership.

A separate operating certificate and two separate employee groups is what I would expect.

 

[ATA For Now!]

two separate employee groups is what I would expect.

At least with WN there will be employees!