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SWA/AAI....The Reality

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Dash Power

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 27, 2006
Posts
348
There are many SWA pilots on this board "Welcoming Aboard" the AAI pilots after yesterdays results of our votes on the seniority integration. I feel it condescending to the Airtran pilots in the sense that there would even be a possibility that we would not welcome them to SWA. The Airtran pilots did not have a choice any more than the SWA pilots had a choice.

I personally look forward to working together with the Airtran folks in this extremely competitive industry and profession. I do not offer any more beers, coffee or food that I already offer any fellow crew member. Instead I would like to give a healthy handshake to the newest members of my family. As well as I hope they offer me a handshake to welcome me to their family as well. This is mutual beneficial relationship and should be approached as such. We are equals.

We have agreed on a very sensitive business aspect of our professional lives which was based on a mutual fear, arbitration. Not the fear that most of the vocal outsiders understand. It was the fear that we both knew a negotiated agreement would have an infinite better outcome for our futures collectively than an arbitrated one pushed down our throats. There was a legitimate fear of the unknown on both sides. And it wasn't bout the actual seniority list. It was what the list might produce.

The past year I did not talk to one SWA pilot that wanted this deal. Me included. I have little doubt that all 84% of the Airtran guys did not want this particular negotiated agreement either. But our managements decided that we were to integrate our lists and they had a right to do so. Whether we liked it or not. But ultimately we worked it out and now it is time to work together and become more successful as one than we would have been operated separately. The big Delta trolls on this board didn't like Airtran in their 'Hometown". Now they are understandably scared with both Airtran AND Southwest in their back yard. Hence the neurotic amount of interest on a seniority integration that meant absolutely ZERO to them personally. They know with certainty that their market share will be affected in ATL and likely now MCO. But it won't kill them. It won't change anything for them. But you can't tell the scared trolls that.

The Airtran pilots collectively took a hit in seniority with this agreement. SWA schedules are second to none the best in the industry. There is a high likely hood that the decreased seniority will be made up with the great SWA schedules and that together we grow to get any Airtran pilots displaced out of their seats, or maybe domiciles, back to where they want to be with the much better SWAPA contract to have a more lucrative career.

Good luck to us all and once again, I look forward to working WITH all the Airtran pilots.
 
Dash,

Both sides had a voice. Both sides dug in and tried to get all they could and then used their voice to say it's time to agree and get busy getting busy. I think the overwhelming "welcome aboard" from our side of the house is a simple acknowledgement that the fight is over and we hold no animosity.

Gup
 
Dash,
While I agree with much of what you said, those of us saying "welcome aboard" are only trying to extend a hand to the other side now that the negotiations/vote/talk is over. We all appear to have a bright future and to say that extending a hand in friendship is condescending....it's not meant to be, at least from FR8dognit...
 
Dash gets it.

Gup and Fr8,

You are being nice and that is good. Your intentions are good. Thank you being an ambassador of good will. "Welcome aboard" can come across as an outsider looking in. And that is not what is going on here. Although a dirty word, SWA has merged these companies. There is no outside, there is no in. It is what it is.

Keep saying what you are comfortable with. It is all good and probably of no consequence. But there can be other points of view that are just as valid.

I think what Dash is getting at is that these are not new hires. This is an SWA acquisition that management intended on merging the two operations. It is different. Many Airtran people didn't want this to happen either.

I too look forward to working with the AAI family.
 
SWA schedules are second to none the best in the industry..

Nice post. I disagree with this single sentence. Your schedules may be the most efficient in the industry, but they may not be the best. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
 
Nice post. I disagree with this single sentence. Your schedules may be the most efficient in the industry, but they may not be the best. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

True dat.

I would have assumed that efficient schedules tend to be better schedules. If someone wants to spread three days pay with four days off into four days pay into three days off, then good on you.

Does this mean I shouldn't try to get them some titties?

Did you really stop when you were no longer a new hire? :erm::D
 

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