SWA Attempts To Steal Routes - Denied

[Flopgut]

Bubba: I'm going to attepmt once again to give you some advice that I think you need to hear. That speech you're preparing for your first arrival into Mexico City? The one you imagine will take place in front of thousands of cameras? That might not actually take place like you think it will, ok? They've seen a US brand before. You're not going to get to OJ hurdle luggage thru the terminal and karate chop hapless UAL agents as you free the citizens of Mexico from our tyranny. I know you've pbly been dieting and visiting the tanning bed so you look your best. Have a theme song ready to play in the background as you and your plucky sidekick Red are leered at by gorgeous buxom senioritas. That's maybe not going to happen. The best thing you can do for yourself, and for all of us, is not act like this is the first time you've done anything cool. I know your nuts will be tingling and Red want to say something inspirational on tower freq ("this is one small step for...") Just try to smooth it out and make it normal.

 

[redflyer65]

It must really suck to lose your death grip on that monopoly Flop.

I will guarantee you this sir. We will do the work!! As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of making your motto into a bag tag for all. Maybe even a new paint scheme for on the planes. 'Doing the work' could be painted down the side.

 

[Flopgut]

Oh my... I was having fun and you might have taken this seriously? (Happens to me sometimes too)

RED YOURE MY BOY!!!!!!!

 

[redflyer65]

Flop,

I love that fact that you can't stop talking about all things Southwest and they've screwed you and your company. Keep up the good work buddy.

I'll be your boy....the one laughing his ass off at your black helicopter theory. I can't believe how grateful we should have been for getting the Wright Amendment, thanks for opening my eyes!

Carry on. I think there's another helicopter coming over the ridge.

 

[Flopgut]

It must really suck to lose your death grip on that monopoly Flop.

I will guarantee you this sir. We will do the work!! As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of making your motto into a bag tag for all. Maybe even a new paint scheme for on the planes. 'Doing the work' could be painted down the side.

So wait, you're going to do this super bad ass paint scheme first? Or do the work first? Hold on, I wasn't really paying attention, have you actually flown there yet? Should I go ahead and be inconsolable over the loss of this "monopoly" (that I didn't know I had) and just take your word on it?

RED YOURE MY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Flopgut]

Flop,

I love that fact that you can't stop talking about all things Southwest and they've screwed you and your company. Keep up the good work buddy.

I'll be your boy....the one laughing his ass off at your black helicopter theory. I can't believe how grateful we should have been for getting the Wright Amendment, thanks for opening my eyes!

Carry on. I think there's another helicopter coming over the ridge.

RED YOURE MY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I'm on days off and it's time for some Modelo and a huge ass cigar. Red, go help Bubba figure out what "punching your clown means". You two can go busy yourselves with that. Someday when you fly where I do you can move onto more interesting behaviors

 

[redflyer65]

Flop,

I'm confused here.

What other US carrier did Houston to Mexico City? Did I miss something? Oh, and the fact you had the only DOT approval to do so.

Would you consider that a monopoly with your unbelievable 'premium' service? Maybe your Modelo's have skewed your already bizarre thinking.

Most people are in the ballpark when it comes to this stuff, you apparently aren't even in the same league. Thanks for making me laugh my ass off this morning though. I think I might need more coffee.

 

[SWA Bubba]

That you're brain can formulate those thoughts, is incredible.*

We make a reasonable premium over some competitors because we offer first class, a civilized boarding process, and global hub connectivity (and more). You're really confused about Central and South American passengers. Plenty of them want these amenities. Especially if they're in the oil business. And btw I'm not referring to sun tan oil. Which is probably the best dileiniation of what our two airlines will be doing our of Houston.

You realize you're not even addressing the question, right Flop? You may very well make a "reasonable premium" in your first class, as does every other legacy with first class. On the other hand, you make a hell of a lot more than a "reasonable premium" on first class, business class, economy, economy-plus, steerage, and whatever other name you have for a class; when there's no actual competition allowed on a route--you can charge whatever you want. You might want to look up the word "monopoly."

Also Bubba, you just got a perfect example of how the Mexican govt feels about your airline. Your attempt to seize routes from a competitor were denied.....

Thanks for pointing that out Flop! We did get a pretty good example of how the Mexican government feels--they said that they were going to grant our request to enter that market, remember? They wanted us there, one way or another. It was only at that point that United suggested just adding another route authority for us, because they knew that otherwise they would lose one of the two they had been monopolizing. Nothing "denied."

.... Immediate and publicly it was made clear that SWA will not pull any favors to tip the market....

Again, thanks for pointing out that no "favors" were needed or granted to Southwest--just the business of competition. You might want to point that out to Ex737whiner--he seems to think that we bribed somebody.

....This is going to be a vibrant market inclusive of ALL competition. Which of course ALL participants are willing and ready to go, except you guys and your mayoral backed experiment at Hobby...

Weeellll,... not quite yet. Right now it's still a glaring, overpriced United monopoly. But soon you will have competition, although just from Southwest. In nine months, it will be a real competition for any airline who wants to try their luck at that route.

*The collective ego at SWA must be a very fragile thing. Idk, I guess the success has just come too easy or something. You guys just got your pee pee whacked for acting like you're entitled to something. That instead they still approved your flying was just as much accommodation as it was a warning: everybody gets an opportunity to compete.

You're a funny guy, Flop--I'll give you that. Our ego? We're not the ones trying to dictate how another company runs their business--that would be you. And you realize that your last sentence is actually a self-contradiction: the "warning" was actually to you guys, in that the Mexican government obviously didn't like your monopoly.

Hey, but on the bright side, Flop, at least we found out that there's a poster who's wackier than you here on Flight Info--Ex737Driver. That's gotta' count for something!

Bubba

 

[SWA Bubba]

RED YOURE MY BOY!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I'm on days off and it's time for some Modelo and a huge ass cigar. Red, go help Bubba figure out what "punching your clown means". You two can go busy yourselves with that. Someday when you fly where I do you can move onto more interesting behaviors

Well, I don't know where exactly you fly, so I can't tell you exactly when Southwest will fly there. However, I can tell you that when that day comes, you'll bitch and whine about that as well. That's a given.

Bubba

 

[Flopgut]

Flop,

I'm confused here.

What other US carrier did Houston to Mexico City? Did I miss something? Oh, and the fact you had the only DOT approval to do so.

Would you consider that a monopoly with your unbelievable 'premium' service? Maybe your Modelo's have skewed your already bizarre thinking.

Most people are in the ballpark when it comes to this stuff, you apparently aren't even in the same league. Thanks for making me laugh my ass off this morning though. I think I might need more coffee.

Hey man that was fun! I think you and bubba are nuttier than squirrel turds mostly, but I do enjoy the debates. Albeit extremely limited, I will have some enthusiasm for seeing the corndog outside the US. I appreciate my fellow countrymen doing well and I'm an airline fanatic deep down. (I do not want to hear you on the radio however...)

Here's an old link you will not enjoy, but check it out:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IhyEI24j0Gg

Sometimes there are things more important than share price, or "as long as it benefits me", or the kind of things said by SWA posters here. For a lot of folks in Mexico, Continental was their first airplane ride or first airline experience. And in some cases it was how relief was delivered. There's a good will element to international airline commerce that is important. SWA doesn't even do this for Houston!! In Hurricane emergencies you're the first airline to leave, and the last to return. Youre only about your own bottom line, in a uniquely unpleasant manner.