SWA Business plan Tanking..Did I miss something?

[On Your Six]

I have responded with plenty of logic, you just choose to disregard it. I also posted my guesses to how you would respond before you posted your long winded diatribe.

Furthermore, you lost all credibility claiming you make more than a senior SWA Captain flying a Global. Until you post W2's no one here is going to believe you.

Yeah, I'll post my W2 here for you. If you want to prove that you are indeed logical, then answer two simple questions for the rest of us:

1. Is SWA's position and growth prospects threatened by the growth of other LCCs like Jet Blue, Air Tran, Spirit, Skybus, VA and the regional operations of the legacies (E170/CR9 operators)?

2. How is the cattle car boarding process preferrable to the normal, reserved seating process in your mind (not what SAN people think)?

Just answer those two questions in a logical, non-emotional manner and I will be happy - and we can end this debate for good. One word or one sentence answers don't work - some thought and examples would be appreciated.

 

[On Your Six]

If you knew what you were talking about you would understand that deadheading crewmembers and jumpseaters pre-board before revenue.

Wrong again!!

You are correct, I guess I was thinking about last-minute boardings - just catching the flight before it leaves (jumpseats occupied). I was thinking about commuters but typed something else. How would that work for you?

 

[SWA GUY]

Onyoursix

You are like an attack dog!

Down boy, down.

 

[PreContact]

Valid Points

On Your Six...You've raised some valid points on the future of SWA's business model. I'd like to see some crdible responses, but they're too busy attacking you personally. I like assigned seating as well, and IFE on a 5-hr transcon is getting to be the norm. But Southwest has weathered many storms, so it should be interesting to watch. Perhaps they'll merge or acquire a competitor, but the road ahead with the new LCCs will be different, and ultimately, more challenging for them.

I like LUV, and the 737 is a pretty cool ride...to each his own I guess!

 

[On Your Six]

I dont know nor do I care. SWA has collected the data and the results were reported to its employees. The data does not reflect what you as an individual feel. Sorry, but a lot of other passengers feel differently than you do.



No, you argument is not correct and SWA has the data to prove it.



I don't know nor do I care. Maybe it is because it is a high price city with more affluent Pax?



Again, I dont know nor do I care.



Again, I don't have the data. I dont know and I dont care. SWA management is a lot smarter than me, and I can guarantee you that they are better and smarter than you are.

If you think you can do a better job at this why dont you go to www.southwest.com and apply for an exec position?



People care where they sit. However, many would rather get to the airport early to get the seat they want vs paying for it.

It's not a very hard concept to grasp. Really, it's not all that hard to understand. I promise.

Any interesting read from Skybus pax (an excerpt from another post on the Majors board that is related) - you will note the similarities with your operation and the direct comparisons about boarding, etc.:

Skybus passenger reviews flight...
SkyBus from RIC to CMH - Worth the $10 and not a penny more.
My wife and I recently flew from Richmond, VA to Columbus for business. While we were optimistic that the experience would be pleasurable, we quickly realized that we got what we paid for.
We checked in on-line 23 hours and 5 minutes prior to our departure - and were placed in boarding group 3. For those of you who have flown Southwest Airlines, Skybus' groups 1-3 are identical to that of SW's A, B, and C groups. I'm assuming that boarding groups were assigned on a first come, first served basis - which means that the other 156 passengers must have been even more eager than I to check in on-line well in advance. I paid for our two bags during the on-line check in experience and printed the boarding passes...everything seemed to be, well, normal.
We arrived at RIC some 90+ minutes prior to departure and proceeded to the SkyBus counter, decorated with orange and yellow balloons. There were two lines - one for passengers who had already printed boarding passes, and one for those who had not yet done so. We stood in line with others who had already checked in and immediately felt that sinking feeling in our stomachs. After ten minutes, our line had not moved an inch. Four counter agents, dressed in their t-shirts, appeared to be receiving the epitome of 'on the job training.' Blank stares, numerous "hrmmmmm's", and lots of questions, but enough about the desk clerks! After standing in our spot in line for 15 minutes (we were numbers 9 and 10 in our line), we began to wonder if it would have been quicker to check in at the airport - to our dismay, the answer was a resounding 'yes.' In the 28 minutes it us to move from spots 9 and 10 to the actual counter, THIRTEEN customers had walked to the kiosks, checked in on the touch-screen, paid for their luggage (which can ONLY be paid AT THE KIOSK!!! Counter staff was directing customers who had yet to pay for baggage BACK to the kiosk to pay as "they could not accept payment individually) checked their luggage with a clerk, and proceeded to gate B-15. One of the counter clerks left her computer monitor, and approached the folks in our line. Expecting to hear something like, "Good morning!!! Welcome to SkyBus! Be patient with us, please, we have a, uh, computer glitch this morning," we became increasingly perturbed when she came to us with a handful of skybus luggage tags and asked, with a scornful tone, "Need one?"
After finally getting to the counter, the clerk (not the before-mentioned tag lady) made us feel even more unsure as she took our boarding passes and drivers licenses, matched them up incorrectly (my license with wife's pass, and vice versa), smiled, and said "Ok, you're all set." She kept my driver's license - which I had to ask for to get back.
We went to gate B-15 and noticed the roped-off isles for groups 1, 2, and 3. About 5 minutes before the incoming flight landed, the gate clerk (the tag lady from before, who was now stationed at the gate) announced that boarding would begin shortly. Just like with Southwest, hordes of people moved to the three lanes, some trying to nudge out others to get a better spot. 22 minutes after this announcement, the plane had landed, de-boarded, and was ready for new passengers. Not too bad, as you can easily stand in a similar line on Southwest for upwards of 35 minutes or more.

Doesn't sound very popular. Read the Skybus post for more...

 

[SWA/FO]

Aaaah, I knew I would get a response like this. I never applied to SWA - UAL was my first choice when I retired and I got it.

Aaaaah, I smell a kernal! :laugh:

 

[mokitty]

As a SWA pilot, I have my eyes wide open to the many obstacles that must be navigated by our management. We need to be aware of changes to the industry and challenges to SWA (VA, Skybus, leaner legacies, LBOs, codeshares) and make changes to our model as needed. I am confident management is evaluating changes that will keep us on the plus side of profitability. SWA has adapted for the past 36 years and will continue to tweak the model to strive for profitability. We will have RNP. We are evaluating IFE and other revenue streams. As pilots we must do our jobs, take care of our customers and fellow employees and educate ourselves on the many pressures on SWA and make sure we don't have the "it can't happen here mentality". We must also trust the smart folks at the GO are doing their jobs.

On your six, regarding the assigned seating. People luv it, people hate it, people avoid it, people put up with it. My uncle lives in PHX and prefers AWA ......errrr US Airways to SWA because of our seating policy. However, many of our pax LUV it. See attached BLOG from last year (during the SAN eval period) and read how many pax don't want changes to our cattle-call. http://www.blogsouthwest.com/2006/06/21/a-message-from-our-ceo-open-season-on-assigned-seating/


Now back to lurking.....

 

[momalley81]

Yeah, I'll post my W2 here for you. If you want to prove that you are indeed logical, then answer two simple questions for the rest of us:

1. Is SWA's position and growth prospects threatened by the growth of other LCCs like Jet Blue, Air Tran, Spirit, Skybus, VA and the regional operations of the legacies (E170/CR9 operators)?

I dont think I would say threatened, but I would say that many carriers are gunning for SWA. I am not all that concerned by the other LCC's coming after SWA since SWA's Costs are still lower (not by much) than the competition from what I have seen.

Plus, SWA has the best and brightest management in the industry. Hands down. If anyone can figure how to make money in this environment, they can.

SWA is willing to lose money on routes in the near term so that they can make more money in the long run. DEN is a good example. McAdoo was wrong with using DEN as an example of a money loser for SWA. Yield Management has stated that they couldn't be anymore pleased about how much cash they are making there. That in the face of a leaner lower cost UAL and Frontier.

2. How is the cattle car boarding process preferrable to the normal, reserved seating process in your mind (not what SAN people think)?

Just answer those two questions in a logical, non-emotional manner and I will be happy - and we can end this debate for good. One word or one sentence answers don't work - some thought and examples would be appreciated.

I don't know how to tell you this in any other way, but many people like the SWA boarding process. SWA is all about giving the customer what they want. SWA customers have overwhelmingly told SWA that they prefer the method that SWA uses now.

You and your friends not liking it doesn't mean that there are others out there than don't like it as well. Talk about not being logical, just because you dont like it, must mean that everyone else must not like it as well. That is not the case. SWA has done their homework and they know what their PAX's want. If you dont like it then by all means go fly someone else.

Now, post your W2. I would be really interested in the "Private Equity Investments" that are showered upon you while you fly between 5 Star resorts in your ultra-modern aircraft.

 

[On Your Six]

I dont think I would say threatened, but I would say that many carriers are gunning for SWA. I am not all that concerned by the other LCC's coming after SWA since SWA's Costs are still lower (not by much) than the competition from what I have seen.

Plus, SWA has the best and brightest management in the industry. Hands down. If anyone can figure how to make money in this environment, they can.

SWA is willing to lose money on routes in the near term so that they can make more money in the long run. DEN is a good example. McAdoo was wrong with using DEN as an example of a money loser for SWA. Yield Management has stated that they couldn't be anymore pleased about how much cash they are making there. That in the face of a leaner lower cost UAL and Frontier.



I don't know how to tell you this in any other way, but many people like the SWA boarding process. SWA is all about giving the customer what they want. SWA customers have overwhelmingly told SWA that they prefer the method that SWA uses now.

You and your friends not liking it doesn't mean that there are others out there than don't like it as well. Talk about not being logical, just because you dont like it, must mean that everyone else must not like it as well. That is not the case. SWA has done their homework and they know what their PAX's want. If you dont like it then by all means go fly someone else.

Now, post your W2. I would be really interested in the "Private Equity Investments" that are showered upon you while you fly between 5 Star resorts in your ultra-modern aircraft.

First, thank you for responding in a non-emotional, professional manner. That is better than one-word answers. While I still don't agree with everything you say, everyone is entitled to an opinion. MoKitty also responded in a professional manner and I agree that you can either love or hate how SWA operates - it depends on the individual. I still think some big changes and challenges are on the horizon for the LCCs but we will have to wait and see...

So, we will agree to disagree. I am sorry if we wasted a lot of time talking in circles today - I was hopeful to cut through the BS and just get different perspectives. As far as the W2 is concerned, I would post that next to my own nude pictures online. Nobody sane would do that. Suffice it to say that I have zero interest in ever leaving my job so long as the owner continues the operation. The employees of my firm get to invest what small amounts they can afford in the various private equity deals in which my owner participates. It doesn't amount to much but the return can be tremendous. The main receptionist has been here longer than I have and she drives a brand new Mercedes convertible (thought she would have left her job by now but she is still here because she gets to invest more every year and build her sizable nest egg). It is a nice, unique gig and I hope it continues for the foreseeable future. Fingers crossed.

 

[vixin]

On your six eats his own poo!