SWA buys ATA II

[roughneck]

Tread title should read, "SWA/ATA revisited II." I hit the wrong button.

www.planebuzz.com,

Southwest Airlines Starts To Make Move on ATA

[script removed] I don't know how else to look at the news this afternoon that Global Aero Logistics CEO Subodh Karnik has resigned.
Global Aero is the parent company of ATA, World Airways and North American Airlines. The new CEO of Global should be a familiar name. He's the ex-CFO of both Southwest Airlines and ATA -- John Denison. And, as we all know, John is very close to current Southwest CEO Gary Kelly.

People tell us this afternoon that we could hear about what Southwest is going to do with ATA's international certificate in as little as 48 hours.
Ticker: (NYSE:LUV)

 

[ATADave]

Why have you edited-out the fact that this comes from Holly Hegeman?

Is it true her brother flies for you guys?

 

[roughneck]

I didn't edit anything out. I just pasted this from the SWAPA forum.

I don't know if she even has a brother.

 

[ATADave]

gotcha

 

[roughneck]

actually, it looks more like we "got-you."

 

[atafan]

I'm still self banning myself. :crying:

 

[In The Wind]

I hope that is true, is would be great for all.

 

[johnsonrod]

Here's a random question with ATA implications. Why is it that SWA has never pursued the Hawaiian market? Is it because of the longer flight times (those longer flights reduce aircraft utilization per day)? But SWA already flies between BWI and LAX with 5-6 hour flights. Aloha operates the 700s from Cali to Hawaii. SWA could gradually get ETOPS if Aloha or Alaska or ATA was able to get it for their 737s - right? Hawaii is a leisure market and SWA is the king of leisure flying...

I am surprised that SWA hasn't already entered the Hawaii-West Coast market and would love to hear theories...

 

[Pickle]

Gotta use LNAV and VNAV and autothrottles for the Hawaii routes.

SWA doesn't use all that stuff. Or yet they don't anyway, or didn't, or won't, or do now. I dunno.

 

[Dan Roman]

Here's a random question with ATA implications. Why is it that SWA has never pursued the Hawaiian market? Is it because of the longer flight times (those longer flights reduce aircraft utilization per day)? But SWA already flies between BWI and LAX with 5-6 hour flights. Aloha operates the 700s from Cali to Hawaii. SWA could gradually get ETOPS if Aloha or Alaska or ATA was able to get it for their 737s - right? Hawaii is a leisure market and SWA is the king of leisure flying...

I am surprised that SWA hasn't already entered the Hawaii-West Coast market and would love to hear theories...

Flying a 737 to Hawaii is not the most cost efficiant use of a an aircraft that size. The seat mile costs are much higher than a 767 or 757. Also the airplane is not being very productive. It makes one round trip and has little time left over for any more productivity from the airplane. I think one of the reasons SWA is so succesful is because they get very good productivity out of their aircraft. Also, I'm guessing an airline the size of SWA would have a a lot of frequent flyers in their program. Hawaii is the number one choice of frequent flyers and if you start hauling frequent flyers on a 737 you have little left over for revenue pax.
That's my theory anyway!