SWA GK talks about the industry

[PanPan]

ATL would not be so easy

If SWA wants in to ATL all they have to do is cut a check. There is a nice piece of dirt between 9R and 10, just waiting for a terminal to be built.

 

[bravodude]

Well Lumberg, there ya go. A perfect example of the crap that we got from the SWA guys last time this was discussed. See why I want nothing to do with these people?

Stop crying. Oh my god. As if you would act any differently if you were the group that was doing the buying. I am sure the midex pilots were happy with you guys buying them. I have a verry good friend at midex that told me those guys wanted nothing to do with your pilot group. If you can sit here and tell me that if you would be a pilot for swa you wouldn't want the same thing then you are liar! But that doesn't matter, I hope you get what you wish for, we wont buy you and you will deal with joe and the gang at air tran. Let me know how it turns out.

 

[PCL_128]

As if you would act any differently if you were the group that was doing the buying.

Actually, we did act differently. Take a look at the old threads dealing with that merger. The vast majority of the AAI pilots were talking about a ratio'd or DOH integration. I never flew with a single person who talked about a "staple" or "reinterview." That crap is a bunch of nonsense.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Actually, we did act differently. Take a look at the old threads dealing with that merger. The vast majority of the AAI pilots were talking about a ratio'd or DOH integration. I never flew with a single person who talked about a "staple" or "reinterview." That crap is a bunch of nonsense.

Kinda a half truth there PCL...

I remember a few of your brethren spewing that Midwest will be doomed without a merger and they would be lucky to get such a deal.....5 to 1 was the deal I remember hearing, i gotta search......

 

[PCL_128]

I don't remember 5 to 1 mentioned, but it's possible. If it was, it certainly wasn't mentioned by many of us. I favored DOH, as I do with all mainline/mainline mergers, and that would have been a loss of seniority for me personally. The words "staple" and "reinterview" should never even be mentioned in a merger between two mainline carriers.

 

[jke406]

I don't remember 5 to 1 mentioned, but it's possible. If it was, it certainly wasn't mentioned by many of us. I favored DOH, as I do with all mainline/mainline mergers, and that would have been a loss of seniority for me personally. The words "staple" and "reinterview" should never even be mentioned in a merger between two mainline carriers.

I would imagine most folks on the receiving end of an aquistion would favor DOH.

PCL, I respect your posts...but: you can wish in one hand and sh!t in the other. Tell me which hand fills up first.

 

[Eagle757shark]

I think the crews at AT would be a great asset to SWA, I know lots of AT guys and spent a lot of years in Da A-T-L working along side them, I don't think ANY SWA guy thinks the AT guys aren't worthy of a SWA job. If there WERE a SWA-AT deal (which I think is a long shot) the relative integration of the AT guys would have nothing to do with their "quality" it's just the way this business works. Unfair, but reality. Just ask the TWA guys.

You are mixing apples and oranges when you compare the possible merger between AirTran and Southwest and what happened with American and TWA. Folks lets get one thing straight, AirTran is a successful and profitable carrier! AirTran is not in ch.11 like TWA. When it came to it, TWA entered into a deal with American airlines for its survival. TWA was in Ch.11 so career expectations were bleak considering a carrier that was possibly going out of business. AirTran is not a failing carrier. If AirTran and Southwest put together some type of deal, perhaps it could be with third party financing or it could end up being a true merger. So before you guys get on your soap box about how nice AirTran guys are and rather AirTran guys are worthy to be in Southwest colors, step back and take a DEEP breathe. This is not TWA and American, period! Do some homework aviators, there are more airline mergers outside TWA and American where there was integration among two employee groups. To name a few (Western and Delta, US Air, Piedmont, and PSA, Pan Am and National, and Amercian and Reno)! AirTran is profitable and would be bringing 60 firm 737-700 aircraft to the table. So all you me, me, me, me, selfish guys, put your staple guns back in the closet, AirTran employees deserve and will stand equal to any Southwest employee if there is any merger transaction going forward!

 

[momalley81]

You are mixing apples and oranges when you compare the possible merger between AirTran and Southwest and what happened with American and TWA. Folks lets get one thing straight, AirTran is a successful and profitable carrier! AirTran is not in ch.11 like TWA. When it came to it, TWA entered into a deal with American airlines for its survival. TWA was in Ch.11 so career expectations were bleak considering a carrier that was possibly going out of business. AirTran is not a failing carrier. If AirTran and Southwest put together some type of deal, perhaps it could be with third party financing or it could end up being a true merger. So before you guys get on your soap box about how nice AirTran guys are and rather AirTran guys are worthy to be in Southwest colors, step back and take a DEEP breathe. This is not TWA and American, period! Do some homework aviators, there are more airline mergers outside TWA and American where there was integration among two employee groups. To name a few (Western and Delta, US Air, Piedmont, and PSA, Pan Am and National, and Amercian and Reno)! AirTran is profitable and would be bringing 60 firm 737-700 aircraft to the table. So all you me, me, me, me, selfish guys, put your staple guns back in the closet, AirTran employees deserve and will stand equal to any Southwest employee if there is any merger transaction going forward!

Which was a staple job.

 

[Daddy]

OK, so Airtran has 1650 folks on the list now...how many of those were hired in the last push...i.e. since 9/11? You guys started hiring in late 2004 I think, so I'm guessing maybe 800 since then?

 

[Eagle757shark]

OK, so Airtran has 1650 folks on the list now...how many of those were hired in the last push...i.e. since 9/11? You guys started hiring in late 2004 I think, so I'm guessing maybe 800 since then?

I can't believe you guys! Who cares. Prior to 2002 no one was interested in going to work for AirTran, Southwest, or Jetblue. Everyone was trying to get on with American, Delta, United, US Airways, Continental, and Northwest. So what is your point? Gk talks about consolidation and the arrogance of some of you are already on here talking about what you are entitled to. None of us knows what will happen in 2008. Business decisions in the board rooms will not be determined based on pilots. If these two good airlines have an opportunity to merge, then it will pretty much dominate the domestic markets. But the future is a global economy, the euro, and open skies. The airlines that are thinking globally will see a bright future. Those that are just focusing on domestic will eventually struggle in this global economy. The most interesting move this year by a low cost carrier was Jetblue linking up with Luftansa. It may be small now, but what about future possibilities? Keep in mind the EURO vs the Dollar. That will dictate all of our futures.