SWA internal news postponed until 10:00a.m.

[roughneck]

SWA internal news on Swalife has been postponed until 10a.m. tomorrow. Any ideas?

My bet is more details on WestJet codeshare. Hope they scrapped the idea.

 

[JumpJetter]

Marine Corps Birthday. Happens every year.

 

[Skybus]

Damn it! We are changing colors of the peanut bags again. I just started getting used to the orange ones.:nuts:

 

[Triman]

denver....

 

[Hoke]

New York LGA? Slot Auction?

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

I think they're going to make a big announcement about the Tinkerbell jet...the one "powered by pixie dust". I wonder if they're going to let straight flight attendants work on that jet?

 

[CF34-3B1]

We still have straight flight attendants?

 

[bravodude]

Southwest Airlines to Offer Mexico Service Via Agreement With Mexican Carrier Volaris; Service Scheduled for 2010
Southwest Airlines and Volaris Take First Step Toward Codeshare Partnership, Opening New Gateways Between the United States and Mexico

DALLAS, Nov. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines today announced its intention to build a codeshare partnership with Mexican carrier Volaris. The two airlines have completed the first step in creating a relationship that will eventually allow the carriers to offer Customers a seamless travel experience to a wide array of destinations. This initial agreement puts the two airlines on a path toward bringing more low fares and a better Customer experience across the U.S./Mexican border. The airlines plan to announce codeshare flight schedules and additional features regarding the partnership by early 2010. Certain details of the codeshare and elements of the partnership are subject to approvals by both the U.S. and Mexican governments. To view a blog post on the announcement, visit: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/viva-mexico.

 

[murano]

Fantastic, more codeshare! Great! Just want I wanted!!!

 

[Kharma Police]

Do you guys have any language in your contract that prevents this?

 

[klr1395]

Supposedly our union tells us it is part of the new TA that the company has agreed to abide by. I don't know what to think of these 'negotiations' anymore. SWAPA tells us all the right things but the proof will be born out with what comes out in the new contract/TA. I for one am very nervous, as of course this is flying we could be doing on almost the same timetable. I also would vote NO for any agreement that relaxes the requirement on the company to meet the specific growth goal that has been agreed to in order to codeshare. We are starting down that slippery slope that so many of you all out there are already familiar with. With that said, it is apparent that Gary wants to renegotiate the codeshare TA and this is a very scary thing. Not good news at all for any of us currently on the list or for those wanting to be here someday in the near future.

 

[gobyebye]

Volaris doesn't fly to the US and SWA doesn't fly to Mexico. Which of these two situations do you think will change. I'm guessing the former unfortunately.

 

[klr1395]

Be very afraid of this codeshare that WE could be flying

According to the post on SWA Life, Volaris will be flying to the US in 2009... I think that answers your question... Like Westjet, we are going to roll over and facilitate their growth while we stagnate if SWAPA and our membership doesn't watch this closely and drink too much company koolaid! Good Luck to us all!

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Pax will be flown to border cities then loaded into box vans formerly used to smuggle illegal Mexicans across the border. Since the recent economic slowdown, demand for coyote services are generally down, a spokesman for the Coyote Services Assn. said their members are excited, seat pitch will be the same as SWA 737s, but the pax will be sitting under sacks of onions and weed. Snacks will be provided by Bimbo, using Little Debbie recipes. The first city pair will be SAN-TIJ starting Dec 1.
PBR

 

[Tanker Clown]

Maybe some day you guys will be able to handle the international ops. There's probably some FO's that came from Mesa or Express that could show you guys how to do it.

 

[Heavy Set]

Volaris? I think I saw some of their A319s down in Toluca a few weeks ago when I took the owner there for business. It isn't the main airport in Mexico City, rather one on the outskirts of town. That does sound a lot like Southwest's business plan, though. Another airline was down there too called Interjet, also with Airbi. I don't think Volaris is a big airline in Mexico, but it probably is growing. Westjet is number two in Canada, though. Good luck with that.

 

[Whataburger]

According to the post on SWA Life, Volaris will be flying to the US in 2009... I think that answers your question... Like Westjet, we are going to roll over and facilitate their growth while we stagnate if SWAPA and our membership doesn't watch this closely and drink too much company koolaid! Good Luck to us all!

So you know how to run an airline better than Gary and the board? Maby you could put your app in. Did your research all our options or are you regergitating something you heard in the crewroom? Are you thinking for yourself or looking for the popular movement to join?

 

[Charlie Brown]

So you know how to run an airline better than Gary and the board? Maby you could put your app in. Did your research all our options or are you regergitating something you heard in the crewroom? Are you thinking for yourself or looking for the popular movement to join?

Hey bro, we are on the same team but klr has a very good point. Do we sit back and watch our jobs be outsourced because we trust GK to do the right thing? I got news for you but I think GK could shiv a git about us pilots. Hope I am wrong but this is the tip of the iceberg. Don't hold your breath that SWAPA pilots will be doing this flying anytime soon (if ever).

What company's RJ will be the first one painted in Canyon Blue and Red-bellied warrior red? Don't think it will happen? Curious why GK wants to renegotiate scope? The writing is on the wall. Whataburger not picking on you just making a point

 

[Whataburger]

Hey bro, we are on the same team but klr has a very good point. Do we sit back and watch our jobs be outsourced because we trust GK to do the right thing? I got news for you but I think GK could shiv a git about us pilots. Hope I am wrong but this is the tip of the iceberg. Don't hold your breath that SWAPA pilots will be doing this flying anytime soon (if ever).

What company's RJ will be the first one painted in Canyon Blue and Red-bellied warrior red? Don't think it will happen? Curious why GK wants to renegotiate scope? The writing is on the wall. Whataburger not picking on you just making a point

I totally understand your viewpoints and concerns. However, here lies our fundamental difference. I don't believe that the flying to Oh-Canada or Me-he-co is OURS. We don't own that flying, it's not ours. I honestly think that we need to find the smartest way to dip our toe in the international pool with out getting our foot bit off. We need to move SWA passengers to as many cities as possible so we can get our loads above 70%. ATA was supposedly a cash cow for us. We never had to even hire one person in Hawaii. I did not see that flying as ours.

Look here, we are flying the 737-7 like it was a 200. Do we really wanna go bursting through the door of the intl market or let someone do the dirty work for us?

I know my viewpoint is different than a lot of folks, but how do we know if Gary is right or wrong? Only hindsight will tell me if I'm a fool or not.

 

[GuppyWN]

So you know how to run an airline better than Gary and the board? Maby you could put your app in. Did your research all our options or are you regergitating something you heard in the crewroom? Are you thinking for yourself or looking for the popular movement to join?

Dude. Your future is being outsourced. What part of that are not understanding?

Gup

 

[Whataburger]

Dude. Your future is being outsourced. What part of that are not understanding?

Gup

I fully understand what is going on. We have different beliefs on how to skin the same cat. You should be able to handle someone having a diffent opinion than you. In ten years, lets revisit this thread. Deal?

 

[GuppyWN]

No problem bro. Hope you're right but I'm still voting no and I've already called the union. I suggest you do the same. You might be surprised.

Gup

 

[Whataburger]

No problem bro. Hope you're right but I'm still voting no and I've already called the union. I suggest you do the same. You might be surprised.

Gup

Please PM me about what I'll be suprised about.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Look here, we are flying the 737-7 like it was a 200. Do we really wanna go bursting through the door of the intl market or let someone do the dirty work for us?

I may be wrong, but I think folks have been flying between the US and Mexico for quite some time now. There are airlines, I'm told, that do it more than once a day. There's even a guy down the street who is from Mexico. Maybe there are more like him out there that might like to travel there occasionally.

Good grief!!

 

[Mach92]

I totally understand your viewpoints and concerns. However, here lies our fundamental difference. I don't believe that the flying to Oh-Canada or Me-he-co is OURS. We don't own that flying, it's not ours. I honestly think that we need to find the smartest way to dip our toe in the international pool with out getting our foot bit off. We need to move SWA passengers to as many cities as possible so we can get our loads above 70%. ATA was supposedly a cash cow for us. We never had to even hire one person in Hawaii. I did not see that flying as ours.

Look here, we are flying the 737-7 like it was a 200. Do we really wanna go bursting through the door of the intl market or let someone do the dirty work for us?

I know my viewpoint is different than a lot of folks, but how do we know if Gary is right or wrong? Only hindsight will tell me if I'm a fool or not.

Are you in Management?

 

[klr1395]

SWA pilots beware of your futures

So you know how to run an airline better than Gary and the board? Maby you could put your app in. Did your research all our options or are you regergitating something you heard in the crewroom? Are you thinking for yourself or looking for the popular movement to join?

Whataburger- certainly did not mean to offend... I am thinking for myself. It does not take much to see the effects of this based upon the history of other carriers and the emergence of the RJ feeders. If that is not good enough for you, read Hard Landing. Do I think we could go to Mex or Can tomorrow? No, but could we do so in the next couple years? You bet! What kind of aircraft does Westjet fly again? For the record, I do NOT believe that I can run an airline better than GK, but doesn't he always ask for feedback and interaction with the employees, and take suggestions? He himself would tell you he is not perfect... I think you kid yourself if you think he has our interests first-at-hand! Herb is NOT running things anymore, and while GK is very smart, he is a different sort of person with a different mentality. Wouldn't it be a novel concept if we were the first pilot group in a long time to put a stop to this slippery slide of job outsourcing? We could, but it will take us all doing it TOGETHER, STAYING UNTIED, and voting no IF there are trouble spots in this TA or GK wants to renegotiate the scope/codeshare TA...

I think that you are an FO if I am not mistaken (please correct me if I am wrong), if you think this does not effect our progression then think again. If we are not careful, through the codeshare and southwest.com we are going to facilitate Westjet's 15% predicted growth rate, while ours is what again?!? Are you willing to delay your upgrade so that the Canucks can upgrade in 4 years? WN got it right, this is outsourcing of our jobs and it does not take chatter around the crew room to come up with that on your own. Volaris is just the second example of this, and it needs to either stop or we need to hold the company to growing at 5% average annually which it will not if you include the projected #'s for 2009. I live 10 mins from my base so I do not spend much time in the crew room anyway. Btw, do you bother to think for yourself or are you regergitating the employee news section of SWA Life or LUVLines between sips of koolaid? Company loyalty is good, but BLIND loyalty is very dangerous. Respectfully, klr

 

[klr1395]

Look here, we are flying the 737-7 like it was a 200. Do we really wanna go bursting through the door of the intl market or let someone do the dirty work for us?"

Heard of RNP? We are not going to be flying our 7's like the -200's forever.. By dirty work, do you mean let them grow at 15% while we stand still? The international market is not that tough when you consider what this company has tackled in its past...

 

[klr1395]

The difference with the ATA flying to Hawaii, is that they were doing it with aircraft bigger and more suited to the route than we have, and with an ETOPS certification, which of course, we don't have. Westjet and Volaris are either operating these routes with the exact same airplane, or something very comparable. most of this flying that we are codesharing for does not require ETOPS. Whataburger, I'd be right there with ya if they were talking about codesharing to Europe or Asia where there was no hope of operating a 737-700 profitably, but our aircraft would be well suited to Canada, Mexico and the carribbean... Again, cheers to all, and for my SWAPA brothers and sisters, stay UNITED!

 

[Tanker Clown]

Whataburger will sign any offer given him. He represents the majority of SWA pilots. Like sheep to a slaughter. 5 year pay freeze and all the new growth is by other airlines.

 

[Propblast]

Whataburger,

You are WAY off on this one dude. I agree that we should not be going to every city in Canada or Mexico but we can and should serve the cities that would be high density connecting cities. Anything that requires ETOPS (i.e. Hawaii) is not our market but there is plenty that SWA seems to be attempting to give away. I hope that SWAPA is ready to fight on this one.

-PB