SWA Side Letter.

[fam62c]

There's no reason to start arguing about something that hasn't happened yet and may not happen. The fact that they deferred -800's seems to me to make it very likely that they do not have a way out of the 717 leases. I have to think that if there was a deal out there it would have already been done.

I was sure wrong on that call. This will be a morale killer at AT, those guys can't take much more LUV.

 

[waveflyer]

I'm sure you know that I'll have opinions on what this is- and how air tran pilots and representatives react. But I do want to say openly how much I do respect the job that Air Tran pilots have done through the turmoil. I echo MVdV's statement that the professionalism of every 717 pilot I've met is admirable and all appear to be great guys-
Can't wait to provide you some stability and certainty

 

[Lear70]

Well, they're not quite gone by 2015, but this will become one slippery slope. Is there a possibility of the fragmentation policy kicking in and protecting some of the CA positions? By PCL 128's vague overview in another thread, there might be a possibility.

PCL was vague because statements have a way of coming back to bite you in litigation... I have to be vague for the same reason, even though I'm not on the NC anymore (transferred to Contract Compliance).

I don't mind stating facts that happened during negotiations, and as I've said before, the word "Sublease" might be problematic, but we'll see what the attorneys say, since I'm not attorney and didn't even stay at a HI Express last night.

The SWAPA and SWA announcements state that there will be jobs for those pilots at SWA without the possibility of furlough, but doesn't address the possibility that some pilots may be able to transfer to DAL. I doubt it will be brought up by DAL or DALPA till the TA is agreed upon (or ever), so what is the position of AirTran ALPA?

Well, from our MEC Chair's communique' of yesterday, it appears that the position of ALPA is that this changes the basis of the entire SIA. From the communique' from SWA management today, they don't see it the same way, stating that they believe this was "thoroughly discussed" during the SIA negotiations.

As I've said before, I don't disagree that it was discussed, but I disagree that anything was mentioned about the 717's going away. Quite the contrary, everything they focused on was the 717 CA seats and base options (TPA). It was one of the key selling points of the SIA, which SWA management officials attended and answered questions about.

We will see what happens... If a DAL employment option presented itself, it would probably go senior, depending on the terms and conditions. However, anything except starting over at the bottom of the DAL seniority list would have to be negotiated and voted on by both pilot groups, so that lessens the likelihood that it will be an option.

If you look at flat growth numbers (no more Classics retiring plus the existing -700/-800 delivery schedule) through 2013 and 2014 and the return of the deferred aircraft deliveries in 2015, there's positions for everyone without furloughs or anyone going to DAL, although the flying would get diluted a bit here and there during the transition.

As such, and without a magic 8-ball, I'd say the odds are that no pilots go to DAL, nothing gets done to alter the SIA, including pay or CA seats. Not my preference, of course, but not being involved in negotiations anymore nor privy to front-room conversations since the changeover in ALPA leadership, that's my educated guess.

 

[Lear70]

And I'm not going to comment on AAI morale, because it's a divisive conversation.

I recognize that this isn't some kind of "home run" for SWA pilots, either, seeing as growth will be flat for several years to come, stagnated upgrades, etc. It obviously hurts our 717 Captains who can't hold CA per their seniority, but to quibble about who got hurt "more" (which is where this kind of conversation would go) doesn't really help us come together.

I will say that it certainly doesn't help things any, and a previous posters' response of "resetting the healing time" back to zero is spot-on. I'm kind of surprised our internal board hasn't been shut down yet. Would be interesting to sit in Ops today in ATL...

 

[scoreboardII]

I'll just add from this side of the fence we are as shocked as you with how poorly this is being executed. Buying jets your giving away at fire sale pricing to a competitor? Let alone the breach of trust on both sides of the isle. This is not the SWA we were hired at to be a part of a family, we have become a means to an ROI statement.

 

[PCL_128]

scoreboard, thank you for that. It's nice to hear someone on the other side of the "partition" recognize it.

 

[scoreboardII]

The only glimmer of hope from this fiasco is every airline pilot group now knows NEVER to trust SWA. Including SWAPA.

 

[Dan Roman]

Unfortunately, we all live in glass houses.

 

[Dan Roman]

I'm sure you know that I'll have opinions on what this is- and how air tran pilots and representatives react. But I do want to say openly how much I do respect the job that Air Tran pilots have done through the turmoil. I echo MVdV's statement that the professionalism of every 717 pilot I've met is admirable and all appear to be great guys-
Can't wait to provide you some stability and certainty

The only way you can truly show respect is if you treat them as equals in a merger. Any posturing to gain seniority in a SLI pretty much wipes out any semblance of treating each other with respect.
Unfortunately, "Gary" didn't really treat the AirTran guys with a whole lot of respect. They didn't get to keep what they brought to the table.
"Warrior spirit" I guess.

 

[ASADFW7]

Dan, treating people with respect and negotiating value in public are connected, however they do not translate into being the same thing for both sides. The personal attachments to ones value in a marketplace to respect can end up in a position of disappointment. Just look at the SWA guys, in many people eyes they are doing well, however internally there are hundreds of guys who are pissed off. How is that? How have they been disrespected they are still SWA pilots? When you introduce a second pilot group into that, you have another group with the percentage of pissed off pilots. What do you believe, they voice of a pissed off pilot or the absense of statements from those who are satisfied and happy that do not exist in the same numbers publicy? It is hard to gauge from the interaction with those who speak the loudest, they are not always the fair representation of the result or process.