SWA to buy Alaska

[AKMD80GUY]

This airline is operating at such a high rate right now because everyone was sooooo worried about May 1 and what we would do. Fact is we (pilots) haven't done anything. They TDY mechanics around the system, they have CSA supervisors watching every move and May I think was a flex up month (I was in training) to have more reserves available. Management was geared up for something that hasn't happend and that has ALPA's message was very clear about work actions so for us it's status quo. I think once we get into summer it's going to go down hill fast.

You also have to look at the VP shakedown. There is no way Bill in his infinite wisdom came to the conclusion to to fire Finan and Forrest and move everyone else around. He is getting his stones twisted from the BOD. After another summer of below average performance, he is gone too.

As for the topic of this thread, I don't think SWA buys us. They don't have to. SWA has the resources, cash, planes, etc... to go into any market they desire. They can set the price at a level that Alaska can't match for the long term. Despite the term "brand loyalty" which we don't have anymore because we haved P/O'd so many people, we will lose customers to SWA and I'll bet we already have. Alaska has great money people, but lousy operational people and that will kill us.

 

[fly-n-fish]

I thought I read on this board awhile back that "Southwest buys assets not airlines." Alaska is light years away from needing to jettison assets, so why would SWA want to buy the airline outright? On the positive side, an Alaska FO would probably upgrade quicker this way...