SWA's Future for Inflight Entertainment

[chase]

Recently Boeing flew a fully loaded -700 w/winglets down to DAL for a test drive. It was fully loaded with all the bells & whistles for inflight video entertainment at each seat. The GO execs flew around in it & tested the system out. Rave reviews & lots of questions. The buzz was positive but as always the issue of costs is the central factor. Boeing & SWA will probably talk more about improvements/changes & costs. When/where/how much is anyone's guess. SWA, as stated in numerous news releases, is looking at inflight entertainment & this was a good step forward at finding the right fit for SWA.

I have heard that the net increase of aircraft next year will be reaised from 26 to the mid to upper 30s, even after the retirement of the 200s. This matches with what others have posted on here, just confirmed from other sources also.

SWA wants to know what its future costs are going to be. If the flight attendent contract can be settled soon, the good news will roll out faster. If not, the news will be delayed until later in the year I assume. The standard caveat is this is a fast moving ball game & nothing is for sure. Hopefully the good news will pan out for the poolies & other wannabees.

 

[AJWick]

chase,

nice to hear from you again. Thanks for the update.

The inflight entertainment would sure be a nice addition to our wonderful product.

aj

 

[cgmason1]

Chase thanks for the news.
I am hoping 2004 is a banner year for SWA.
I'll look you up when I go to recurrent next year for the 73.

Fly Safe
Chuck

 

[thebluto]

FA Contract

Chase:
Speaking of the FA contract: Looks like they held their "Summer of Tough LUV" protests in Texas and California, with the latest one in Burbank on the 20th. Any news on how this is going? Any insight from anybody on when this will all be hashed out? Sounds like things can really start moving once this is settled.

 

[Snoopy58]

Chase,

Did you notice any difference in performance, handling, etc from the winglets?

And, was the jet painted in SWA colors?

Thanks for the update!

 

[CoopDog]

Please, more details.....

Chase,

Can you elaborate more on the new (additional) aircraft deliveries? Somehow I missed this the first time around when reading about the TV's.

Thanks,
Coop

 

[thebluto]

Looks like chase is back in town

I just wanted to resurrect this thread since it looks like chase is back. Any answers for the FA and delivery questions?

 

[G4G5]

My mistake. Thanks.

 

[thebluto]

WRONG THREAD

AF757Pilot: I don't see the post from G4G5 above yours. I was hoping to get more info on the FA situation from chase.

 

[AF757Pilot]

Re: WRONG THREAD

AF757Pilot: I don't see the post from G4G5 above yours. I was hoping to get more info on the FA situation from chase.

G4G5 had inadvertantly posted a link to a SouthEastern Airlines article about inflight videos. We have both removed our posts. In other words, disregard all.

 

[chase]

FA Issue

My perspective is that talks, while difficult are progressing slowly on the pay issue. All other areas appear to be resolved but the pay is the big issue. The union doesn't appear to be interested in what has appealed to other work groups, options. We have the best FAs in the business & I'm proud to work with each of them. They do work very hard & need to be compensated fairly.

Saying this it is also a different type of work group than mechanics or the pilots. Not better or worse, just different. Immediate pay is a huge issue for most of these folks and long range returns on options or other financial instruments don't pay the immediate bills that many of these folks have. Their income level is obviously much lower than the two previously mentioned groups and with the other two groups receiving pay increases & other forms of compensation their patience is wearing thin I believe. I haven't seen any consequences to this but as the calendar marches to the holiday seaon, this is obvously a concerned to SWA.

This concern is one of the reasons why SWA has announced new FA classes starting this fall. Someone alot smarter than me has determined we need more FAs. I know the amount of open time for FAs to pick up has gone from near zero late spring to suddenly this summer all reserves are being used & folks putting money back on trips for people to pick up. Does this show we're short of FAs or that FAs are now just not flying more to protest the lower pay? I don't know if we have alot of attrition but I would doubt it with the current economic climate. We have hired nearly 200 pilots since the last FA class started but haven't had a single FA class. Obvously I'm no expert on the issue, just observations. But with new (hungry) recently graduated FAs (Nov '03) coming out just prior to the holidays, SWA will have a safety valve in case there is a similar slow down as was demonstrated 5 years ago over the holidays when the FAs slowed the system down significantly.

I'm sure the FA negotiating team was hoping to use this previous lesson as a reminder to the company on what could happen. Whether the new hire announcement is preemptive on the part of the company is anyone's guess.

I simply hope both parties can find a suitable resolution in time to keep the planes going. It is a business when it comes to negotiations, don't let anyone say it isn't. I hope I have removed the emotion from my post because these issues are best discussed without it, otherwise it can get ugly. It it appears that I'm not taking sides, you are correct.

Again my opinion is mine & mine alone, I'm no labor expert so please don't try to attach more significance to it than the rambling post that it appears to be. I won't SWA & its employees to prosper & we can both do that if our customers are flown from point A to B safely, efficiently & with great customer service. Cheers & God Bless

 

[chase]

Update on SWA Facilities

Good Afternoon. This is the Newsline for Tuesday, September 2, 2003.

Major Projects Update:

All Cities: The installation of boarding pass reader millwork at each gate is continuing. Testing of the readers will begin in MAF by mid-September with system rollout in early 2004. Modifications of gate striping for winglets has been completed at 17 stations with 17 more underway. This work is scheduled to be completed by early October. The installation of equipment for the mail tracking project is on schedule for its late September deadline.

BWI: The taxiway project will now be completed in November, at which time we will have all 23 gates open. That total will decrease to 21 gates from January 2004 to May 2005 while the Pier A/B project is under construction. Our expanded T-point will be ready in October.

BUR: The airport is expanding our concourse and the concessions area, which will give our Customers more circulation space. All of the work will be completed in early September.

CRP: The terminal renovation project continues with our move to the new ATO space expected in late November. We have been in the new gates since late 2002.

MDW: Our gate count will increase by one to 17 gates on December 1st. The Inflight Base will be completed in early October, at which time a larger lounge, breakroom and lower level restrooms will be available.

OAK: Our new cargo facility offices' renovation project is waiting for permit issues to be resolved before construction can begin.

RDU: We are working with TSA on the baggage screening for our new T-Point. The construction to expand this area by 50% and re-route the bag make-up process has been completed and is in operation.

SAN: The relocation of the skycap positions should be done by Sept 19. This will save us $100,000 per year in bag schlepping costs at curbside

 

[chase]

CoopDog

As for the extra aircraft (over the net of 26 that have been announced), I've heard unconfirmed rumors that Boeing has extra aircraft turned back from other carriers who have declined to take delivery. There was an announcement several weeks ago from Boeing alluding to this but announcing new deliveries for next year but with no announced carrier associated with them. Whether this is the evidence or other unannounced info, additional aircraft would be the only explanation for an increase in pilots from 350 to 450 pilots. While there is thought also that retirements (early) will be greater than currently projected (based upon a higher stock price for option purposes), the increase couldn't be attributed to that solely. I have heard from various sources about extra aircraft but the announcement hasn't been made public yet. There is a lot brewing & I would expect some announcements sometime this fall. New cities are usually announced 6 months in advance so I would expect something in Oct or Nov but as always SWA keeps its cards close to the vest. Hope that helps coopdog

 

[CoopDog]

Thanks Chase. It looks like '04 is going to be a bigger year than we originally thought.

Just out of curiosity, would you say that the '04 projections for new-hires and deliveries will be an all-time SWA record?

Coop

 

[chase]

Coop,

I believe the year I was hired '99 the number was almost 600.

roy