The future of Southwest Airlines

[GhettoBeechjet]

Here is what we know about WN today.

1. Costs are way up
2. Legacy Airtran employees largely disgruntled
3. Loss in PHL to USAirways
4. Merger not going as planned
5. Losing to DL in ATL
6. Financial performance well below any peers.
7. Losses in Pac NW to Alaska
8. Hawaii opportunitys gone to DL AK and Allegiant
9. Loss of other markets to JB, Allegiant, and Spirt

WN is at a tipping pint. For a long time WN and its employees have not truely felt the pains of the industry. Does managements grand plan come together or do the wheels come off the bus?

 

[scoreboardII]

I think everyone at WN should tipping a pint.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Charging for bags fixes it all....

Southwest won't lose money...period......time to move along.

(No Sniping Scoreboard......I'm on your side!)

 

[texman]

It makes me wonder why our last CFO retired, and have had several VP's leave the company. Trying to stay positive.

 

[Dude]

Southwest Airlines doesn't have a cost problem, they have a revenue and execution problem.

 

[A350]

The demise of SWA has been predicted for YEARS. They could lose money for YEARS with their balance sheet and those YEARS would be hell for the larger trunk carriers as they deal with their own increasing costs.

They may have some issues.....but they have a lot of options.

(ps....I don't work for SWA)

 

[johnsonrod]

Assigned seats - and start charging for preferred seat assignments like Air Trash currently does. Big cash!

 

[General Lee]

Charging for bags fixes it all....

Southwest won't lose money...period......time to move along.

(No Sniping Scoreboard......I'm on your side!)

They can't Bill, that fat SWA Captain on the "People's Court" commercial said "SWA would NEVER do that......" Was he lying?


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

That commercial was one of the few that didn't make me laugh.....totally stupid.

We should have a Senate inquiry ala Bangazi if he DID lie =).

Not trying to be the guy who stalks SWA threads, Ill save that for GL...

 

[scoreboardII]

Charging for bags fixes it all....

Southwest won't lose money...period......time to move along.

(No Sniping Scoreboard......I'm on your side!)

wtfo, I agree with you...

 

[Ty Webb]

The rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated.

 

[Ky.BrownBourbn]

Charging for bags fixes it all....

Southwest won't lose money...period......time to move along.

(No Sniping Scoreboard......I'm on your side!)

"Mr. Lumberg, We need you to step in this office. Can you please fill the cup past the redline and place on the back of the toilet and DO NOT FLUSH the toilet!"

You are actually not bashing SW, I think it's time for a drug test...

NOW if General Flee does the same, FI is over, done, they might as well shut down this place down...

BUT we know that's not gonna happen, SHE can't keep quit if she tried!

Later,
KBB

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Really Bourbon? lump me with GL?

I thought we were friends!

 

[fam62c]

Here is what we know about WN today.

1. Costs are way up
2. Legacy Airtran employees largely disgruntled
3. Loss in PHL to USAirways
4. Merger not going as planned
5. Losing to DL in ATL
6. Financial performance well below any peers.
7. Losses in Pac NW to Alaska
8. Hawaii opportunitys gone to DL AK and Allegiant
9. Loss of other markets to JB, Allegiant, and Spirt

WN is at a tipping pint. For a long time WN and its employees have not truely felt the pains of the industry. Does managements grand plan come together or do the wheels come off the bus?

SW just needs to decide what it wants to be now that is all grown up. They haven't had to adapt much in the past because they had a successful formula which still works but just not quite as well anymore. They still have a powerful domestic route system and a a large economy of scale as well as a strong balance sheet, they just need to figure out how to leverage their strengths against the competition. It seems like they are not as aggressive of a competitor as they once were.

From a business standpoint they are in a similar situation as WalMart. They have what was once a nearly perfect business concept that is now showing it's age as competitors are figuring out how to compete more effectively. The question is do they adapt and change with the times or go the way of Sears and eventually become irrelevant? I think in the case of SW the purchase of AT, even though the integration has been somewhat botched so far, is an indication of a willingness to acknowledge the need to adapt even though they may not be to the point of really embracing change yet.

 

[humveedriver]

Here is what we know about WN today.

1. Costs are way up
2. Legacy Airtran employees largely disgruntled
3. Loss in PHL to USAirways
4. Merger not going as planned
5. Losing to DL in ATL
6. Financial performance well below any peers.
7. Losses in Pac NW to Alaska
8. Hawaii opportunitys gone to DL AK and Allegiant
9. Loss of other markets to JB, Allegiant, and Spirt

WN is at a tipping pint. For a long time WN and its employees have not truely felt the pains of the industry. Does managements grand plan come together or do the wheels come off the bus?

It's refreshing to see a post about SWA from a SWA employee that is critical of the company. Doesn't mean it is negative, or bashing the company. But to think that SWA can operate the same way that they have in the past without the fuel advantage isn't very realistic. I don't doubt that SWA has a good formula for efficiency and customer service. But it isn't going to be enough. One of the oddest things about being associated with SWA without actually wearing their ID, is the unicorns and rainbows attitude that is so prevalent there. Now it appears as though the rank and file are beginning to acknowledge in forums such as this that it isn't all peaches and ice cream. My needs are small with this merger, a little honesty goes a long way. And since the GO or GK isn't going to provide it, I'll gladly take it from the employees.