United

[nimtz]

How the hell does ACARS ruin your on-time arrival times? After all the DOT measures on-time within :14 minutes. If your airline can't get to the gate within :14 of scheduled arrival at least 7 out of 10 times, then maybe you need to focus on why the hell not. ACARS won't do crap to SWA's ontime DOT stats. I can't believe people post things like this. Are these people really flying for an Airline?

Ah yes, good luck to you guys if you think you'll pull 7 out of 10 consistently month to month in PHL, especially with old man winter coming. It ain't like landing in HRL with a 10 knot tailwind so you can turn off right to the gate.

 

[f9driver]

SWA

I didn't know SWA was such a Superman Airline. I think the F/O is a little brash and may have to grow up one day.

 

[canyonblue]

Re: SWA

I didn't know SWA was such a Superman Airline

Perhaps you're getting Skyhiemers Disease.

 

[1900driver]

The latest economic indicators show over 7% GDP growth and 11.1% business spending growth. How does that fugure into your economic analysis?

[/B]

That GDP growth your talking about is fueled by the recent tax break (about 4%) and by home refinancing. This economy is not self sustaining at this time. In order for this recovery to continue, employeers must create additional jobs. Business leaders are the ones who are cautious at this time.

Consumer confidence is the wild card. If confidence falters, the economy could easily fall back down.

 

[Falcon Jet 1]

PHL will be no problem for SWA because they wont schedule flights trying to leave when us pushes theirs all at the same time. Then when US falters for good(which I hope they dont ) SWA can leave anytime they want to. Do ya think they dont know how to deal with big airports and the delays that come with them. DEN was Herbs way of saying to the city council, screw you, just like he did when ELP decided to raise their fees ,SWA pulled out over 30% of the flights and have yet to return. I think also 15 billion will last a little bit longer than 200-300 million US has. Change is coming , accept it.

 

[viking737]

What happened in ELP?

 

[f9driver]

SWA F/O's

It looks like we have a pair of SWA F'O's on here that have good old Boeing Engineering mixed up with what they think is their talent....."We are ready for T/O after we start" etc. We at Pan Am invented the shuttle and quick turnarounds in the IGS or Internal German Service that Pan Am operated for forty yrs. after the war out of Berlin and Frankfurt...first with DC-6's and later with B-727's. A lot of us who had been based there felt a little cocky but most were cool enough not to brag about it. lol
I also remember old PSA at LAX Terminal one across from us pushing back without a clearance and blocking us while we tried to push and crank four big slow starting JT9's for TYO. I don't think any Superman SW F/O could have been ready for take-off right after start in that 1960's designed Boeing pig. lol

 

[Herby Versmells]

United loses $367 million in 3rd quarte


Associated Press
Published October 30, 2003, 12:31 PM CST

United Airlines' parent company racked up a $367 million net loss in the third quarter -- its 13th straight deficit -- but claimed an operating profit for the first time in more than three years.

A busy summer travel season across the airline industry boosted passenger revenue and helped UAL Corp. post a $90 million operating profit for the July-September period. CEO Glenn Tilton also cited continued cost reductions and other improving financial results which kept its nearly year-old bankruptcy restructuring on track.

The net loss reported Thursday amounted to $3.47 a share, compared with a loss a year earlier of $889 million, or $15.57 a share.

Excluding $330 million in special charges and reorganization expenses, the loss was $37 million, or 36 cents a share.

The consensus of analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call was for a loss of $1.52 a share, although only a few brokerages still cover the company closely since it filed for bankruptcy and its stock was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange.

Revenues rose 2 percent to $3.82 billion from $3.74 billion, thanks to a 12 percent jump in revenue from passengers.

United filed for Chapter 11 last December after 2 1/2 years of worsening losses. Tilton told reporters Wednesday that the company remains on plan to come out of bankruptcy in the late spring of 2004.

"We are making tremendous progress in reducing costs, improving revenue and building a strong, sustainable business for the future," he said Thursday.

The company said it was the first time it had managed an operating profit, excluding certain charges, since the second quarter of 2000.

For the first nine months of 2003, the net loss was $2.33 billion, or $23.28 per share, compared with a loss of $1.74 billion, or $30.96 per share, for the same period a year earlier.

Revenues fell 7 percent to $10.11 billion from $10.82 billion.

UAL shares were unchanged at $1.06 in over-the-counter trading. The shares are expected to be worthless when the company emerges from bankruptcy.

* __

On the Net:

www.united.com
Copyright © 2003, Chicago Tribune

 

[skykid]

While Southwest dropped to sixth place from first in on-time performance in 2002, the carrier improved in percentage terms. In 2002, 82.6 percent of Southwest flights arrived on time, up from 81.7 percent in 2001.

Sixth place...might want to taxi a bit faster. In Philly we measure delays in hours, not minutes.

 

[GVFlyer]

Re: SWA F/O's

We at Pan Am invented the shuttle and quick turnarounds in the IGS or Internal German Service that Pan Am operated for forty yrs. after the war out of Berlin and Frankfurt...first with DC-6's and later with B-727's. A lot of us who had been based there felt a little cocky but most were cool enough not to brag about it. lol

Did you know Otto Kiel?

 

[f9driver]

Otto

Yup. Everybody knew Otto in the IGS.

 

[f9driver]

Pan Am Berlin Shuttle

I don't know if anyone is interested but the corridors out of Berlin were limited to a max altitude of 10,000'. They were only 10 miles wide and you could not deviate out of them for wx. Most of the time they were flown on the "barborpole"...... fuel was cheap. If you liked being a cowboy or maybe wanted to act like a SWA hotshot F/O you bid Berlin. lol

 

[skirt]

Yep,

Having spent a good part of my life in Germany, I had my eye on that PanAm Berlin operation as my dream job. Alas, the base closed before I could get there, and not too much later PanAm went under. I hear it was some of the most fun flying in Europe, and a great bunch of guys.


Skirt

 

[greyhound]

O.K. I'll ask.......

I see $367 million loss.......
But something about a 90 million profit?
Which one is it?

 

[canyonblue]

Re: SWA F/O's

I don't think any Superman SW F/O could have been ready for take-off right after start in that 1960's designed Boeing pig. lol

Just like watching an antiquated Captain watch as the FMS is set up, the PFD has the Class B rings inserted and the SE procedure and I got ATIS, clearence, realigned the IRS, set the MCP and set the comm and nav radios all in a 8 minute turn. Let me help ya by hangin up the Handicap card on your mirror. Doing it in the -200 takes away alot of those steps pops. I know, I've done it.

 

[crashpad]

.....all in a 8 minute turn. [qoute]

That's about average Huckleberry, but maybe you should slow down some more...

 

[Steeler Fan]

On-time???

I don't see people paying more $$$ for tickets on someone else because SWA is on-time ONLY 82% of the time...
BTW, TWA had a GREAT on-time% (and their flight crew members were some of coolest people I've ever met), but, UNFORTUNATELY, a great on-time record does not guarantee more profitability than the competition...Being at the bottom all the time is not good either...


quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Mugs
Tell us all about SWA's on time :14 stats after they get fleet-wide ACARS. Until then, who cares.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



How the hell does ACARS ruin your on-time arrival times? After all the DOT measures on-time within :14 minutes. If your airline can't get to the gate within :14 of scheduled arrival at least 7 out of 10 times, then maybe you need to focus on why the hell not. ACARS won't do crap to SWA's ontime DOT stats. I can't believe people post things like this. Are these people really flying for an Airline?
____________________________________________________

I respectfully disagree...ACARS will, to some degree, affect on-time, and yes, I am flying an Airline--my second (hopefully my last!)

I think Philly will pose some SIGNIFICANT on-time challenges (unless SWA pads its scheduled block times to maintain schedule integrity)...In places like PHL, ATL, ORD, DFW, there are simply too many other factors that are out of your control...especially if you look at how inaccessible the alleys are in Philly.

In terms of ACARS, I've flown with them at U, and I have personnally seen situations where we actually pulled into the gate on-time, but ACARS did not capture the time because it's time is based on some kind of triggering event (like cargo or entry door opening) then a delay in the computer capturing/creating your "IN" time...This can easily mean the difference between scheduled +14 and scheduled +15...

I believe you'll find Philly a frustrating place to operate out of, but you'll be full most of time!

 

[hankhill]

Steeler Fan Statement

I love it when a writer can cut through the crap and convey the essence of an idea with a minimum number of words.

Steeler Fan said:

"I believe you'll find Philly a frustrating place to operate out of, but you'll be full most of time!"

Of course there will be delays in PHL. Southwest already sees delays in Vegas, Chicago, and BWI, it's just the nature of the beast in those cities.

In 1994 I vividly remember listening to a fellow crewmember in the PIT Crewroom talk about how the East Coast is a different world, and how difficult Southwest will find it to operate here with the adverse weather, traffic congestion, and weak labor pool.

Flash forward to 2003 and and I think it's safe to say that SWA has found a way to overcome those concerns.

There's a mountain of cash to be made in Philly. Now's the time for Southwest to step in and stake a claim before another LCC beats them to the punch.

I've flown for US Air and one of its affilliates that serve Philly for a while now and I continue to experience the frustration and dismay that's an integral part of the "Philly Factor."

Nonetheless, if you're in business for the long haul you overlook the occasional bad attitude, from customers and employees alike, the never-ending delays due to weather and traffic congestion, and you smile and do the best that you can with what you have, and you help your company laugh all the way to the bank.

There may be some truth to the commonly expressed axiom, "Philly sucks," but I'll deal with something that sucks if it helps the company's bottom line and puts food in my family's collective mouth.

Five, ten, and twenty years from now this will be seen as an astute move.

Just my opinion, don't mark my words, I can barely remember where I was, or even what I ate yesterday. And to show you how little you should value my words, I'm also a life-long die-hard Steelers fan.

 

[calfo]

Eastcoast flying is more than PVD, Islip, Manchester, et al. PHL is really sticking their necks out - performance-wise. You don't see SWA in the big markets along the eastern seaboard - and they don't have to - they make their own markets from other places. Boeing recommends a taxi speed of no more than 20 kts. That's for tire and brake heat - they better hope they don't blow one 10 knots before V1 in Vegas off of 19L on the way to MDW. Taxiing that fast is foolhardy at best.

 

[StopNTSing]

Ah yes, good luck to you guys if you think you'll pull 7 out of 10 consistently month to month in PHL, especially with old man winter coming. It ain't like landing in HRL with a 10 knot tailwind so you can turn off right to the gate.

Where in this thread are you reading that SWA thinks they will "pull 7 out of 10" (WTF is that anyway?) specifically in PHL? What I'm hearing from the GO is aircraft flows specifically for PHL to minimize down-line effects of the inevitable PHL delays (which everyone knows we will experience...this ain't our first rodeo, after all).

As for UAL, when their customer complaints ranking finally gets out of the cellar, that would seem to me the strongest indication that the operation has indeed turned around.