What's the Deal?!!

[benjakes]

You missed the point of the analogy. By charging "1%" when the prevailing rate is "6%" SW has decided to undercut it's competitors to what they may find has become an unsustainable level. SW isn't the cause of the industries problems. Maybe not, but their "cure" has been fatal to alot of pilot's careers.

I disagree, in capitalism, rates always fluctuate based upon business models. SW proved at 1% they have a business model that works for them. At 6%, others cannot be profitable. SW Did not screw things up, they made things better in a pure capitalistic model.

 

[Flopgut]

The pilot group overwhelmingly supports retirement age change. There is a SWA Captain that posts all the time on here about it.

The pilot group is not as solidly behind this as some would have you believe. It is an issue wich divides our pilot group pretty close to 50/50. And it has been a long time since there has been a survey.

In the end it seems a lot of folks upset because our company is sucessful. I won't apologize. I am sorry your neighbour is such a jerk. I could tell you about jerks I know at other carriers, but I think that sort of discussion is pointless. The vast majority of pilots I know at SWA (and I daresay my sample size is considerably larger than yours) don't harbor any ill will towards folks who fly for the competition. I think many of you have been robbed. But SWA didn't take your pensions and we didn't cut your pay.

Blaming us might make you feel better and wishing for us to fail might be carthitic. But it is an unproductive mindset that is not supported by the facts and will do nothing to improve your own standing.

There are a couple of pilots at the top of this thread who I think would like to know why pilots bag on SWA. I'm trying to point out some valid reasons, and they are valid.

I'm not wishing SWA to fail, and I don't hate it that you make good money. I'm glad for you. I know enough about the negatives that I don't wish that on anybody. I know SWA did not cut my pay and take the pensions; And that to the casual observer, the link between the two is not direct. However, in the context of pointing out the irony of a SWA Captain that proclaims he does not have enough money to retire at 60 and must work til 65, its valid. Would you not expect the urgent cry to work longer to come from the the ones who lost pensions, and not from the ones who chose pensionless employment as a competitive advantage? BTW, my CALALPA legislative affairs rep says the loudest cries for change have come from SWAPA, and that your union is driving most of this.

And BTW, we are all raising fares! It feels good doesn't it? Lets keep jacking them up! Good for you, good for me, good for all of us!

 

[YourPilotFriend]

[/color]

What is our CASM? What about our CASM excluding fuel? Hedging has been a huge advantage, but it isn't our only advantage.

Yup, orders of magnitude. I know you wish we'd fail, and someday we probably will, but it is farther off than you think.

Almost 8 cents per mile, NWA was at 11 cents, they will be at 7 cents when they exit bankruptcy(if fuel doesn't change). Once SWA hedges relax, you will be paying more for a ticket on SWA than NWA.

 

[Bringupthebird]

I disagree, in capitalism, rates always fluctuate based upon business models. SW proved at 1% they have a business model that works for them. At 6%, others cannot be profitable. SW Did not screw things up, they made things better in a pure capitalistic model.

I disagree. SW could have been just as successful by charging 20% less than the prevailing fare. Instead they chose to price themselves at 50-70% below the competition "because they could". They conditioned the public to expect the $49 fare as the benchmark for air travel, when in fact, the cost of providing service above a domestic-only, all-737, 70-city service is much higher. Add the proliferation of internet ticket distribution and there is no way to make the public see what the real costs ( and consequent rational ticket price) of running an airline is.

Their decision to evicerate the markets they serve and the spill over of raising public expectations about ticket prices in general will come home to roost as they try to jump lightly on the raising fare bandwagon. Their most precious asset is the public perception that they are always the lowest fare and that asset is now in jeopardy.

 

[Pickle]

SW should start assigning seats. I really don't know anyone who likes to stand in line to get on a plane. If another airline offers the same fare/schedule, why would anyone fly SW? They should also quit saying they can't make money at airports like DFW, and then announce a move to IAD (and PHL, DEN LAX etc).

Take this for what it is worth, but.....

I have been on vacation since the latter part of March so I don't know if it is still going on, BUT, prior to my vacation there were SWA people with clipboards taking lots of notes at the ATA gates in MDW. Supposedly they were counting our pax and seeing at what time in the boarding process most boarded, and that this somehow had something to do with SWA possibly thinking about doing assigned seats.

Hey, like I said, take it for what it is worth......