Wright Fight Update zzzzzzzzzzzz

[Flopgut]

Sorry, my friend has been flying them all over at NetJets.

I really doubt this is true.

 

[SWA/FO]

Flapgut Dude,

Net Jets has over 500 airplanes - they are flying somebody? And its not purple freight.

the SWA/FO~

 

[Flopgut]

Flapgut Dude,

Net Jets has over 500 airplanes - they are flying somebody? And its not purple freight.

the SWA/FO~

I know all about Netjets.

My doubt was that canyonblue has friends.

 

[Flopgut]

Flopgut,


You hit the nail on the head. AA wants the passengers with money. AA has moved in and out of markets. They have increased service (and then usually reduced it when they could) to ensure a higher than average ticket prices with reduced competition. They have always talked about what they were doing for the passenger and how they were growing but really all they wanted was to squeeze competitors first then the pooring passenger out of flying.

Looking forward now....AA management is so giddy about ticket price increases sticking they are parking 27 airplanes the next 12 months (MD 80's I think) and bragging abougt how its good for the corporation because the reduced capacity will drive ticket prices sky high in "select" markets.

I'm going to name you the "History Professor" because you latch onto some of the most obscure and unrelated tidbits concerning Dallas airline history. You can tease SWA about "advantages" but AA has just as many. AA may have "earned" their dominant position but they did so while treating their employees like dirt and getting caught price fixing by the government. Not to mention their ruthless behavior concerning competition. AA made SWA look like a girl scout. Business, like life, is not fair and bad things happen to good people. It's just AA's model of operations is incredibly inefficient and they can't make a decent profit out of their huge revenue, unless they fix the playing field. Knowing that fact I would like to look to the future, not rehash old rivalries.


Heard a good one yesterday. AA may be the Evil Empire but SWA is the Borg.

The LCC model will assimilate all. More likely someone will "merge" with a LCC to take advantage of the profit it generates. This will happen when SWA gets into international flying.

Flopgut, I'm looking forward not back when I study history. Remember when the B-scales were all the rage? SWA dropped theirs after a brief period around 1990. Newhires thru year 3 at SWA were making 12K more than AA pilots. And SWA was still growing like gangbusters. I predict the same for the next 3 years.

I can't defend everything AA has done, they are pretty tough on workers. But I can defend the pricing tactics. They get paid a lot for a ticket because it costs a lot to support that system. As yours becomes more intricate I think you'll find that out. Keep some perspective here, you fly to 62 cities and do no international flying. AA (and other legacies) have been spanning the globe for 50+ years. Compare the difference in the scope of operations and it's amazing the ticket prices and cost structures are as close as they are. I don't think intl flying is something you should be excited about SWA doing. It's a pretty delicate thing you've got going, you just blew through your self imposed max ticket price and most of your fuel hedging is still in place. (interesting) It's going to change your productivity and employee per AC metrics. IMHO the international customer isn't ready for the SWA show. They expect hot meals and a certain degree of seriousness about their travel. I don't think a cabin crew in short pants telling jokes is going to amuse international customers. You'll do whatever, we'll see what happens.

The X factor is to see what regulatory items come down. Foriegn control has been crafted with specific language to protect domestic only airlines. I wonder who that's suppose to insulate? It could denude the entire US airline industry of widebodies, I'm pretty sure you don't want to see that, but I don't think you can say the same for most of your fellow SWA pilots. Your mgt would love to see it, SWA has thrived on the regualtory wrecking of legacies since day 1.

Heard a guy once say "I'd rather be lucky than good". I would rather be good to tell you the truth. Taking a look ahead, if my endeavors and life's work in this business would further the aspirations, or be repected by, guys like Jack Frye, Juan Trippe, Harding Lawrence, Bob Six, or Howard Hughes then I did good, win or lose. I could give a crap if I make someone like Herb Kelleher happy. That guy is just lucky.

 

[SWA/FO]

I could give a crap if I make someone like Herb Kelleher happy

Herb is happy enough.

 

[GuppyWN]

Flop, Ya know. I want to like you man. You seem like you've been around longer than most of us and have experience to glean. Why are you so bitter? What's your story?

I'm just a humble servant of my man Herb and life aint so bad. Not like it was 20 or 30 years ago but this is still a great job. The big difference between us and other airlines is this.

Herb loves airplanes and his people.
Carty, Crandall, Tilton, Grinstein, Gangwall, et al love making money. They could give a crap if it's off the backs of their employees or in their golden parachute.

Gup

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

...I don't think intl flying is something you should be excited about SWA doing. It's a pretty delicate thing you've got going, you just blew through your self imposed max ticket price and most of your fuel hedging is still in place. (interesting) It's going to change your productivity and employee per AC metrics. IMHO the international customer isn't ready for the SWA show.

You'll do whatever, we'll see what happens...

I agree with you about how SWA doing international is a danger. The much talked about, and made fun of, strategy of 1 airplane type is the key. Training, scheduling, manning, and replacing different aircraft types is a killler for airlines. That, in my humble opinion, is the most significant financial (read most important) difference between SWA and the other majors going forward.

I predict a new version of the 737, or an airplane that shares the type, made with 787 composites and technology with international intentions will eventually be in SWA colors. But this is 2009 or beyond. Look at the end of the current orders and you can probably pick a reasonable date.

I just hope the pilot group is smart enough to understand how giving international code share to our partner for a few years will further the company's long term goals. (Could be wrong on this but that is my theory)


One thing I disagree with you on is SWA's service. SWA is spending to upgrade computers to "accomodate" assigned seating. In a couple of years they will work with inflight for meal service. You'll see.

 

[ivauir]

SWA has thrived on the regualtory wrecking of legacies since day 1..

As tend to happens when you get on a rant opinions get mixed with half truths and wishfull thinking. I could do another point by point with bold red letters .... but instead I'll grab this little gem. Your revisionist approach to history is going a little far here. don't you think? Somehow (according to flopgut) a little airline that couldn't even afford 4 airplanes flying between three cities (and serving a market that had been ignored) was wrecking legacies (using regilations)? Yeah we were a political and economic power house in 1971! What bullies!

 

[Flopgut]

Flop, Ya know. I want to like you man. You seem like you've been around longer than most of us and have experience to glean. Why are you so bitter? What's your story?

I'm just a humble servant of my man Herb and life aint so bad. Not like it was 20 or 30 years ago but this is still a great job. The big difference between us and other airlines is this.

Herb loves airplanes and his people.
Carty, Crandall, Tilton, Grinstein, Gangwall, et al love making money. They could give a crap if it's off the backs of their employees or in their golden parachute.

Gup

I don't want SWA to win. I don't want a legacy to win. I want us all to win. I'm bitter about what the govt has done to the legacies.

You SWA folks would make GREAT A300 Captains. Or maybe MD80 Captains. If deregulation had not happened you might very well be better off. Maybe an airline called Braniff or AA even Eastern. You're good now and that's cool, so enjoy. Be mindful that we all hoped for the same.

 

[Flopgut]

I agree with you about how SWA doing international is a danger. The much talked about, and made fun of, strategy of 1 airplane type is the key. Training, scheduling, manning, and replacing different aircraft types is a killler for airlines. That, in my humble opinion, is the most significant financial (read most important) difference between SWA and the other majors going forward.

I predict a new version of the 737, or an airplane that shares the type, made with 787 composites and technology with international intentions will eventually be in SWA colors. But this is 2009 or beyond. Look at the end of the current orders and you can probably pick a reasonable date.

I just hope the pilot group is smart enough to understand how giving international code share to our partner for a few years will further the company's long term goals. (Could be wrong on this but that is my theory)


One thing I disagree with you on is SWA's service. SWA is spending to upgrade computers to "accomodate" assigned seating. In a couple of years they will work with inflight for meal service. You'll see.

If you were running things at SWA I would be more worried. Good points. If you work through the service points, and the customers are comfortable, your golden. Let ATA iron out the details and then step in, you will kick a$$. Give those ATA folks a thank you with some extra seniority maybe, stock, or something.