You stay classy Linden Hillman

[Wesb737fo]

Geez! This is still going on? What are you guys trying to accomplish? Are you solving our SLI? Who needs the MC's when we have you guys working on it more then them? Keep second guesing GK decision? Is that part of your culture? Move on we have a bright future and we need to focus on that.

Indeed. +1

 

[Lear70]

Actually, it didn't. It only requested a clarification to the two unions. Nothing public.

My bad. That info was second hand from somewhere up the union food chain. If not, then I certainly have no beef with the letter.

 

[Lear70]

You will find out when you end up at Southwest. If you say the word ALPA, it will come out of your mouth Hitler. I for one have never had a problem with ALPA, but don't mention the word around here, HAMAS has a better reputation.

LoL - that's pretty funny actually...

 

[texman]

Hate to tell you this, but this has already damaged my career in the short term. Long term is anyones guess. I would be sitting in the left seat bidding over 50% if it weren't for the SWA merger (and yes, my pay would be about the same, or better, as a right seat SWA guy). I would retire in the top 10 and get any schedule I want. The SWA guys forget that this isn't just about contracts. SWA's contract is much better, but don't forget that SWA is what it is because SWA historically paid much less then its competitors, and that allowed them to grow based off of their cost advantages (sound familier). The biggest issue Im hearing is with the SWA FO's. However, if this merger leads to you guys gaining a few percentage points seniority wise and speeds your upgrade time, then why are you b!tching? This is a good thing for you as well if it speeds your upgrade do to huge growth. Face it, SWA wasn't growing before the AAI purchase (AAI was growing and hiring), and now they are. This is a great thing for the SWA FO's. The growth potential because of the AAI buyout is HUGE. And don't kid yourselves, SWA wasn't coming into ATL or DCA without the AAI purchase. AAI and DAL locked up ATL with their gate contracts.

Dude have you seen your financials? What growth? Your former ceo talked of growth to please if not gain stock price. Biggest issues being FO's? What about the captain side? Senior capts have bytch alot about culture and how this can be the down fall if SWA doesn't take care of there own first.

I would have upgraded and bided over 50%? What money? This is what I don't understand. Brother even with attrition and no growth, I would retire top 1%. Not crying here though! SWA has the money and job security. Cash is King! On the FO side my quality of life and money are still better than a 4-6 year AT FO. Thats even with your new contract. Put your self in our shoes, what will we gain? Please don't say future growth. This is a moot point.

 

[slaquer5]

Geez! This is still going on? What are you guys trying to accomplish? Are you solving our SLI? Who needs the MC's when we have you guys working on it more then them? Keep second guessing GK's decision? Is that part of your culture? Move on. We have a bright future and we need to focus on that.

+2

Get out get laid.

 

[texman]

As will an arbitrator.

I have a couple friends at AT. They said all the captains are saying it's going to arbitration. Why? Historical no seat loss?

 

[texman]

You have a great avatar. Other than that, you are clueless. Airtran did have "lower costs than SWA"...but then why, in 2010, did we make 15 times the profit than you guys did, even though we're only 4 times as big. Sounds like even with your lower costs, you're still suckin' hind tit.

One thing you guys need to realize...GK would have payed 1.4 billion to make you disappear...poof - there goes a low-cost competitor (albeit one with limited potential in the long run). And although you like to say you "bring lots to the table", the fact is it was all for sale and it was bought. At a bargain to remove your chess pieces from the board. The great news is you probably get a seat at the table, but trust me, an entitlement attitude never has gone over very well at SWA. And arbitrator or no, GK does have the final say in how this all takes place. And employees that want to be here and are thankful for the opportunity are much more conducive to harmony than the "I gots to get mine cuz the lawman does says I should" banter. Negotiate in good faith with realistic expectations and you will be fine. Negotiate from a "gonna have my cake and eat it too" position and good luck.

Fraternally,
PW

This is exactly how 99.9% of the SWA employee group feels. SPOT ON!

 

[Bob Dylan]

Tranny pilots just hit the lotto. Shame they don't appreciate it.

 

[400ADude]

I have a couple friends at AT. They said all the captains are saying it's going to arbitration. Why? Historical no seat loss?

Of course they want to take it to arbitration. Let them. They won't get what they want and they may not even get what crappy deal the arbitrators give them.

Its a money issue period. It's the whole point of upgrade. The sorry part (One of many parts) about Airtran is their 7-11 year Captains make less then a 7-11 year SWA F/O. You can't hide from the numbers and this will sink there battle ship or maybe it isn't a battle ship more like a 10 foot sail boat.

These guys are so fricking stupid they don't even realize it. LET THEM TAKE IT TO ARBITRATION. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.

 

[waveflyer]

I'm starting to believe Bobbi Dylan is an AT guy riling up his own troops. There's always that type- who don't think their pilots are militant enough...

If you're actually a swa supporter. Please, from WN: shut up. You don't help, you're hurting at this point.

 

[texman]

I'm starting to believe Bobbi Dylan is an AT guy riling up his own troops. There's always that type- who don't think their pilots are militant enough...

If you're actually a swa supporter. Please, from WN: shut up. You don't help, you're hurting at this point.

Wave no hurting here brother. I just get tired of the. "We would of upgraded but you bought us, you need us, without us you would have never grown BS".

GK had a sell's job to do with the DOJ. He did just fine. Now the truth is told in the numbers. AT was at a dead end. SWA not so much. How do you not grow with 4.5 bil in the bank? GK got a turn Key operation, but the people have to come per the law. That's if SOC happens. If it does (for all the AT peeps) it will be fair. Once over the real party can start.

 

[waveflyer]

Oh no- I'm just saying Bobby's over the top- and intentionally flaming. He's not debating or making any argument that could be agreed with- just flaming the fire.

AT guys should advocate for themselves, but also realize that swa has gone to great lengths to develop this competitive attitude among us- playing to win and looking out for those who are here IS part of the culture- stay humble, get into swa and contribute and YOU WILL be taken care of, by all. Come in negotiating aggressively and selfishly won't work -

Just like coming to work with an 'all about me' attitude doesn't work for ANY of us.

 

[-9Capt]

Which is it?

Don't shoot yourself in the foot dude. Your union has to negotiate in "good faith". This could go 100 different ways... you know that, right?

You missed the point. It's not what some line pilot "heard". It's what he's gone on record and said publicly, over and over.

ALPA will absolutely negotiate in good faith, I have no doubt about that. We have a great MC in place. In the end I'll be very surprised if we reach an agreement. It can absolutely go 100 different ways. We'll see.

 

[texman]

Oh no- I'm just saying Bobby's over the top- and intentionally flaming. He's not debating or making any argument that could be agreed with- just flaming the fire.

AT guys should advocate for themselves, but also realize that swa has gone to great lengths to develop this competitive attitude among us- playing to win and looking out for those who are here IS part of the culture- stay humble, get into swa and contribute and YOU WILL be taken care of, by all. Come in negotiating aggressively and selfishly won't work -

Just like coming to work with an 'all about me' attitude doesn't work for ANY of us.

Very true.

 

[vixin]

-9wannabe

You may want to do a search on what your EX AAI ceo was saying about your prospects for the future. It was dismal to say the least.

Anyone else see in the Dallas newspaper that GK said we may not keep the 717's? Boy the things that come out of his mouth. It was either Thur or Fri business section.

Maybe I should add the following to my tag.

AirTran CEO Bob Fornaro stressed in a conference call with reporters on Monday that AirTran had "done a lot with not much" in terms of financial resources, but that it was becoming less clear that AirTran had the ability to grow and remain competitive in an industry where the size of a carrier's route network is increasingly important.
Quote:
"Southwest has, relative to AirTran, vast resources," Fornaro said. It became clear that "we could do more with Southwest resources" than AirTran could do on its own.
Quote:
"The Southwest culture is unbelievable, and its employees have the highest passion I've ever seen in the industry," says Don Schmincke, a Baltimore-based author and speaker. "Can they convert AirTran employees
Quote:
“This agreement is great news for our Crew Members, our shareholders, our customers and the communities we serve. Joining Southwest Airlines will give us opportunities to grow, both professionally as individuals and as a group, in ways that simply would not be possible without this agreement,” said Bob Fornaro
Quote:
“We have evolved our company to be able to take on a growth opportunity like this,” Kelly said.
Quote:

At the request of Hartsfield-Jackson, Delta and AirTran began working together on a new lease agreement as far back as a year ago. The major terms of the lease, agreed to months before AirTran began talking to Southwest, would have the net effect to "keep Southwest out" by limiting the number of open gates available for the Dallas-based airline.​

“Delta and AirTran used each other to get the best deal they could at the airport,” said someone familiar with the negotiations. “But when Delta started throwing AirTran under the bus, AirTran had an alternative. AirTran had outsmarted Delta.”​

“Delta is going to feel pain like never before,” he said. “It is totally unavoidable.”​

The real reason is that Southwest will “erode Delta’s pricing power” in the domestic market, where Delta already is at a disadvantage because of higher per-person operating costs. ​

Quote:

01/27/2010 CEO Robert Fornaro addressed the issue during a conference call Wednesday to discuss the airline's fourth-quarter financial results. QUESTION: How do you view the industry landscape and your prospects for growth in an improving economy? ​

Quote:

RESPONSE: "It's not our plan to scour the market and look for new planes. ... Right now, it's financial success first for us."​

Quote:

2010-04-22 ​

Quote:

ATLANTA -- AirTran Airways isn't putting up a for-sale sign, but the CEO of the discount carrier said Wednesday it would consider a combination with another carrier if approached and if such a deal made sense for the company and shareholders. CEO Robert Fornaro made the comments during a conference call with investors to discuss the airline's first-quarter financial results. Higher fuel prices stung AirTran, causing the usually profitable airline to post a $12 million loss for the first three months of the year.​

Quote:
2009-02-06​

Quote:

Comments ATLANTA (Map, News) - Discount carrier AirTran Airways doesn't expect any overall growth for two years as it tries to weather the severe downturn in the U.S. economy, though it will add service in Milwaukee in a renewed effort to gain market share there, Chief Executive Robert Fornaro said Thursday. Fornaro told a gathering of analysts at the Raymond James & Associates Growth Airline Conference that AirTran will cut capacity in 2009 and likely will be flat in terms of capacity in 2010, but in 2011 it could (doesnt mean it would) grow at least 5 percent. In the meantime, it will make a push in Milwaukee.​

Quote:

AirTran pilots to picket outside annual meeting​

Originally published: May 17, 2010 4:37 PM

By The Associated Press HARRY R. WEBER (AP Airlines Writer)

ATLANTA - (AP) — AirTran Airways' pilots plan to picket outside the discount carrier's annual meeting to step up pressure on management over the workers' more than five-year effort to secure a new contract with better wages and quality-of-life improvements.
They also expect to announce during Tuesday's shareholders' meeting in Milwaukee that rank-and-file pilots have authorized the union to call a strike if it chooses.
At stake is AirTran's low-cost advantage over larger rivals that has allowed it to lead the way on fare sales and usually still turn a profit. AirTran posted a small loss for the first quarter but said it expects future cost pressures from fuel and maintenance. Additional labor costs could further affect its bottom line.​

AirTran captains in their 10th year of service who fly 75 hours a month on small narrowbody aircraft earn on average $129,000 a year, compared with $143,000 at American and $197,000 at Southwest Airlines, according to aviation consultant Kit Darby, who tracks pilot pay across the industry.​

I made more then that my second to third year as an FO.

 

[B727Driver]

Dallasnews.com May 18, 2011.

Kelly isn’t sure whether Southwest will keep AirTran’s Boeing 717 planes long term or replace them. But he said the smaller markets served by the 717s are “an exciting opportunity” and Southwest will “try to keep these smaller markets for the time being.”

 

[RLAblows]

This is exactly how 99.9% of the SWA employee group feels. SPOT ON!

99.9% of AirTran employees don't have this attitude either.

 

[SWA/CA]

99.9% of AirTran employees don't have this attitude either.

now we are talking.

 

[texman]

99.9% of AirTran employees don't have this attitude either.

Mmmmm, in regards to my post or what pappa stated?

 

[RLAblows]

I believe it was described as the "entitlement attitude" in a previous reply. I haven't seen this attitude at AirTran and I work here, so I consider myself in the know. I'm afraid some pilots at SWA keep telling themselves this over and over and they finally believe it, but this attitude doesn't exist. I'm sure both groups have the small negativity driven faction, but I believe its small and will dissipate if we let it. I know what an honor it is to work for SWA and be part of a "family" culture work environment, and what an amazing opportunity we have in front of us. Please everyone, let cooler heads prevail. It will all work itself out, and let those who are working for the future combination of companies do their jobs. I look forward to the future as I'm sure all of my AT colleagues do also.