Quote:
Originally Posted by Thinking man
I don't work at southwest, so take this for what is worth. I think as a whole you will find that southwest is the most agreeable airline for ATC, so they are repaid in kind, not that pizza doesn't help. Often I hear ATC asking southwest to do something and they seem to comply without the gripes heard often at many other airline. They are always ready and never waiting on numbers. ATC want to move traffic as fast and safe as possible and so does southwest, so they almost like being on the same team...
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There is truth in this one.
As for the other preferential treatment comments/gripes, they are %99.9 Bull$#it. ATC doesn't have the time and space to pull off this kind of crap. In situations where things are tight, tied, or we want to keep things moving, we are going to pick the easiest and most efficient option. If, in these situations, you have a choice of picking the company who usually gets the job done and is cooperative %99.999999 of the time, that is your best bet, and you do it. Ironically, that usually works best for ALL of the aircraft in the scenario, and so the whole operation.
270 on final to go behind? ATC probably had a good reason for it. The name on the side of the plane wouldn't be the reason.
Throw all of the accusations about favoritism out there you want to. Let me share a few observations with you from my 29 years of ATC.
1. Radio procedures. I can count on one hand how many times a SWA jet didn't answer me. When you don't answer ATC, you waste their time in a game where the clock doesn't stop.
I never ran single arrival rush into DFW that the home team didn't have problems listening, and thus, creating work for me or others. I did similar work in SEA, DEN, and SLC. The home teams there were much more on the ball, but nothing like SWA.
2. I have never heard an "on air" ****ing match between SWA and anyone else. ATC or other crew. I cannot say the same of several Legacy carriers, some of whom don't exist anymore. In 1987 I heard one between two AAL guys that I thought was going to result in a brawl on arrival. These two work for the same company and couldn't get along on freq.
3. SWA folks make an effort to get along with everyone. On jumpseat rides you would see the crew treat everyone with respect and friendliness. Ops, the tug, FAs, provisioning, the guy emptying the trash......whatever. Everyone who was involved was considered "Team".
We all have to work together in the system.
I found Alaska, America West, and Continental going the extra mile along my journey as well.
I was on a jumpseat at America West one time. Another pilot wanted to ride, plenty of room in the back, so the Capt. put him on. The FO brought up the point that the guy's company wasn't on "the list". This particular Capt. made a statement that has stuck with me since. He turned to the FO and said, "who cares, he needs a ride, and it takes too much effort to be an A$$h..L."
From then on when ever I saw a fellow controller or pilot making an effort to not get along, I would just say, "it takes too much effort to be an A-hole". Some get it, some don't.
There are less A-holes per square foot at SWA than anywhere else in aviation. It's working very well for them.
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