Murano

I don't know why the previous thread was closed, but here's the continuation:

BoeingTanker, remember how I mentioned how our SWAPA BoD is made up of mostly very senior captains that don't care about codeshare? They just now voted 16-3 in favor to send our T/A to the membership for a vote. It's pretty much over now. Not once in the history of Southwest Airlines has the pilot group turned down a vote. Here comes the codesharing. God help us.

Bond

Are you serious? SWA is going to start codesharing? This is not good news at all brother.

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"Midwest Airlines, the latest victim of the present day Lorenzo"

FastDEW

Southwest eyes up entry into long-haul market

By Kerry Ezard
Southwest Airlines is looking into the idea of entering codeshare deals with long-haul carriers, and does not rule out the possibility that it could one day operate long-haul routes with its own aircraft.

Speaking exclusively to Airline Business today, Southwest senior director of planning and distribution, Richard Sweet, said the carrier is "starting to hold talks with potential [long-haul] partners" with a view to entering into similar codeshare agreements to those it recently signed with Canada's WestJet and Mexico's Volaris.

Under the WestJet and Volaris deals, all transborder flying will initially be carried out by the Canadian and Mexican carriers, allowing Southwest to "get a toe in" the international marketplace "in a low risk way", says Sweet, adding that "this doesn't preclude us from doing the flying ourselves in the future".

This is a pattern that could eventually be repeated on flights outside of the Americas. However, Sweet says that from a technological and operational standpoint, "getting out of this hemisphere" will be a lot more challenging. "This would be phase two of the work we'd have to do to codeshare on longer flights east and west," he says, adding that any deal with a long-haul carrier is "probably at least a year-and-a-half to two years down the road".

"Flying with a codeshare partner long-haul is certainly something we're interested in doing in the long-term," says Sweet. Asked whether an eventual codeshare deal with a long-haul airline could be a precursor to Southwest one day branching into the long-haul market with its own aircraft, Sweet responds that this would represent "another big move out of our present model and it would involve a different aircraft type, but I'm not saying we wouldn't do it".

"Some day we could [see a long-haul Southwest Airlines] but it's not on our timeline now. Right now we're working on Canada and Mexico."
In terms of long-haul codeshare partners, Sweet says that "at this point we're willing to talk to anybody to find out if there is an opportunity to make a match". He adds: "As a feeder to a long-haul carrier we provide a strong business and leisure mix. We could match up with any carrier, although the closer to [our business model] the better."

ACEFLYERSWA

Murano, I don't no why the other thread was closed, maybe flt ops, and swapa leadership asked the mods to close it so the new boys want stop drinking the kool-aid. Get ready for a long time in the pool! Yea, Yea, I know y'all are just happy to be here! Well not yet.

http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:m...l-aidman_t.png

Oh yea!

de727ups

Mod note:

I'm guessing the other thread was closed for multiple posts with TOS violations. No conspiracy. Keep it clean and I doubt you'll have any problems with the mods.

OscartheGrouch

Thanks de727ups,

I for one, was also wondering why the thread was closed, but having had a discussion with one of your moderators concerning another thread closure I am sure I can guess why. Unfortunately this one will only last a little while I bet. Flame on ACE and Murano! Please do us a favor and rely on some facts instead of emotion.

Nothing has been presented to the SWAPA membership yet! I for one will wait until I see factual info. Who knows? I might vote against it if I get facts instead of conjecture.

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Left seat and happy

BoeingTanker

Well lets hope that people can get folks to actually read it and know what they are voting on. It may take a while (probably longer than most of us will every be with the company (assuming I ever get on property)), but eventually people will learn to not blindly trust ANYONE, and educate themselves. Folks are going to have to get and stay involved in processes to keep SWA a great place to work and not be quiet little lemmings being led to the sea.


See there is hope, at least one person will read it first.

Roger Ball

Our lemmings will vote this in at 75-80 percent

OscartheGrouch

Wow, name calling and disparaging descriptions of those who might disagree with some as lemmings. Elementary school yard tactics instead of facts. I sure am impressed. Frankly I am not convinced that those who are dead set against the TA that was just voted on by our BOD are really qualified or have some unique insight. Please give me/us some description of your background other than "it is all about me." Perhaps your age (i.e maturity level), union positions that you held, etc. might give us some reason to listen to your opinions. Otherwise, the old saying that opinions are like ........, we all have one. Mine is no more/less valid than anyone elses.

Codeshare is but one part of this TA. If that is where you are going to place all of your priorities, then by all means light your hair on fire. We have had our BOD vote down a TA in the past (2001). Unfortunately, many of them had visions of the UAL and DAL contracts of 2000 in their wet dreams. What the company offered was never realized in future negotiations because of 9-11. The next year we were presented with an extension of the current contract (1994) that, according to most, did not rise to the level of what was in the company offer orior to 9-11. The BOD, many of whom had a vested interest in voting down the extension were basically neutral on whether the members should approve it. Let me just say that the political posturing was enough to make me vomit. As it was we voted for the extension and pulled the unwilling along. In retrospect, many of those who voted against it admitted they made a mistake later. Why? In less than three months UAL was in BK and USair was back in BK. Our bargaining power would have been reduced significantly. I only mention these things because it would seem that some would suggest that we are a bunch of pansies (or lemmings if you prefer) who would never question what the company offers up. It is just not true.

Stick to the facts! Quit spreading doom and gloom without explaining your ideas more clearly.

INCOMING?

The Oscar

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Left seat and happy

JDFlyer

First, let me say, like most on this thread I agree that if a 737 can land or takeoff at a particular airport, then SWA should be doing the flying. All of us are painfully aware of the consequences of extensive code sharing, regional flying, etc. as a business model. Just look at any Legacy carrier and the downward trend for their domestic businesses.

However, let me ask the following rhetorical questions:

1) Does anyone here realistically think Canada or Mexico are just going to open up their commercial aviation markets without question, without restraint, without regulation to Southwest?

2) If you think they should or they would, then ask yourself the flip side question, should the US allow WestJet or Volaris, or any other Canadian or Mexican air carrier unfettered access to the US aviation market?

These questions are not really rhetorical, I think must of us would agree that the answer to both questions are "NO". And in reality, regardless of treaties or any other international business "agreements" between countries, each party has a substantial interest in promoting and protecting their own financial interests.

These protections come in all different forms of barriers to international trade. "Quid pro quo" is the one Mr. Kelly is trying to deal with in getting into Canada and Mexico. My personal belief is that Gary Kelly and the other senior managers at SWA are exercising their only viable business option for getting into these foreign markets. It is a "foot in the door". A door that would otherwise remain closed.

Have a little faith!