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AirTran to SWA Training Projections

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AirTran to SWA Training Projections

Old 02-17-2014, 07:23 AM
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Default AirTran to SWA Training Projections

From another forum:

Alright, Guys, is it just me, or are these numbers starting to look rather . . . . optimistic?
  • 1200 Pilots remain on AAI side
  • Training Schedule calls for 312 Pilots to be trained through Aug 27 class
  • 900 Pilots to be trained from 9/1 - 12/31/2014?
  • 225 a month, including 700 B717 Pilots that will need to be typed?


Unless the next merger is with FlightSafety, I don't see this happening.

So, this prompts the question . . . . In January 2015, there are at least 3 outcomes that could happen:

A) Park Airplanes= Forgo revenue, and Pay Pilots to sit home for months?

B) Keep 'em flying - Appease SWAPA with pay protection/seat protection for OSW CA's

C) Park the Planes and Furlough Pilots from a profitable Company?

D) Door #4 . . . . Something not yet revealed?

This could get interesting . . . . When will the Jan 2015 SWA System Schedule come out (ie flights open for booking)?
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Old 02-17-2014, 07:53 AM
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SWAPA has already settled this grievance with management. Basically the guys that would have gotten those captain seats will get bypass pay. What management decides to do beyond Dec 31st is up to them. From SWAPA:

"
From your SWAPA President, Mark Richardson

Fellow Pilots,

As you know, last year I instructed our Contract Administration Committee to pursue a grievance over the transition deadline for the AirTran B737 aircraft. SWAPA and Southwest had previously agreed to transition all B737s to Southwest's side of the operational partition no later than September 1, 2014. This transition schedule ensured that the B737 Captain seats would be transferred directly to Southwest pilots as agreed-to in the seniority integration agreement.

I am pleased to inform you that SWAPA and SWA have resolved the grievance enforcing the intent of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The Company has agreed that the intent of that aircraft transition schedule was to provide negotiated Captain seats for Southwest pilots. The grievance remedy includes the establishment of a ratio of Captains-to-B737 aircraft (all B737 aircraft) of 5.75:1 at the end of 2014. This ratio ensures that Captain seats created by the transition of AirTran aircraft occurs as envisioned in Side Letter 10. Furthermore, the Company agrees to pay Captain rates to any First Officer wrongfully denied an upgrade if they fail to achieve this ratio by December 31, 2014.

The Company has posted their training schedule through mid-year. As you have seen in a memo yesterday, this aggressive timeline has upgrade classes of 48 pilots per month scheduled through August. Upgrades and training will continue beyond August to meet the 5.75:1 ratio.

SWAPA will continue to closely monitor the transition schedule and will quickly react if we perceive any further shortcomings in the implementation schedule of final transition.

Mark
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Old 02-17-2014, 08:14 AM
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When will the Jan 2015 SWA System Schedule come out (ie flights open for booking)?
March 3rd 2014 will open the schedule through Oct 31st 2014.

Park the Planes and Furlough Pilots from a profitable Company?
They made 800 million in 2013. I doubt it but I wouldn't put it past them. On the other hand they are hiring guys off the street. So if they furlough they can't hire anymore until all the Airtran guys are brought back per our LOA, but again I wouldn't put it past them.
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Old 02-17-2014, 09:10 AM
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It will be Option A. No company hates paying pilots to stay home worse than SWA (witness how much our Reserves work), but even they recognize there are a lot of unavoidable "One-Time Merger-Related Expenses" like this.

To those who can score one, enjoy the paid vacation!
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Old 02-17-2014, 10:09 AM
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Thanks for the input. My guess is that it depends on a lot of variables. Gonna be tough to lose that ETOPS lift during the height of the Caribbean travel season, on top of the new routes out of DAL.

While they can probably negotiate an agreement to extend the deadline, at what what cost? Obviously, negotiations are important, although I am sure they have an endgame for that, as well.

Shirley, we live in interesting times (with apologies to the late Leslie Nielsen).

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Old 02-17-2014, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by MaxPowers View Post
Thanks for the input. My guess is that it depends on a lot of variables. Gonna be tough to lose that ETOPS lift during the height of the Caribbean travel season, on top of the new routes out of DAL.

While they can probably negotiate an agreement to extend the deadline, at what what cost? Obviously, negotiations are important, although I am sure they have an endgame for that, as well.

Shirley, we live in interesting times (with apologies to the late Leslie Nielsen).

I sincerely hope they cannot negotiate an agreement to extend unless it is part of a comprehensive section 6 agreement. No side letters on this issue.
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Old 02-17-2014, 10:46 AM
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Gonna be tough to lose that ETOPS lift during the height of the Caribbean travel season, on top of the new routes out of DAL.
ETOPS? SWA is long way from that. 95% of the a/c are 717's. Mostly or all the 737's will be over or at Everett getting redone. SWA will just have keep those pop tops around longer to fill the void. They will have plenty of airplanes to do the flying. The real question is what to do with all the pilots(on the airtran side).

I sincerely hope they cannot negotiate an agreement to extend unless it is part of a comprehensive section 6 agreement. No side letters on this issue.
I'm on the outside looking in and I hope your right. If SWA management wants it that bad then they need to talk about in section 6. HUGE bargaining chip. I would assume even if they agree to it, you have to vote on it?
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Old 02-17-2014, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by shoelu View Post
I sincerely hope they cannot negotiate an agreement to extend unless it is part of a comprehensive section 6 agreement. No side letters on this issue.
I'd be surprised if they weren't negotiating a side letter, giving the company relief on this issue, knowing that the vast majority will vote yes on anything put in front of them.

The SWApA BOD has also got to maintain that great relationship with the company. They also can't obstruct the SWApA road to management......
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Old 02-17-2014, 04:01 PM
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Too funny. Sounds just like old times at AAI. I guess we'll fit right in.

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Old 02-17-2014, 04:28 PM
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Originally Posted by SlipKid View Post
I'd be surprised if they weren't negotiating a side letter, giving the company relief on this issue, knowing that the vast majority will vote yes on anything put in front of them.
You couldn't be more wrong. A side letter would need member ratification and it would fail miserably. Several things will be met with overwhelming opposition from this pilot group: relief from management bungles due to this acquisition, scope sale and pref bid. These all very hot button issues. You do realize we recently voted no on a T.A. and multiple constitutional amendments right?
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