Is that something to brag about?
Not bragging at all. Just trying to make the point that SWA doesn't need concessions from anybody. They may want it but definitely not needed.
Hey I have no problem with the folks on the ground making what they do if we were number one in bags and on time departures but we are last. So they are over paid. Why should have to ask to have the water lav serviced? Why should I be having to pull strollers out of the aft baggage bin because there is no one to take the bags off the red-eye. Why am I picking up lots of FOD every time I do a walk around. Why pay an no performance? Tell me there is justification. Someone somewhere is getting paid too much. Who knows maybe it is me. I seem to be working pretty hard though and nothing seems to get better so maybe I could use some help.
When management drags their feet for two years with contract negotiations and all of them(rampers,gate agents and op agents) still are no where near an agreement their is no urgency to rush things. I could remember back in 2000 when UAL told the pilot group to stuff it. The operation suffered that summer. Passangers called it the summer of hell. Pilots got a contract. Pretty good one to. The other problem is SWA is buying larger aircraft with more bags to load and yet no extra help. Oh well, that's a management decision. Personally I think SWA has way too many chiefs for it's operation. And most importantly, management doesn't give the sense of urgency. If the chiefs don't say anything about it or push it, then nobody will. Leadership comes from the top. SWA management is not making on time a priority. So the operation shows it.
You can pay guys peanuts or pay them well all you want. If their is no accountability on getting airplane out on time, no need to rush. Look at our international ops. They try hard to get airplanes out on time. Why? Accountability by
the station. Which by the way is not run by SWA. It's all about leadership. You want to run a good operation it has to be a priority by management. It seems these day's SWA is not too worried about it. So I won't either.