Originally Posted by
OscartheGrouch
EWR,
In reference to how you and your pilots are "different" please do us a favor and elaborate. You certainly were different in the late 80's when I would have stayed in the Marine Corps rather than accept a job at CAL. ......................
a decent product at a decent price. I am actually proud that some who you feel shouldn't be flying unless they pay a high price are on our planes. If USair or CAL or anyone else can't compete with us than I am not going to apologize for them leaving a certain market. Also, when we do "run" someone out of a market (I prefer the terminology - compete) we don't gouge people just cause we can. On routes that CAL has a monopoly do they charge a "fair" price. I would luv to see some evidence that they don't take advantage of their customers (i.e. 5000 dollar fares or even 1200 dollar fares domestic).
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Okay, from an AF pilot to a "jarhead"
here goes:
We are different (different mentality) in that the majority of our pilots are looking for more than an entire career of up/down/up/down/up/down/up/down flying our entire career. We enjoy the fact that we can move up to bigger equipment, foreign destinations, and in essence "see the world", rather than just the USA. We enjoy not having the "hurry up to the runway or gate (you know....the 35 knot groundspeed taxiing we see every day)" and "cattle car" mentality. Concerning your "decent product at a decent price": sure our pax pay more, but they get something to eat rather than a snack tossed at them, and can fly from EWR to LAX or SEA in ONE hop without stopping to collect their luggage three times and having it take 13 hours. They also have a choice of seats, first or coach, and usually a movie or two to watch. It costs a whole lot more to operate a B777 out of EWR too, hence we HAVE to charge a bit more to break even. And first class seats take up a LOT of room, so prices are set accordingly. I too have seen passengers drive for two hours, pay $20 a day for parking, and think they're getting a "good deal" because they saved $20 by flying on SWA. Good for them......... But even Wall Street is saying the party is coming to an end for SWA. Seems oil can't be hedged at $25 a bbl anymore, even by someone as good as SWA was at it. Welcome to OUR party.