SWA buyout?
06-05-2018 | 10:49 PM
#144
On Reserve
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
Flynndawg,
While you were living your Kasher misery, a lot of VX guys were waking up to not having an airline to work for at all. Remember Aloha, ATA, Airborne and Independence? We had to start over and suffer fighting for representation, fighting for decent work rules and fair treatment. One of the only things we were given from the start was commutable schedules.
Yes, we got a raise. You did as well in advance of your amendable date. Becoming Eskimos isn't the problem as most of us don't care what the call sign or paint job is, we just want good work rules and good schedules. When we see an email from SEA crew planning telling us to pound sand over commutable schedules and see evidence of gate agents being told to slam the jetway doors on last minute commuters it sets an unnecessarily adverse tone. This is why the morale is low on the Bus side.
Seeing more MEL stickers in one day than we've seen in a whole month and the upcoming SLI award are just the whipped cream and cherry topping to a big ca-ca sundae.
So we acknowledge the raw deal you got over a decade ago. Please acknowledge that together we can work to fix this place for the better. If not, it will be a case of crips vs bloods and the company wins while we fight. Be smart.
While you were living your Kasher misery, a lot of VX guys were waking up to not having an airline to work for at all. Remember Aloha, ATA, Airborne and Independence? We had to start over and suffer fighting for representation, fighting for decent work rules and fair treatment. One of the only things we were given from the start was commutable schedules.
Yes, we got a raise. You did as well in advance of your amendable date. Becoming Eskimos isn't the problem as most of us don't care what the call sign or paint job is, we just want good work rules and good schedules. When we see an email from SEA crew planning telling us to pound sand over commutable schedules and see evidence of gate agents being told to slam the jetway doors on last minute commuters it sets an unnecessarily adverse tone. This is why the morale is low on the Bus side.
Seeing more MEL stickers in one day than we've seen in a whole month and the upcoming SLI award are just the whipped cream and cherry topping to a big ca-ca sundae.
So we acknowledge the raw deal you got over a decade ago. Please acknowledge that together we can work to fix this place for the better. If not, it will be a case of crips vs bloods and the company wins while we fight. Be smart.
Also agree that bringing our work rules in line with the rest of our peers and getting some scope language is where our focus as a group needs to be.
06-14-2018 | 11:38 AM
#145
On Reserve
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 62
Likes: 0
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael...k-in-progress/
What we probably won’t see: a merger with another smaller player, such as JetBlue or Frontier, especially after Alaska’s issues digesting Virgin America. With 68% of the US market still dominated by the Big Four, Alaska’s challenge will be to prove that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better—or more profitable.
What we probably won’t see: a merger with another smaller player, such as JetBlue or Frontier, especially after Alaska’s issues digesting Virgin America. With 68% of the US market still dominated by the Big Four, Alaska’s challenge will be to prove that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better—or more profitable.
06-14-2018 | 11:51 AM
#146
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,841
Likes: 652
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
https://www.forbes.com/sites/michael...k-in-progress/
What we probably won’t see: a merger with another smaller player, such as JetBlue or Frontier, especially after Alaska’s issues digesting Virgin America. With 68% of the US market still dominated by the Big Four, Alaska’s challenge will be to prove that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better—or more profitable.
What we probably won’t see: a merger with another smaller player, such as JetBlue or Frontier, especially after Alaska’s issues digesting Virgin America. With 68% of the US market still dominated by the Big Four, Alaska’s challenge will be to prove that bigger doesn’t necessarily mean better—or more profitable.
If AS thinks they can thrive on whatever small organic growth they can achieve, they would probably prefer to go solo. But I'm sure not AS, or many other folks, think they can do that in the very large shadow of the big four.
06-14-2018 | 05:29 PM
#147
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 926
Likes: 2
From: This side of the dirt.
Simply anectodal evidence but, it seems Alaska only has three options:
1. Grow organically over time before they get run out by Delta in SEA and SWA to the South.
Not likely their plan since they keep pushing orders back, slowing growth projections and slowing hiring.
2. Grow through M&A.
Not looking likely soon because of what they paid for Virgin America AND the fact that they wouldn’t have even done THAT, if JBlue hadn’t forced their hand.
3. Be purchased. And go away as a brand.
I’ve been told that the leadership doesn’t want to be known as the team that sold away the Alaska legacy. But, in time they might not have a choice.
I am based in SEA but I live in the south. The land of Delta. And, thankfully we’re now serving cities here in their back yard. ATL, BNA, RDU etc. But here’s the difference in Delta’s philosophy in SEA vs Alaska’s doing in the East.... Delta is AGRESSIVELY pursuing Alaska’s market. And I’m guessing SWA will do the same to Hawaii.
Alaska’s response is, “well we are gonna just keep being so amazing that nobody in the PNW or Alaska or California will use our competition.”
I thought that maybe since Alaska is going to all the East and Southeast destinations, maybe they’d be gearing up for trying to market themselves as a better alternative to Delta or JetBlue to people who previously never considered Alaska.... but they aren’t.
There’s no marketing of Alaska in Nashville to Nashvillians to go to SEA or SFO, or Hawaii. There’s none in ATL or RDU etc. And I wondered “Why? Why would you let Delta come in YOUR town and market themselves as the airline for Washingtonians by being THE airline for the Seahawks and not push back by marketing/educating Delta’s customers in the South, that we have a better product.
And then it dawned on me. They aren’t interested. The flights to all those cities in the East, aren’t to compete with Eastern based airlines for some of their market share with people who live in the East. They serve so cities just to give more options for folks that live in the PNW, Cali, or Alaska, or used to and know our brand already.
They want to grow our route structure, and have. But not to take the fight to the East coast, but to just hang on to or slightly gain a little more of what they’ve always been, a great PNW and Alaska based airline.
I don’t think that’s a viable strategy with what Delta and SWA are bringing to bear, but I guess time will tell.
1. Grow organically over time before they get run out by Delta in SEA and SWA to the South.
Not likely their plan since they keep pushing orders back, slowing growth projections and slowing hiring.
2. Grow through M&A.
Not looking likely soon because of what they paid for Virgin America AND the fact that they wouldn’t have even done THAT, if JBlue hadn’t forced their hand.
3. Be purchased. And go away as a brand.
I’ve been told that the leadership doesn’t want to be known as the team that sold away the Alaska legacy. But, in time they might not have a choice.
I am based in SEA but I live in the south. The land of Delta. And, thankfully we’re now serving cities here in their back yard. ATL, BNA, RDU etc. But here’s the difference in Delta’s philosophy in SEA vs Alaska’s doing in the East.... Delta is AGRESSIVELY pursuing Alaska’s market. And I’m guessing SWA will do the same to Hawaii.
Alaska’s response is, “well we are gonna just keep being so amazing that nobody in the PNW or Alaska or California will use our competition.”
I thought that maybe since Alaska is going to all the East and Southeast destinations, maybe they’d be gearing up for trying to market themselves as a better alternative to Delta or JetBlue to people who previously never considered Alaska.... but they aren’t.
There’s no marketing of Alaska in Nashville to Nashvillians to go to SEA or SFO, or Hawaii. There’s none in ATL or RDU etc. And I wondered “Why? Why would you let Delta come in YOUR town and market themselves as the airline for Washingtonians by being THE airline for the Seahawks and not push back by marketing/educating Delta’s customers in the South, that we have a better product.
And then it dawned on me. They aren’t interested. The flights to all those cities in the East, aren’t to compete with Eastern based airlines for some of their market share with people who live in the East. They serve so cities just to give more options for folks that live in the PNW, Cali, or Alaska, or used to and know our brand already.
They want to grow our route structure, and have. But not to take the fight to the East coast, but to just hang on to or slightly gain a little more of what they’ve always been, a great PNW and Alaska based airline.
I don’t think that’s a viable strategy with what Delta and SWA are bringing to bear, but I guess time will tell.
06-14-2018 | 07:20 PM
#148
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 325
Likes: 0
Fact, I know several guys that commute from Tennessee, Georgia, and NC on the vx side and all have said there has been exactly zero advertising and few have ever heard of alaska in their hometowns.
Simply anectodal evidence but, it seems Alaska only has three options:
1. Grow organically over time before they get run out by Delta in SEA and SWA to the South.
Not likely their plan since they keep pushing orders back, slowing growth projections and slowing hiring.
2. Grow through M&A.
Not looking likely soon because of what they paid for Virgin America AND the fact that they wouldn’t have even done THAT, if JBlue hadn’t forced their hand.
3. Be purchased. And go away as a brand.
I’ve been told that the leadership doesn’t want to be known as the team that sold away the Alaska legacy. But, in time they might not have a choice.
I am based in SEA but I live in the south. The land of Delta. And, thankfully we’re now serving cities here in their back yard. ATL, BNA, RDU etc. But here’s the difference in Delta’s philosophy in SEA vs Alaska’s doing in the East.... Delta is AGRESSIVELY pursuing Alaska’s market. And I’m guessing SWA will do the same to Hawaii.
Alaska’s response is, “well we are gonna just keep being so amazing that nobody in the PNW or Alaska or California will use our competition.”
I thought that maybe since Alaska is going to all the East and Southeast destinations, maybe they’d be gearing up for trying to market themselves as a better alternative to Delta or JetBlue to people who previously never considered Alaska.... but they aren’t.
There’s no marketing of Alaska in Nashville to Nashvillians to go to SEA or SFO, or Hawaii. There’s none in ATL or RDU etc. And I wondered “Why? Why would you let Delta come in YOUR town and market themselves as the airline for Washingtonians by being THE airline for the Seahawks and not push back by marketing/educating Delta’s customers in the South, that we have a better product.
And then it dawned on me. They aren’t interested. The flights to all those cities in the East, aren’t to compete with Eastern based airlines for some of their market share with people who live in the East. They serve so cities just to give more options for folks that live in the PNW, Cali, or Alaska, or used to and know our brand already.
They want to grow our route structure, and have. But not to take the fight to the East coast, but to just hang on to or slightly gain a little more of what they’ve always been, a great PNW and Alaska based airline.
I don’t think that’s a viable strategy with what Delta and SWA are bringing to bear, but I guess time will tell.
1. Grow organically over time before they get run out by Delta in SEA and SWA to the South.
Not likely their plan since they keep pushing orders back, slowing growth projections and slowing hiring.
2. Grow through M&A.
Not looking likely soon because of what they paid for Virgin America AND the fact that they wouldn’t have even done THAT, if JBlue hadn’t forced their hand.
3. Be purchased. And go away as a brand.
I’ve been told that the leadership doesn’t want to be known as the team that sold away the Alaska legacy. But, in time they might not have a choice.
I am based in SEA but I live in the south. The land of Delta. And, thankfully we’re now serving cities here in their back yard. ATL, BNA, RDU etc. But here’s the difference in Delta’s philosophy in SEA vs Alaska’s doing in the East.... Delta is AGRESSIVELY pursuing Alaska’s market. And I’m guessing SWA will do the same to Hawaii.
Alaska’s response is, “well we are gonna just keep being so amazing that nobody in the PNW or Alaska or California will use our competition.”
I thought that maybe since Alaska is going to all the East and Southeast destinations, maybe they’d be gearing up for trying to market themselves as a better alternative to Delta or JetBlue to people who previously never considered Alaska.... but they aren’t.
There’s no marketing of Alaska in Nashville to Nashvillians to go to SEA or SFO, or Hawaii. There’s none in ATL or RDU etc. And I wondered “Why? Why would you let Delta come in YOUR town and market themselves as the airline for Washingtonians by being THE airline for the Seahawks and not push back by marketing/educating Delta’s customers in the South, that we have a better product.
And then it dawned on me. They aren’t interested. The flights to all those cities in the East, aren’t to compete with Eastern based airlines for some of their market share with people who live in the East. They serve so cities just to give more options for folks that live in the PNW, Cali, or Alaska, or used to and know our brand already.
They want to grow our route structure, and have. But not to take the fight to the East coast, but to just hang on to or slightly gain a little more of what they’ve always been, a great PNW and Alaska based airline.
I don’t think that’s a viable strategy with what Delta and SWA are bringing to bear, but I guess time will tell.
06-14-2018 | 08:59 PM
#149
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 926
Likes: 2
From: This side of the dirt.
Exactly. And I wondered why at first. But, kinda like hearing the term “flying southeast” over and over and realizing they actually meant southeast Alaska, not Valdosta, GA, I realized that when they say they want to be “the West Coast” airline, they don’t mean we want to be a national airline BASED out of the West Coast, what they really mean is they wanna be a regional airline who reaches out and and touches East coast cities. So, from Alaska’s perspective Boston, JFK, ATL, BNA etc is to Alaska management what Madrid, Heathrow, and Paris are to the majors. It’s like self-imposed domestic cabotage rules.
06-15-2018 | 12:09 PM
#150
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
There’s no marketing of Alaska in Nashville to Nashvillians to go to SEA or SFO, or Hawaii. There’s none in ATL or RDU etc. And I wondered “Why? Why would you let Delta come in YOUR town and market themselves as the airline for Washingtonians by being THE airline for the Seahawks and not push back by marketing/educating Delta’s customers in the South, that we have a better product.
.
Hurtling conservatively into the past for 85 years...that's the motto up there on the lake.
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