rickair7777

They need data to make their case. The board and shareholders will not accept "all my relatives work at boeing" as the rationale for scrapping an entire fleet that they just paid $4B for.

Foofighterpilot

Yeh, for sure the decision was made long ago. All you have to do is look at the new bus interiors. Totally Boeing seats put into the bus until they can get new 737s. Then just put the seats in the new plane and wala, big savings.



BTW, the new interiors look like a cheap suit. Complete junk, uncomfortable and seats barely wide enough to put grandma in them. Just my opinion.

Mea25000

This is not true

rickair7777

It is in the real business world.

If the board is in managements pocket, then maybe you can get away with some things.

But activist shareholders, if one happens to be so burdened, can seize on something like this and make a lot of hay. Then the board might have to sacrifice an executive.

WutFace

Imagine the cost savings if we don't operate at all! All that savings in fuel -- just think about it!

Crazy to think that the Retreat to Zero plan is still in effect.

atpcliff

Every pilot at my airline, including myself, all prefer deadheading on small airbus vs 737. If everything else is about equal, here is my booking preference for single-aisle:
A220
ERJ-170/190
757
A319/32X
ERJ-195
737
CRJ 7/9
CRJ
Small ERJ
And, if I'm on a short flight, I would rather fly a CRJ7/9 than a 737...
I like Alaskan, overall, but now try and avoid them, because of the 737, and it seems that they are almost no different than any other carrier.

atpcliff

Some people book the cheapest flights. Other people look at a number of factors, including: Price, schedule, service, aircraft type, seat layout, airports in the itinerary, safety of the airline, etc., etc. It takes less effort and less analyzing to just book the cheapest ticket.

WutFace

Here's a thought that will make you spit the Kool-Aid right out of your mouth:

You've never heard a passenger complain about a 737 at Alaska Airlines, because passengers who don't like flying on 737s ... don't fly on Alaska.

There's a whole market of discriminating passengers that will avoid a guppy, an RJ, a 5am departure, or First Class seat on a 6 hour transcon without a foot rest. And you'll never meet a single one.

So your observations about an uncaring traveler might be true, but you're not seeing the whole market.

All Bizniz

I'm not saying we didn't have our struggles, but it's not unusual for start-ups to not be profitable for a few years... sometime many years. It all depends on the business/exit strategy. Cash flow/paying your creditors is sometimes all that's important in the beginning.

In VX's case, we were a privately held company for the first few years. During that time, the investors were making money hand over fist (20% return I think, in the super low interest rate environment of 2008 onwards) while VX showed a "loss" on the books.

Creative corporate accounting is used all the time by smart business leaders in pursuit of a larger strategic business objective.

I don't know if this was one of VX management's exit strategy, but we clearly saw them pivot to fattening the pig (solid profits in the books) and then quickly selling us off for a princely sum to the highest bidder.

And the rest is history...

KnockKnock

What’s with you guys turning an observation I made into towing the company line? It’s always your first line of attack. You guys have rendered that statement toothless from over use. I shared something that happened while boarding that stuck out because I haven’t ever heard pax complain about the plane they’re on, (non RJ), before. It’s funny that I am the one accused of drinking the kool aid but you’re so indoctrinated into old VX and the Airbus that if you hear something to contradict your warm fuzzy, you immediately attack the person as a kool aid drinking company tool. Insecure much? Here’s something for you to chew on champ. Not my first airline and I commuted for 10 years on many different airlines on many different airplanes. Never before had I heard anyone complain about riding on a 737 or A320 let alone compare the two and side with one over the other. You’re telling me 10 years worth of traveling public strategically picked their plane so they would have the best airplane ride of their life? This super pro VX and super pro Airbus B.S. may just be construed as “drinking the kool aid”. Sorry your source has been cut off. You’re gonna have to get your fix elsewhere.