I was laughing so hard when I saw that. Then I got to the angry birds thing.

That may or may not be a horrible addiction of mine...

Not only that, but adjusted for 1000 mile stage lengths (widely regarded within the industry as one of the fairest way to get apples to apples CASM numbers) SWA is 10 cents and we are 12 cents. However, much if not all (and then some) of that 2 cents of cost with us involves the very costly international operation and multipule fleet types. With those two problems come significant revenue opportunities that you don't get without those, well, problems.

SWA is now taking over our single most significant domestic opponent, that we have competed very, VERY well against lately (despite the fact that their costs were significantly lower than SWA's are now) and they are jacking up the costs at that portion of their operation as well as the costs at their original mothership (2nd fleet type, merger issues, busier and busier/delay ridden airports/ops, massive upcoming media blitz [Clark Howard can only do so much for them for free], etc).

So their 2 cent adjusted stage length CASM advantage, already offset strongly by the absense of significant international and a global first class network, will continue to increase while ours remains flat or decreases as we dramatically pay down debt and migrate to wards a more fuel efficient fleet at the same time. SWA does get the revenue from a larger network than AT used to get out of ATL, but they can't even come remotely close to copying the non stop destinations out of ATL, and they never will. Their cost advantage in ATL is both miniscule and slipping rapidly. The glass ceiling on their revenue there is higher than AT's once was, but its still low and thick.

They are still a well run airline, and like others have mentioned, that will help us get even better. Needless to say, most of us really like our odds and welcome them to town. Bring it y'all. Your Midas touch is over, the playing field is level and the trend vectors on both sides bode very well for us.

Thanks but you really didn't answer my question. What happens when you "opt in" that didn't happen before?

No clue. :) I haven't noticed anything different.

Haha. I don't think so. Sounds like you are a backpack guy.

Nope, I haven't used a backpack since college.

Take a good look around campus and you'll see a pile of our guys carrying them. I was surprised when I came over to the varsity side at how many have them after all the rocks being thrown on the forums about regional guys carrying backpacks. In fact, I've flown with more guys here that have backpacks than I did at the regional.

It seems to have increased even more since we stopped carrying flight kits.

The auto notification doesn't actually start being used until the 22nd.

Its outside of security. Not really worth it IMHO unless you have a long sit.

The difference here is guys put them on their roller board, not on their shoulders.

usually..... definitely not always.