In general, and based on line flying conversations, there are many who believe Hawaiian will eventually merge with someone. That was before SWA even sniffed Hawaii. I am one of those that always believed eventually we would be bought or merged with another Legacy. Just the natural progression of business and the way consolidation has occurred in the past decade+.

Do I think it'll be SWA? Absolutely not. Nothing about our business models matches. The only people who seem to believe SWA will buy us are the diehard SWA koolaid drinkers who think just because they are finally flying somewhere interesting they must be buying Hawaiian. (maybe it's widebody envy??!!)

I feel it will be one of the big 3 who covet our international routes and brand. On a personal note if it does happen, SWA is at the bottom of my list of hopefuls.

You mentioned bankruptcy..... We are still profitable given our small size. I should say our margins look good compared to many airlines and our relative size. Bankruptcy hasn't crossed anyone's mind as far as I can tell. There are a lot of things that could go right or wrong over the next few years.. Economy, Fuel, Competition, god forbid an accident of some sort. Bankruptcy of an airline our size could happen but we certainly aren't planning on it because Southwest is flying a few 737's over here next week.

IMO, we will eventually merge with someone because the board will see a dwindling profit margin and low returns to shareholders. The transportation industry in general is in a downward trend. Fuel prices have slowly risen and fallen. Capacity is increasing to a point where retrenching may start to occur. At some point they will decide to cash out at whatever premium they can negotiate. Just my personal opinion.

 

What’s your reason that we are on the bottom of your list? Just curious.

 

And who the F@$& is this guy!!!???

 

It'll be hard not to offend you but here are the blunt reasons... Please don't take it as a personal attack.

Personally I've never been attracted to SWA. Never applied there. Never been fond of the "culture" (dating back to pre 9/11, I know the culture and cowboy ways have changed.) I still believe that you all weren't that great post 9/11, it's that everyone else (accept JB) went through rough times and came back to your level. .

I've never bought into the way, from the moment you're a new hire it's a constant koolaid inundation. The way your new hire classes make fun of other airlines and their pilots with your skits at the end of indoc. Personally I think a lot of the people at SWA are very arrogant. Throwing back some shots and beers on a Monday or going to sniffers row on a Friday can be done anywhere, SWA doesn't have the monopoly on that. Your all not as cool as ya think. (sorry if that sounds harsh)

Look at a recent new hire picture with all of them wearing fake Hawaiian Leis and throwing shakas out. They look like a bunch of cheeseballs who have no clue what they are doing, or what the significance of a leis means or a shaka. Just comes off very arrogant. Maybe not the new hires fault, but your managements mentality.

I think many of your pilots get very defensive when someone points out a deficiency at SWA. If someone points out a deficiency at Hawaiian, I usually either agree or have a real good reason not to. I realize we have issues as do all airlines.

I have enough friends that work at SWA. Some turned out to stay really cool, others mainlined the koolaid and became complete D-bags right from indoc. Like the rest of us all of a sudden worked for inferior carriers. ( yes we have really high paying premium trips as well, our interisland guys can do a :45 minute out and back to OGG for 6:15 credit. Somehow my few Dbag friends think SWA is the only carrier with premium trips. Sorry personal tangent there)

I don't agree with the way you treated AT in the merger. If one of them speaks up or complains, they get attacked and told they should be happy to be working for such a great company. I had a couple of acquaintances at AT and they seemed happy there and never cared about getting bought by SWA.

I would rather work at another Legacy than SWA. If given a choice it would be DL, UA, then AA in that order for the variety of reasons. Followed by JB because of the people I know there and I think the two pilot groups mesh well, AK and then SWA. Honestly it's the several bad apples with the arrogant attitudes that have ruined the perception of SWA for me. My honest perception of the majority of SWA is arrogant, which is by far my least favorite quality in a person.

I would be the guy still wearing a Hawaiian lanyard and reminiscing about Hawaiian trips and people. So probably better for all that I don't end up at SWA

 

Looks like a former FLEX JET (over worked fractional guy with low pay) who ended up at Spirit.

 

I think maybe you are basing a lot of your assumptions on a few people and what you hear on APC. That does not match my experience at all at SWA, but I certainly see how one could possibly arrive at those conclusions.

I, like you, don’t get bent out of shape when someone calls a spade a spade and I know that Southwest isn’t the end all, far from it. The crews, however, are overall super people who are professional and fun to fly with. There are, of course, the one percent.

Pretty much everyone figures out about a week after new hire training is over that the kool aid mainline they fed you does not match the reality on the line. As our pilot group trends more and more civilian and less and less military, you tend to have fewer koolies. Life on the line is what I suspect it is pretty much anywhere. The crews are fighting battles to keep the operation afloat and keep winning our customers back every day despite the idiotic decisions of our overlords.

I think Hawaiian is a great airline that will continue to exist in its current form for a long time, so any theoretical merger is just that. And you’re right, SWA cannot even begin to do what Hawaiian already does. They lack the knowhow, technology, and experience and are a long way from getting there.

 

Well said Five Oh. Hopefully plenty of $ to be made by all three of us.

 

Jesus man. You absolutely nailed it. Exactly the reason I never had any interest in applying to SWA. You’re absolutely spot on with your assessment but your throat won’t be jumped down as much as mine since I’m “aquired” and have the audacity to speak negatively of my new CULTure.

Thanks man. That was a breath of fresh air to know that others see things in a similar light as some of “not real SW types”.

 

Were you at HAL in 2008? I was at Aloha and one of your capts put a flag out of the window stating Victory when AQ went out of business. Then you’ve had a monopoly interisland since, gouging the locals with high prices. Ask anyone one about Hawaiian and they’re ****ed how they treat locals. Well, now I’m at swa and love the fact that we are freaking you guys out. Well you should be cause you’re gonna start losing profits. Fair is fair!!! Maybe now you’ll take care of the locals cause the last 10 years you haven’t. This is no Aloha your competing with either. And if you can’t stand being on a swa flight for more than 30 minutes... Guess what, the locals will.
Finally you’ll see what it’s like to compete. Cheers

 

Yet. This thing is in its infancy, and not doing it like the others while winning is kinda their thing.

Yes, I said this very thing in the opening post. I can quote it if you like. They are kings of marketing, and if that's the manner they chose to take business away from you then fine. But there's also the fact that they have the ability to get in an extended price war with you and others if and when they choose. The fact that they want to do inter island flying means that the crosshairs are on HAL even though SWA will certainly hurt other legacies with this new endeavor.

Two things here. 1. SWA isn't trying to connect long haul passengers via codeshare initially. That's not their niche though I could certainly see them offering fares for inter island flying that undercut the long haul plus codeshare flight on HAL. It's a long walk over to the domestic terminal anyway at HNL. Might as well get the bags bother with security if you're gonna save enough cash. 2. They're not going to be a guppy only airline forever, and what is convenient for them now might not be what is convenient for them in the future.

Having spent considerable time on the islands I'd argue against the locals only stance. I've jumped on an HAL 717 many times to jump to another island on a lark, and don't think they won't aggressively push that angle when they get set up.

Now that is an interesting argument, and one to take seriously. But do you know what fixes gate space given a strong commitment to Hawaiian flying? Money and concrete. They're not short on the former.

It's interesting that in later posts that you too see HAL eventually merging with another airline. It tells me that you also see this cutting into slim profit margins and forcing hands regardless of what you think of your current product. Who that dance partner will be is anyone's guess, but I could see this as being one of the first dominoes to fall when the dance starts up again with the airlines.