Can Alaska Air Fight Off Virgin America?
 

Let's see what The HomeTeam is made of. I included the link to the news article because I also found the reader's comments (in SoundOff) rather interesting.

From Seattle PI:

Virgin America will begin flying Tuesday between Seattle and San Francisco, encroaching on Seattle-based Alaska Airlines' territory with low fares, mood-lit cabins, sleek leather seats, video-touch screens and -- later this year -- Internet service.

As Alaska Airlines phrased it in a recent internal memo to supervisors, "Today's competitive threat is the most significant we've faced in years." About 25 percent of the seats on Alaska flights and on flights of sister airline Horizon are between the Pacific Northwest and California.

Virgin's celebration begins with its passengers in San Francisco, who will be offered Seattle coffee, grunge music and its custom "Vir-million" champagne cocktails. The company spent $2 million retrofitting each Airbus A320 with electronics. Virgin America, which has no connection to Virgin Atlantic, is minority-held by Virgin Group.

"Seattle is an incredibly important market for San Francisco and Los Angeles," Virgin America President and Chief Executive David Cush said Monday. "We also have a product that is very much focused on high-tech, on consumer electronics. ... It is unlike anything that is flying in the domestic market."

Alaska Airlines will counter Tuesday with Alaska Spirit Day, offering employee prizes, including gift cards to Starbucks, Costco and Marriott Hotels. The next day, Alaska will hold an employee reception at Seattle headquarters.

"Alaska Spirit Day coincides with the start of Seattle-San Francisco service by our newest competitor -- Virgin America," according to the memo obtained by the Seattle P-I. "However, our battle to succeed has always been a fight against all carriers that fly on our routes, notably Southwest. We'll face more new competition from JetBlue, starting May 21."

Alaska's battle plan involves more than just engaging employees, said Steve Jarvis, Alaska's vice president of marketing, sales and customer experience.

It is countering with a new mileage plan -- "SEA Double" offers double miles on some routes -- additional flights, matched fares, better food and a new "West Most" advertising campaign. It will counter Virgin's $77 one-way San Francisco fare with a $73 fare.

"It's very Seattle-to-California oriented, and we're going to have some fun with it," Jarvis said.

Among the new flights from the Pacific Northwest to California, Alaska is adding three flights per day to Los Angeles, bringing the total to 15, to better compete with Virgin America's three daily flights to LAX beginning April 8.

"You're not late for one -- you're early for the next," Jarvis said of the shuttle model.

On the routes that Virgin America flies, Alaska will replace warm nuts and pizza in first class with fresh fruit, gourmet cheese, French toast, Asian rice noodle salad and Mediterranean pasta.

It is also trumpeting its all-Boeing fleet with "buy local, fly local" billboards.

"The message there, especially to Puget Sound, is we are an all-Boeing fleet. We are a great Boeing customer. Boeing is a customer of ours as well," Jarvis said. "The message is really geared toward the Northwest."

Because of ongoing pilot union negotiations, Alaska's key message may be lost on passengers Tuesday. While Virgin America's San Francisco-to-Seattle customers get champagne, Alaska's customers will get leaflets from the pilots claiming that the "spirit ... is nearly gone."

"You can't win the West with empty saddles," said David Campbell, an Alaska pilot and union spokesman. "They're really hoping that we'll be able to beat Virgin, and they are doing it with the memory of the Alaska spirit. They haven't done what it takes to engage us."

The pilots have been in contract negotiations for 15 months, and pay, retirement, health insurance and job protection remain stumbling blocks, said Sean Cassidy, an Alaska captain and a union vice chairman.

"We want to take on Virgin. We want to take on JetBlue. We don't want to be given platitudes and pep rallies."

Virgin CEO Cush commented briefly on the competition with Alaska in an interview.

"I think what they're going to have the most trouble competing with will be when we have the electronic platform on the aircraft," he said, adding, "that said, Alaska is a great airline. I'm sure they'll compete just fine."

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/busine...avirgin18.html

It's the same everywhere, good airlines are going downhill. I wouldn't be surprised to see Alaska pilots take another pay cut to compete with the likes of VA. Anyone under the age of 45 in this industry that isn't seriously taking steps to get out is foolish. I've got one foot out the door.

Alaska Airlines is not a GOOD airline. Sorry, I love the pilots and attendants but the airline just sucks. I must have flown them (and continue to as they're the only player) about 20 times over the last 1.5 years between ANC and southern California and I'd bet almost 50% of my flights have some sort of delay/problem - often maintenance. Their MD80s absolutely suck. Sorry, but if Virgin America and do a better job then we should welcome them. Regardless, Alaska owns the ANC market and I'd love to see some competition up there just to force improvements.

I'm an MVP Gold on Alaska/Horizon. I think they are the best airline around from a customer service/passenger standpoint. I go out of my way to use them whenever possible and I'm rarely disappointed. But, yeah, the MD80's need to go away.

Can Alaska Air Fight Off Virgin America?
 

de727UPS:

Thanks for your business at Alaska. We really appreciate it!

Don't worry...the mighty mad dog will be gone in August. The MD is a great plane though...if maintained right. But, when an airframe is on the way out, it is given just the bare essentials in regards to maintenance.

I don't think so. This group will pound sand if we don't get a big raise. This airline is bringing in record profits after 76 years of business. They can afford to give us a raise. And in 76 years of business they have seen plenty of competition before. It's not a new phenomenon. VA won't put us anywhere near out of business. Our on time will continue to be dismal if management continues to ignore our deserved big raise.

Amazing what an airline can accomplish if it finds pilots who will work for far less than they're worth.

Although not a professional airline pilot, my “knowledge” of airlines in general and Alaska in particular comes from my friendship with one of the captains. This friendship is also the reason I take certain things so personally when a normal, reasonable person would not give it a second thought.

Viewing this as a passenger and customer, I find a little competition to be healthy. If the media is to be believed, Alaska is using this latest threat to spiff up its own service, schedule and fare structure. Did anyone look at the PI link with the pictures? The 9th one shows the interior of a VA plane. The mood lighting is very appealing; makes me wonder why I still have such a strong, sentimental affinity to the MD-80. And I really don’t care to eat Asian noodles, but that’s just me.

Can anyone confirm that the informational flyer is indeed being handed out to passengers? What feedback was received? I wonder about the efficacy of these types of brochures. Being an advocate of non-confrontational methods, I am a little disturbed by the implied threat of a strike. However, I understand the reasons behind it. I have said many times before on this board that if there is ever a strike, this lawyer is going down to the picket line with food and drink and moral support for my friends. [I might even be persuaded to fly my little C-172 and drop stink bombs on the roof of Alaska headquarters! ;)]

A final thought – is it possible to negotiate collaboratively given a “common enemy” in the form of Virgin America? The way I see it, management and the pilot group cannot do without the other and both sides know that. By trying to knock down the other side, you are only hurting yourself in the long term.

To the mods, I apologize if this post is out of place or in some way inappropriate. Please delete as you see fit. Better yet, give me an infraction. :p

Here I go again being negative. I have been told the leaflets were accepted well by customers. There was no implied threat of a strike. Although, a majority of pilots (as discovered through polling) feel self-help is the only way to get management to negotiate. A large percentage of the pilot group is tired of being knocked down and just don't care what happens.

A big raise? You're joking right? I hope you guys get it, but I just don't see it happening with oil north of $100 and the country in a recession. I don't think you realize how much damage VA could do to your company.

Damage
 

How much Damage is VA going to do to YOUR company? AW.

Alaska as a company can deal with the VA "threat", but every other pilot group should be thinking about the threat that VA pilots pose to this industry when they agree to work for below substandard compensation. By below substandard, I mean that nearly everyone is working for substandard compensation in the majors and now VA pilots wh0re themselves out for even less. That is the real threat...not a few flights per day between SEA and SFO. To argue that oil at $100/BL should prevent pilots from getting paid what they are worth is ridiculous. That is flawed thinking and exactly what management wants to hear. They argue the same point, then laugh all the way to the bank because the stupid pilots are too scared to demand something better. Senior management at Alaska didn't take a pay cut, why should we?

Very little since I'm now in the health care industry. Why wait years for six figures when you can have it now along with job security(something you'll never see at Alaska). The only jobs worth having in aviation now are hauling boxes. How pathetic is that?

Just curious, did you get your medical training on the internet? :cool:

Alaska pilots will not voluntarily take a pay cut. Period.

Amen.

No one would or could have foreseen that Americans would pay $50 PLUS a fuel surcharge to ship a 10 lb. box, yet balk at paying $99 to bring Grandma out for a visit.

No. Not joking. We will get a raise or we WILL walk. Our paycuts were not earned because our company couldn't pay the bills. It was given to us without a judge, while making profits, while every other work group got a raise, and LITERALLY over night! I would strike right now if we were allowed to. If the company goes under due a strike, well, I'm smart enough to make what I make elsewhere anyway.
This company has been raking in RECORD profits AND THIS IS AFTER 76 YEARS OF BUSINESS. Believe me, they can afford to give us a raise! Good luck with your med passes.

No raise and late flights?hmmmmmmmmmm :eek:great plan

I haul boxes and do not see a problem with it and its not a pathetic job from my view point besides how many ppl can say they see beautiful sunrises and sunsets on a weekly basis?
Without us box haulers as you call us you would,nt be getting your BOXES savvy!



There are old pilots and bold pilots ,but there are no old bold pilots!

That would depend on what a visit from Grandma is like, wouldn't it?:eek:

....Noted.

Pretty pathetic if you ask me <BG>. But hey, I wanted to be a cargo dog. Box management at least smart enough to ask for a fare that earns a profit which is what the pax management won't do and blaming pilots. How pathetic is that? <ng>

Wanna trade checks? Sorry that we strike you as "pathetic".

I think he was referring to the state of the passenger airlines being pathetic, not freight haulers.

Ya get what you pay for,ppl do not give a damn about service as evidence that they will not pay for it so we have what we have .
Thank John Q public .Imagine going back in time and telling ppl what the state of ailines would be from then till now and they would think you were nuts.:(





Don,t call me surely !

HP,

I deleted my previous because after reading it I was disappointed in myself. Based on your previous posts I would think that this industry is not where you should be. Also it looks like the box haulers are doing pretty good so why slame them with your "pathetic" comment. Please don't put down those who chose to "buy" their type rating when obviously you must have invested something in your new career. I think my investment turned out pretty good and I hope yours does also.

I had an Alaska Capt on my jumpseat yesterday. Super guy - I hope you folks at Alaska prevail. He was laughing at Alaska management's strategy of countering VA by offering cookies - yep, that will sway the passengers.

About $200K/yr as an f/o pathetic.

One quick word about HPilot and his comment (The only jobs worth having in aviation now are hauling boxes. How pathetic is that?). If you put it in context, I think he was decrying the state of passenger airlines today. Gone are the days when people dressed in their Sunday best to go flying after forking over good money. Today, the majority of the flying public come on board wearing t-shirts and flip flops, and toss their garbage bag "carry on" into the bin crushing everyone else's replica Burberry trench coat.

The following is from a Seattle Times columnist, Ron Judd, in today's edition:

Interesting how the "home town" journalist seems to like beating up on HIS states airline. How pathetic is that? Guys like him must really appreciate the constant undercutting to get to the "greyhound" crowd. Hopefully they'll import some foreign journalist to undercut his "petty job" and then he can pout while we sit back and laugh at him. Pretty sad in my book. Funny how the cost of fuel, airplanes, gate leases, MX costs, insurance, advertising, etc., have ALL gone up, but the quality of our passengers has gone so far down it's embarassing, and yet new airlines are FIGHTING to lower the bar even more to attract even lower class flying passengers. Next thing you know we'll have a "welfare airline" that'll accept foodstamps and welfare checks for payment..........:rolleyes:

I personally think we should all go out of our way to welcome these "I'll fly for anything" VA pilots. They'll never get on my jumpseat.

Pilots like this are destroying the industry. I'm getting to the point that if you are not a union pilot in the large regional or major catagories you will not get on my jumpseat.

The problem with that is it could screw the rest of your pilot group trying to fly on that guys jumpseat for the rest of his career.

Denying Jumpseat privelages is a very bad idea that can bite the rest of the pilots at one's company in the butt.

Well said!

I'm not so sure denying jumpseats is such a bad idea if it is coordinated through the union leadership of all union carriers. For example, a period of say 3 weeks during peak season set up much like a picket line. This may help our brothers and sisters at the LCCs get a card drive going and organize and put a stop to the fleecing of our profession. Admittedly this has never happened before but in the spirit of the recent Wall Street picket this may be an effective tactic if all participate.

You must not commute to work??

For your fellow CAL pilots that do, please rethink that decision if that's your final answer.

Thanks.

What is it exactly that a big chunk of your CAL cronies did for the industry? You are a hell of a stone thrower for a guy who lives in scab infested glass house. Do they ride your jumpseat? Or do you talk as big in the crew lounge as you do on the internet???

Reggie,

First let me say as a CAL pilot I am embarrassed, and I do apologize for his take. I can say without a DOUBT that his view of denying JS on this topic is shared by very few other CAL pilots, if at all.

IE...in our EWR base, I have flown with several pilots who use jetBlue as their primary means (or back up) of getting to and from work between the Florida and EWR markets on regular basis. Although I have never jumped on JB, our pilots who do so sing JB's praises time and time again for their professionalism in providing JSs for our pilots.

I am not saying any union is perfect, but for those airlines that are not unionized yet, we need to encourage them to do so in today's industry.....not turn them off to the union idea by having a few "maverick individuals" denying the JS to those pilots.

Again....my apologies.

SoCal

maybe the problem is that it is only a few maverick pilots doing this and not every union pilot.

someone said that we could screw a pilot group by denying VA a jumpseat to work. well couldn't the argument be made that VA is screwing with most pilot groups out their with those pay rates and work rules. what's the ramifications of that?

why don't we hold pilots accountable for their actions or inactions?

I have no problem with competition from other airlines. I just have a problem when that competition is between pilot groups and while he/she is possible screwing me i'm suppose to take it and say "thank you sir, may I have another"

"someone said that we could screw a pilot group by denying VA a jumpseat to work."

That was me, thanks.

"I just have a problem when that competition is between pilot groups and while he/she is possible screwing me i'm suppose to take it and say "thank you sir, may I have another"

Or, it could be a chance to explain your point of view on unions.....