Ok, I'll bite. 1/3 to 1/2 of the American public will probably not be spending $$$ on discretionary air travel for the next year or more. Revenue generated by codeshare with Volaris/WestJet could help keep the company profitable in a time when other's are not. SWA might emerge from the severe economic turbies with a stronger balance sheet due and ready to hurdle everybody else once again.

As for GK, doesn't a lack of expansion cause per unit labor cost to increase? Ie, fewer folks at the bottom of the pay-scale?

Selfishly, codeshare probably hurts my chance for a class date. I wish the climate justified SWA adding service to Cancun and San Juan tomorrow. But if the conditions are too risky, why not take the easy $$$ and vote for air tight contract language?

Fire away with "kool aid drinker" + "military guys always vote YES" = "stay in the pool and shut up."

 

Respectfully, as a father of a 20 year old and a 15 year old, I think that is a very poor comparison.

I do agree that code share is a bad thing, SWA flying on SWA jets, by SWA pilots. Trust me, I get it.

All I am saying is that we don't know the new wording. What if (I know someone will say I need to be drug tested for this) the contract does actually contain stronger language on code share? After all that IS the rumor that is going around. Yet I see all sorts of people just complaining that they won't supportthe TA. A TA that they haven't read.

That's all I'm asking, get the facts before you praise the TA or declare it DOA.

 

I think the concern is OK, it helps in the short run (maybe), but when things do turn around, how do you turn the cose shared flights into a SWA flight?

Do these code shares have expiration dates? Is that was is being refered to as the "Stronger language on code share" that has been rumored in the new TA?

While my position may be influenced by the fact that we would end up in classes sooner without code share(and trust me, with my interview date and the fact that I have retired from the military already, I am VERY concerned about the 18 month pool time limit). I think code shares just open a can of worms that like Thinking man states is like crack and once it starts, how do you control it and keep it from contolling you.

However, I still want to see what the actual wording is before I praise or burn the TA.

 

I'm replying thru your post to any and all.

As a former UAL guy, I say don't let retro pay or a pay raise blind you to the potential damage scope give a way can do. Make the company train to the international standard and fly the routes.....period!

Don't loose the sight picture to go after the carrot!

Lee

 

Not yet, BOD is still waiting for final language so they can vote on it. They are scheduled to meet at the end of the month. If they vote to send it out to membership we will see it sometime in march.

 

Funny...you said "if"

 

That's the question, isn't it?? When will things turn around?? My bet is longer than the 18 months that the PD says our pool status is good for (btw, I think that timeframe is a arbitrary...I just do not see SWA dumping the pool, it's not their style...consider poolies circa 9/11).

Yeah, codeshare is bad...in the long run. Hopefully SWAPA constricts the codeshare noose so tight that not even the best aviation lawyer in history (Herb) could get out of it.

I just want to see my future employer with a strong balance sheet when this economic disaster passes.

 

Well codesharing wasn't SWA's style either, now it is. Keep your options open.

I wouldn't trust SWAPA leadership or SWAPA to accomplish much. I don't see much spine in the leadership, and kool-aide drinkers run very deep among some pilots that unity doesn't seem likely.

I want to see SWA strong also, but looking at history, what Major airline has come out stronger from codesharing.

 

SWA had a previous codeshare with ATA and before that with Icelandair.

Was the company growing fast enough to keep everybody from grumbling too loudly?

 

You're right, the BOD will vote to pass it on to the membership.