Eric Stratton

I find it interesting that all the majors started bleeding cash right after 9-11 while southwest continued to be profitable quarter after quarter and this was before the jump in fuel prices. Why couldn't CAL (or any other major for that matter) turn a profit before the fuel increases while southwest was able to.

CargoBob

Tell me you are using sarcasm with that last question....Do you really think you can compare SWA w/ any Legacy carrier???? Apples and oranges dude. No one--not a sole even at SWA--could have predicted SWA success. And if they did, they are BSing at best. SWA has built an incredible airline, but I'm not on the SWA forever bandwagon. They will have some problems (maybe minor), maybe not for 5 years...but they will! With guys willing to fly at teacher salaries for jetblue its just a matter of time before SWA tries to go Intl. then things change.

Compare the Legacies dumba__. You have CAL and AAL "right now" leading the pack and may continue to run for 10 years.

Ottopilot

Many FO's prefer to fly the 767 and 777 rather than the 737 as CA. 1/2 of the CAL pilots retire in the next 8-10 years. CAL has 4500 pilots and pilots with the 3400 numbers are holding EWR 737 CA. Yes it is true. (unless something happens)

Ottopilot

I think we are talking real airlines, not "Walmart Airlines". Walmart does well when things are bad too. Easy to make money when you don't spend any money on customer service or comforts.

Eric Stratton

cargo bob

You seem to be as bright as just about any management out there. Here's a definition of apples to apples and apples to oranges.

apples to apples, legacies carry passengers and just like southwest does. hence apples and apples.

apples to oranges, legacies carry passengers while cargo carries, guess what bob, they carry cargo.

that's apples to apples and apples to oranges.

Who cares if anyone could have predicted southwests success after 9-11. They did it which proved itself while everyone else lost hundreds of millions and southwest kept turning a profit. They've had consistantly lower load factors than the majors and still turned profits.

I love how manangement says they don't compete agains LCC's because that isn't what they're selling up until they come to their employees for paycuts because they are losing to the LCC's.

Why would I want to compare airlines that have record load factors along with record losses. Their sole plan it to outlast the other majors and not transform into what will make money. I heard a number 2 guy say this "we don't compete against the LCC's because that isn't what we do but we will not get beat on ticket prices." Huh. That to me seems like they do, because if they didn't, then they wouldn't care about the passenges who fly the LCC's.

Bob you must be a fan of wheel of fortune. See if you can get this one.
J_CK_SS

Eric Stratton

Then maybe that's what the airlines are coming to. If they aren't going to pay for the customer service or comforts then maybe they shouldn't get any. It's a simple concept give the customer what it is willing to pay for or at least charge a price that will make you money.

ps when did southwest not become a real airline?

Ottopilot

Since they are like Greyhound. I've flown on them, never again. But then, I don't even like coach on nice airlines. I guess I'm spoiled.

Eric Stratton

yea I wasn't a fan either but guess what, we as airline employees aren't the customer. coach is coach they all suck once you get used to first. the difference is that the airlines with first class are losing money while that greyhound airline isn't.

Short Bus Drive

That IS odd, to me I guess. I did meet a 18+ year FO on the 767. We were jumpseating from DTW to EWR (he eventually going to Rome). He said he would rather stay in the right seat, and have quality, and hard line than to go to the left. I just thought he was a rare one. But I also just talked to another friend, he said there are a lot like that at CAL.
Still waiting for the call.

fireman0174

Lots of them at UAL. Huge difference in the quality of life as a 747 or 777 F/O to Asia and Europe vs. narrow body junior 737/A320 Captain on reserve or crummy line. I never did it that way, but I certainly understood why it occured.