Airline Pilot Central Forums - Southwest to buy AirTran Airways

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Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876943)

It will certainly be better than working at a junk company like Delta or United. Welcome aboard AirTran!

I really would not call United or Delta junk companies...contracts can become better...

Did you get turned down?...usually the reason for dumb comments on a web board.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876952)

AirTran called junk, that's okay. Delta called junk, it's too juvenile?

I think both are obnoxious - that's my point.

That's his point too. The thread is getting juvenile.

And we haven't really gotten into the red meat, where the SW pilots will start explaining Allegheny-Mohawk, Bond-McCaskill, and the concept of gratitude. I don't mean the LUV pilots will do it because they're jerks: they'll do it because it always "goes there", in any merger. Although I must admit the Frontier example was particularly rich. I guess the closer to the heavens above one of the parties is, the worse it gets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Bligh (Post 876959)

I have never been as deeply disapointed in my airlne pilot peers, as I have after reading this thread. As a self proclaimed hater of the WN business model, I'm sure in part this feeling comes from such a large dose of WN spew all at once.

What arrogance! "The oportunity to work"? The thought that somehow ATL's local work ethic problems are the fault of the airlines that fly there and WN is magically going to change that by bully roughshodding AirTran employees?

Where did that come from?

Quote:

Originally Posted by djrogs03 (Post 876855)

I wonder how cheap the ATL to other Hub routes for DAL will get? I can't see DAL making money when you got LUV 737's competing against a 767 to SLC or 757's to MSP & DTW

Not sure I get that unless you are looking at hourly operaitng cost as the measure which it isn't. Lowest CASM in our fleet our 753s not our 737-700s. And a route like a ATL-SLC is packed out with heavy equipment doing it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876868)

Didn't the original slot compromise from Delta/LCC involve selling some slots to AirTran? That plan might get SWA approval now. I wonder if SWA already has agreed on a price to buy the other slots from Spirit?

Yep. But I'm sure DAL could move it back to a straight slot swap with LCC given new evidence that the DOT's requirements for divesture to SWA are no longer necessary.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesasurvivor (Post 876879)

Anyone who follows the industry knows that Southwest has been eyeing AirTran for a long time for alot of different reasons.

Check

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesasurvivor (Post 876879)

2. As far as competition, DAL has nothing to worry about with Southwest purchasing Airtran. Yes, there will be increased competition in ATL because of the greatly expanded route map that Southwest brings to the table, but Delta is a very strong competitor & both airlines can expect to reap benefits of increased passenger flow due to increased fare competition (Southwest effect). Nobody is going to win....nobody is going to lose. Everyone is going to be busier!

^ spot on. AirTran had drawn down there flights, now they can draw them back up again.

But AirTran has been here for a while and DAL has been dealing with them. Now that the paint changes on the plane the real competition begins this time not in the timetables or the ramp or in the air but in DAL's marketing and operations. This is why I see a silver lining in this as the competiton will only make Delta a better airline, and probably feistier and snap some people on the front lines out of their inattention to detail.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesasurvivor (Post 876879)

5. Pilot wages....the AirTran folks will now have a contract (SWAPA) that provides pay greater than their comrades across the ramp at DL and benefits that far exceed what they care currently making.

If the competion in ATL is making higher than DAL, thats only a good thing for DAL.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mesasurvivor (Post 876879)

Both companies have been financially succesful in an era where almost EVERY one of it's competitors (Delta, Northwest, United, USAirways, etc. etc.) and ESPECIALLY their employees went through the meat grinder of bankruptcy.

Here is the warning, you're about to go from 5 legacy carriers to 3. That means a lot more competition can be focused on competition while there is a mutual respect for capacity discipline between the legacies in each others back yards. Lessons learned, for now. That might change.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewrbasedpilot (Post 876924)

So I guess all the B-717 pilots have to go buy a type rating now????? ;)

:D Why does SWA still do that? I don't get it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dash8widget (Post 876928)

Doesn't AirTran have a business class section on their planes? Unless SWA plans on changing its MO, the big drop in the number of business class seats in the ATL market could be a good thing for DAL.

Good question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gear Down (Post 876935)

I would not want to be a new hire (or still under probation) at AT. Plan on going back to Obama Care and the soup line looking for a job.

You don't have to go on Obama Care until your sick, right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by contrail67 (Post 876960)

I really would not call United or Delta junk companies...contracts can become better...

Did you get turned down?...usually the reason for dumb comments on a web board.

I normally wouldn't call any company a junk airline. That language seems to be in favor with Delta pilots when they refer to AirTran.

Can we all agree that's not acceptable?

Quote:

Originally Posted by djrogs03 (Post 876855)

I wonder how cheap the ATL to other Hub routes for DAL will get? I can't see DAL making money when you got LUV 737's competing against a 767 to SLC or 757's to MSP & DTW

What, is there something magical about SWA 737s? Do they somehow reverse the economic law of "economy of scale"? Maybe they reverse the law of "supply and demand", too! Maybe there is an aesthetic angle....are SWA 737s "prettier" than DAL 767s or 757s and therefore are "better" and consequently "make more money"....I don't think so, -in fact, why do they call 737s "fluffs"?

Assuming the future airfares on average are the same for DAL and SWA between ATL and SLC, which will make more money from operations, -2 737s carrying 130 pax each or one 767 carrying 260 pax?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Britpilt (Post 876678)

New gates are coming with the opening of the new terminal next year.

15 gates...all international. That's not going to help sh!t in ATL.

I really don't think SWA will be happy with turn times in ATL.. Will they pull out?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876971)

I normally wouldn't call any company a junk airline. That language seems to be in favor with Delta pilots when they refer to AirTran.

Can we all agree that's not acceptable?

really??

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876943)

It will certainly be better than working at a junk company like Delta or United. Welcome aboard AirTran!

...

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvJockey (Post 876868)

"That plan might get SWA approval now"???!! It's up to SWA to approve the slot swap? I thought that was a government function. You SWA guys crack me up.

The sad thing is you are probably right - if SWA doesn't object to something, then the FAA/DOT probably won't either. But it's nice to see that you are acknowledging that the FAA/DOT is in fact a puppet of SWA :rolleyes: