it might be old but they're going to try it again

 

I want a CEO with a vision. Again, what is/was BJ's vision, or priorities. Wait, he said it in a CNBC interview when he took over.... it was DEI and biofuels. Amazingly, it wasn't running the leanest and meanest operation in the industry. We ceased being hungry and it's evident with all the BS and top-heavy GO. Yeah, yeah, yeah... he was appeasing the ESG gods because his bonus depends on it. Fantastic! Another thing... he lost all my respect when flew to BWI for a rally the day prior to Senate meltdown hearings, and instead of sticking around overnight and facing the music, he literally fled on a competitor airline to pull a Biden and hide in the basement until the Senate hearings were over.

So to answer your question... I want a leader, not a cheerleader. I want someone with a clue, someone with a backbone, someone with vision. I don't want another bean counter, nor do I want a stuck-in-1995 IT guy, and I certainly don't want someone incapable of making a difficult decision.

Yes, I'm a junior captain and min guarantee suits me just fine. Bring on the green bars.

 

All true words!

 

Regarding the boarding music...

​​​​​​I heard one of the 183 VPs had a eureka moment while spending time in the reflecting/crying closet. They was dreaming of the good old carefree days of playing red rover, duck duck goose, and musical chairs.... last week at puppeteer juggling college.

In a streak of brilliance, while stroking their thin, patchy beard and manbun, them realized that once onboard everything was good to go as the troops were able to yell at peeps and tell them to look left, look right and hurry up and sit down so we could (now) hurry up and be less late....

*But while in the jetway!!* if "dance club" music was played and you gave the people time to fill it up until the temperature topped 130, then you turned up the music cadence to eleventy, the people wouldn't be able to help but go equally faster!! It's really a brilliant solution. They was rightfully proud because this solution is going to be rolled out as early as next week! It will start in Jackson, Houston, Baton Rouge, and Cleveland. It's gonna be a game-changer.

 

Thankfully for the junior FO's, they will be seeing all of their big pay raises over the next few years with the new contract, so hopefully they wont feel the hit nearly as bad.
This is a very accurate description and I would say it applies to a lot of the majors, we just lived through a weird time of hiring.
While I too don't hope for much, at least they are starting the process of thinking about something new, as that is a huge step up from never changing anything.

 

You had me until you started to get cable newsy. It weakens your core argument for change.

I totally agree with you on not appearing in DC. It was a huge sign of personal weakness to send his lackey in his place. When you are the CEO, you are the one who needs to stand up and take the spears. That being said, the board is the one who decides his fate. So far, they clearly approve. Institutional investors largely control who is on the board. Clearly they are happy as well. So where does change happen?

We are just along for the ride. I do my best to make my little .1 percent that I can control better. It's all we can do. Clearly nobody is listening or cares what we think.

 

I agree with you that leadership is important. In the end, not many innovative CEO's work for the airlines. At least the smart ones. This is a airline. Flys people from point A to B. This place is unique because of it's product. Which now may change. Either it will add somerthing to it or not. That's not visionary. Thats just business. I don't consider any other airline CEO in this industry as a "visionary". This business matured long ago. They are run by managers. Visionaries have a habit of spending a lot of money and not getting a return on it. Leaving the carnage to the employees to clean up. When BJ leaves either voluntary or not, he will be replaced with same type of manager. Pre COVID, with consolidation, produced a lot of money for this industry. All run by managers. This business is a commodity. Some offer a more diverse product than others and have been able to capitalize on it and more importantly make good margins. SWA will have to figure out what their product will be. Hopefully better margins will follow.

 

https://www.reuters.com/business/aer...ys-2024-05-03/

Southwest Airlines (LUV.N) plans to offer its pilots reduced hours and, in effect, monthly pay, two people familiar with the matter said, as it grapples with higher costs and overstaffing due to delays in aircraft deliveries from Boeing (BA.N).

The Dallas-based airline, which operates an all-Boeing fleet, has been reeling from the U.S. planemaker's ongoing safety crisis. Last week it warned of a hit to earnings as it expected to receive just 20 Boeing aircraft this year, less than one-fourth of its original plans.

Southwest has called the delays "significant challenges" for this year and next as they have forced it to moderate its growth plans.

Reduced hours for pilots will help lower Southwest's salary bill without needing to resort to furloughs, the sources said. It is also intended to ensure Southwest's pilots meet the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) requirements to stay in the cockpit, allowing the company flexibility to ramp back up operations when required, they added.

The plan is likely to take effect around September and is expected to be offered to hundreds of pilots, one of the sources said.

Boeing's crisis - sparked by a January mid-air cabin panel blowout on an Alaska Air (ALK.N) - continues to ripple through the industry. Airlines have been forced to adjust fleet plans, cut capacity and manage excess staffing.

A Southwest spokesperson said the company has yet to reach an agreement with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association (SWAPA) that represents its pilots, declining to share more details.

Casey Murray, SWAPA's head, said the pilot union has had preliminary talks with the company concerning Boeing's deliveries. While the airline has not officially made a decision with respect to overstaffing, SWAPA expects to have those discussions very soon, he said.

 

Seems like people are speculating that it will be another exto. Why would they do that when uncle sniffy and taxpayers aren't paying the bill anymore? They'll way more likely ask for no-pay volunteers. If they don't get enough, it's furlough time (which I don't really expect yet.)

 

I agree. At best it will be green bars. I am sure the company wants leaves without pay .


GK hates the pilot group, or as he puts it plumbers. Furloughing them would be music to his ears.