shoelu

After the merger closes, AirTran will be merged into a new limited liability company set up as a Texas company, LLC Sub, which will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Southwest.

shoelu

I wish I was drunk so I would have an easier time believing this. What exactly was I supposed to take away from: "The MC was packing up to leave when the SWAPA guys showed up with a six pack and said, in effect, let's talk." Do you really and truly believe that SWA was letting SWAPA broker a $3 BILLION deal that they would have to write the check for? I have talked on several occasions with my reps. They, unlike yours, are incredibly tight lipped about any specific negotiations. I guess I will just have to rely on your accounts as to what the truth truly is.

JohnDeere

If I had pulled off such a coup, I'd be tight lipped too.

MaxPowers

Unfortunately, that is, in essence, what happened.

The MEC did authorize the MC to resume talks on a more casual basis, but the "starting point" of the negotiations was misunderstood. . . . MEC believed they were authorizing them to start from point previous to GK's proposal, MC understood begin from GK proposal.

Hence the misfire (AIP). It was basically a miscommunication, not rogue negotiators, nor were they chloroformed.

AirTran pilots are not the enemy. ALPA is not the antichrist, and SWAPA is certainly no angel. Both pilot groups need to remember that they're going to have to work together (regardless of some SWA pilots' fantasies).

shoelu

What coup are you referring to? Did I miss something? Do we have an agreement that I didn't hear about? If the MC was truly negotiating in the dark with SWA (not SWAPA, a fact that seems to be falling on deaf ears) did they really think that this terrible deal that they had to keep a secret, would ever get past the MEC? Are the MC members not AT ALPA? Please inform me why they would ever broker this secret deal if it was such a bad idea and had no chance of passing the MEC or membership.

Andy

Do some homework? What is it that I got wrong - I was merely dissecting your (completely implausible) story.

Get my own house in order? Huh? My house is in order. Thanks to age 65, I've been on unpaid 'leave' (yeah, we'll call it leave; so much nicer than furlough) and have been hanging around the house for a while now. Heck, I've even been using our pool water to water the landscaping, allowing me to get our pool's chemical balance in perfect order this summer. When we moved in last fall, the calcium hardness and CYA levels were through the roof and it looked like I'd need to drain the entire pool. Instead, I was able to recycle the old pool water on our landscaping. Now my calcium hardness is below 450 and my cyanuric acid level is 65. Sweet!
I've been keeping the entire inside of our house clean; I do the dishes, mop the floors, etc. I've even steam cleaned the carpets several times over the last year. I'm not allowed to do the laundry though; my wife doesn't let me.
I've changed the oil, transmission fluid, transmission filter, and antifreeze on both cars. I've even got a car detailing kit where I've spent a couple of days polishing both cars.
I've put tint on some of our home windows to reduce the heat from the sun. It's darned hot here in Tucson.
Yes, I'd say my house is in order. Even my wife, a clean freak, agrees with me.


If AAI's MC was really missing for that long, it's too bad that someone at AAIALPA dodn't have the good sense to get each AAI MC member's picture on the back of milk cartons. Maybe they would've been found before they agreed on SL9. You might want to suggest that at your next AAIALPA meeting - call it Operation Milk Carton.

shoelu

It just seems that it is incredibly unlikely that this deal was brokered over several days and the MEC was never brought up to speed as to what was being agreed to. Maybe I am wrong and it is completely plausible and I am missing something along the way, it certainly wouldn't be the first time.

I wholeheartedly agree that AT pilots are not the enemy and we very well need to work together some day. My discontent is placed solely on the shoulders of Management for choosing to travel down a road that is so clearly marked with land mines. That exasperation sometimes spills over to my posts and has unintended consequences for which I apologize.

OscartheGrouch

News flash for you DAL folks. As far as cutting people off while taxiing goes it is not exclusive to SWA. Cut off personally by a DAL 767 in PBI after both ground and tower asked him to hold short for little 'ol SWA (me).

If an AT plane was cut off I am sure it was an accident.

The Oscar

JohnDeere

Probably so.

I've never screwed up----as far as you know.

JohnDeere

This is not a criticism, just an observation. After the last few weeks of "discussion" re: AIP, I am starting to understand that part of the SW mystique lies in disinformation (i.e., only tell the pilots what they want to hear.) Maybe that's the way! What we're doing is clearly giving the wrong impression.

But make no mistake; your MC (maybe even management) has yet to demonstrate any real level of respect to the AT pilot group. Lip service only. I am hopeful that this is just posturing.

The bottom line, your MC aimed way too high and now have to go back to work----something that was clearly never envisioned based on recent developments. Talk to your MC. It might prove interesting.