JohnDeere

I will attempt to explain how this deal plays out for the Airtran pilots, at least the deal that was eventually turned down by the Airtran MEC. Many Southwest pilots and a surprising number of Airtran pilots were/are clueless. Of course, there will always be the contingent who can't get their minds off the short-term motivator (money.)

Pros:

1. A pay raise. (No JCBA, no SW CBA, no SW work rules, no TFP, just pay.)
2. Much improved management and, hopefully, the remaining dingbats fired.

Cons:

1. Reduced flying. Already started. Income opportunities shrinking each month.
2. Agreement to base all pilots in ATL. Uh, oh. There will only be slots for about ½.
3. Therefore (see #2) the remaining ½ become nomads chasing their seats from coast to coast.
4. Extension of integration from 18 months to approximately 36 months.
5. No transfer to Sw CBA until integrated (a few crews at a time.)
6. Oh yeah, bye-bye seniority. “No Sw pilot will be harmed.” How true.
7. Senior FO's have no hope of upgrade for a decade, and that's with growth.

Now, think what you will about the Airtran group but I am grateful to the MEC for ****-canning this turd. (And these were the items I pulled from the memory bank. There is more.)


If this had gone to the pilot group for a vote the lengthy SW mandated voting period would have pushed future negotiations well into 2012. I'm sure the lawyer/pilot on the SW side had a hand in producing this potential outcome.


Oh, and by the way, both sides had agreed to “no lawyers” for the merger committee talks. Oops.


Based on twitter feeds, SWAPA and SW management were actively working on the language for the agreement long before the Airtran folks could get back to the table.


I could explain a bit about how this agreement got approved in the first place but most of you don't want to hear my anecdotes and 2nd hand accounts. Let's just say the SWAPA merger committee were less than forthright in their approach.


So, here we are. Hopefully some positive movement will occur this week prior to Eischen entering the fray.


Airtran has succeeded on the backs of its front line employees. I assure you that management took years to catch up to the abilities of the folks who kept the airline running day-to-day. We now proudly operate an award winning, on-time machine that does more with less.


That said, virtually everyone here is super-excited about the synergies that will flow from the combination of two great airlines. It's just a fact that the future is unlimited. Each side has unique abilities. 1 plus 1 equals more than 2 in this case. The pilots just want to be treated like equals—because we are your equals. The other employee groups will have to decide their own worth. Just don't ask me to surrender my seniority for a pay raise (which could disappear with the next CBA.)


I've finished trying to explain to the SW pilots “whats in it for you”. You don't want to see anything except the threat to your culture. Maybe your cult could use some new members. My hunch is that "culture" is code for "seniority."

SWAcapt

I hope this come true for both of us.

JohnDeere

Steve, you should be a politician! Take a partial statement and run with it. Pathetic.

You know what? I predict that someday you will need my vote to save your seniority. Then we'll hear a different tune.

Rolf

JD,

In 15 years AT pilots would own the top of the combined list, if it goes straight relative. I want you guys on our CBA as soon as possible but.......not if that is what I'm looking at.
Ease up on the hostility and let our mc guys talk.

V/R

JohnDeere

Thanks Rolf. I would ask you to contact YOUR union and tell them how to get this done. So far, they are running a bit overconfident.

Hostility? You mean like your pilots and flight attendants cornering our folks and harassing them? Or your pilots walking away when one of us tries to say hello? That sort of hostility?

I've been physically threatened by one of your co-workers. I've been cut off in the taxi lane (after ATC told SW to give way.) None of that matters in the long run. It just paints a very poignant picture of "culture".

The thing you don't want to underestimate is how accustomed Airtran pilots are to being the underdog. Some of us are going on 20 years as the underdog.

What you perceive as my hostility is actually frustration. Many of your own have already decided how this is going to turn out. Too bad for us all.

hockeypilot44

How do you know that? Southwest might not even exist in 15 years. Southwest might merge with more companies. I'm guessing if that is true, then in 20 years it will be all Southwest pilots at the top. Newsflash. An arbitrator doesn't give a crap about what a seniority list might look like in 15 years.

The Duke

This SW/AirTran thing is a real debacle. If the sentiment on this board is in any way reflective of their respective pilot groups, this has the potential to turn into another AmWest/Airways situation.

I wonder if Southwest management regrets or is starting to regret the acquisition and how that may affect things going forward?

JohnDeere

Doubt it. GK isn't afraid to take the gloves off, so to speak. That plus the SW pilot has too much MONEY at stake to walk away from their jobs. The ones I know are good guys but they are deeeeep in debt. (Section 6 anyone?)

hoserpilot

The problem I see is the arrogance from some SWA pilots and a shocking proposal from Swapa. As an outsider and someone who has gone through a merger, I was shocked to see the proposal. No pilot in their right mind would want any part of that. SWA may be the big dog now but for 30 years they were just like Airtran. Low wages. Look back 10 years. The main reasons SWA was successful were incredible fuel hedging and low wages. I'm not dogging SWA, even though it sounds like it. I'm impressed and envious now of SWA pilot pay. You are on top because of mainline bankruptcy. All the big dogs of 10 years ago are still paying bankruptcy wages. All pilots should be disappointed that ALL of our pay is not higher, SWA included. SWA pilots need to remember how long they were just like Airtran. Treat those guys/gals with respect. You will be sharing the cockpit soon.

TANSTAAFL

Never thought I'd be saying this, but the initial DAL/NWA SLI proposal was light years ahead of this.

I too am appalled at the arrogance of the SWAPA proposal, but as they say the answer is no until you ask. Time to get serious or the arbitrator will do it for you.

Pay comes and goes, seniority is forever.