Perspectives on an AirTran and SWA merger

[Whataburger]

SWA, the company, will not put the labor of SWA or the employee groups they merge with in a situation in which one entity will be pissed off. Either side. Period. If something does happen, both sides will end up happy. ie NWA DAL.

I think the Frontier deal was an effort to get Republic to pay the highest price possible.

Plus, a Check Airman on my last trip says that the AirTran deal will happen.

 

[Benhuntn]

Here is one con and I think it is a big one. SWA cannot make money paying our scale to AAI pilots flying their routes. So there would be a large change in routes and the resulting lose of jobs.

 

[dicko]

Here is one con and I think it is a big one. SWA cannot make money paying our scale to AAI pilots flying their routes. So there would be a large change in routes and the resulting lose of jobs.

Interesting. There has been a great deal of very thorough research recently into exactly what RASM vs CASM is possible for AAI.

Do you have some facts to add ?

 

[scoreboardII]

The whole Morris B/S is long gone.

I think this is because you are ignoring the 2x,xxx numbers who wear the black ties in Phoenix, all "X" Morris...

It continues, you just don't see it...

And if there is a merger, there will be a huge layoff, as SWA could fly all the routes with bodies and jets on hand.

 

[Lear70]

Which is why our MEC at AAI ALPA wouldn't sign off on it without a serious "no furlough" clause for probably a ten year duration. And certainly reason not to accept a staple.

Furlough fodder comes to mind.

It might not be pretty, some hope it will happen, some don't, but none of us can control any of it one way or another. Just do your job, keep your reps on target with what you expect of them, have a good time at work, then go home to your families.

:beer:

 

[jimcav]

If this merger were to go down, where would that leave Jake "The Bachelor"? You know, the guy who loves to fly his "big jet"?

 

[birdman1]

Moderator hat off:

Chase! Hola amigo! Albie, too, wow... there's some old memories from half a decade ago.

To give you a brief update on where AirTran is? If SWA had come along and made an offer a year or more ago, you'd like have found a willing pilot group. Now? Well, there's a LOT of history.

Flashback 10 years ago: Very few people are interested in AAI with everything that happened after the Everglades, poor pay (and I mean REALLY bad), etc. It was a place you landed when you had pretty much nowhere else to go. We all know that.

Flash forward a few years, and suddenly, it's a great place to be. New contract with "somewhat" decent pay, but REALLY fast upgrades, good Quality of Life, management who pretty much left people alone, and a fun place to be. A lot of people enjoyed that as new-hires for the mid-2000's until... someone filed a grievance on reserve pay... Twome-Kasher. The company not only lost the arbitration, but lost it in a way that increased reserve costs by upwards of 30-35% crediting reserves between 80-120 hours of pay for 40-70 hours of flying. Not kidding.

Things became increasingly hostile from that point forward. 3 years ago, after QoL pretty much DIED at AirTran, you'd again have found a large percentage of the population squarely in the "staple me" corner. I was one of them. However, when that didn't happen, the pilots at AirTran buckled down and started the hard work, killing two concessionary T.A.'s, voting in ALPA, and putting together one heck of a proposal while increasing solidarity to all-time highs.

It's that proposal that has AirTran pilots back in a "I might just be better off at AirTran" frame of mind. Trip and duty rigs are part of a strong Scheduling section, including transparency, a completely revamped reserve system, and much, much more in addition to the pay. ALPA's best people have helped us craft those sections, learning from what has and hasn't worked at other carriers and being mindful of AirTran's cash position and projected earnings.

That's why you'd likely get the majority of AirTran pilots insistent on some kind of ratio that protects their current place in relative bidding and Quality of Life possibilities moving forward, pay increase at SWA notwithstanding. Hope that explains a little why AAI pilots might be reluctant to expect a staple (not even worth mentioning) or Date of Hire (with 80% of our CA's junior to your higher-seniority F/O's).

We're dragging AAI management kicking and screaming into the 21st century, and AirTran will likely be a great place to be moving forward.

All that said, I seriously doubt it will happen. I'm betting AirTran buys someone else after negotiations are done and credit can be obtained with no labor risk in the portfolio for some time to come... Just my .02 cents.

Good hearing from you!

A SWA/AT merger will happen.

 

[bravodude]

LOL!, guess what Junior, you are a even bigger regional that doesn't leave the CONUS. You guys still have PFT just like the regionals used to have too! Seriously, what's the most inter-Texas turns you've done in a day?!?

Bou oh boy PFT again. how much do you make old man? I make more then you will ever make at Valuejet and I have been here 3 years put your diapers back on and go play in someone elses sandbox.

 

[scarlet]

Jake flies for ASA and SWA is what 300 pilots over staffed. Going to be awhile.

 

[400ADude]

Bou oh boy PFT again. how much do you make old man? I make more then you will ever make at Valuejet and I have been here 3 years put your diapers back on and go play in someone elses sandbox.

Very well put Bravodude.