"Yesterday we announced the opening of our summer flight schedules, which extend reservations from June 3 through August 10, 2012. There is a lot in this particular schedule—including our desire for new international destinations and new nonstop markets. AirTran will add nonstop service between Ft. Lauderdale and San Juan, Puerto Rico. Additionally, we plan to expand our international presence with four new nonstop routes to Mexico: that’s San Antonio to Cancun and Mexico City beginning May 2012, and Orange County to Cabo San Lucas and Orange County to Mexico City beginning June 2012; however, I must add the disclaimer that this international service is still subject to government approval and so it’s not for sale yet. I look forward to confirming approval of these routes very soon. As you know, AirTran does not currently serve Orange County or Cabo San Lucas or Mexico City, so the future introduction of AirTran service to these markets is a direct benefit of Southwest’s acquisition of AirTran."
Does make bidding the 737 tempting ....
Not as tempting as driving to work, but the good news just keeps rolling!
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
Sweeet!
Things are already looking up! Looks like I'll be bidding the 717 and driving to work!
"Based on our current fleet plan, we have selected TPA to serve as the second Southwest Airlines 717 Pilot domicile."
Transition bidding starts on the 16th. Can't wait to see that aircraft conversion schedule and domicile projections.
"Based on our current fleet plan, we have selected TPA to serve as the second Southwest Airlines 717 Pilot domicile."
Transition bidding starts on the 16th. Can't wait to see that aircraft conversion schedule and domicile projections.
Friday, November 11, 2011
So now what?
Lots of rumors about the new base, and it is really going to impact what we all bid. I mean if it is west coast like the latest rumor then the 717 is going to go VERY junior. If, on the other hand, it is in Florida like the earlier rumor then ... well, I know what I am doing ;)
Hopefully we'll find out next week.
Hopefully we'll find out next week.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
We are SOUTHWEST!
November 7, 2011
Fellow Pilots,
It is decided. The Seniority Integration Agreement has been approved. With an 83.58 percent vote of the ATN pilots and an 83.56 percent vote of the SWAPA pilots – both in favor of ratification – our collective hands have extended and accepted Southwest’s offer as to how the pilot groups will be merged. As such, the next few weeks will be busy as we start the process of combining flight operations. The momentum of this integration will accelerate in the coming months and before long our last pilot will have made the transition to Southwest Airlines. Once a phoenix rising, AirTran Airways will have flown its final flight.
Before we look to the future, however, we must take time to recognize the contributions that the ATN pilots have made to AirTran Airways. We helped build an airline from scratch, and then rebuilt it again and again. The AirTran of 2011 is distinctly different from its precursors in 1993 and even from itself in 2001.Through it all, we remained steadfast in our dedication to the success of the company and the professional execution of our duties. These traits, our core ideals, set the foundation for a high quality experience from a low-fare carrier. By exceeding the expectations of both our passengers and our most ardent opponents, AirTran, perpetually the underdog, succeeded in the face of intense competition.
Similarly, through most of its 40-year history, Southwest and its employees were also underdogs. They were fortunate, however, to have the visionary leadership of Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett, who encapsulated the “Southwest Way:” a Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart and a Fun-LUVing attitude. They created a whole corporate department to foster and preserve this culture, while we had to adopt these principles organically. We did it in a vacuum, amongst ourselves, because we knew that our future as airline pilots was dependant on the success of a business over which we had little control. This is our identity – professionals in the face of adversity.
Even now, we have sacrificed to ensure the success of the company. But, by ratifying this agreement, we, along with SWAPA pilots, have taken ownership of our pilot integration and the future of Southwest Airlines. From Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, Southwest Airlines will extend a reach only imagined when it began flying its first Dallas to Houston and San Antonio legs in 1971. CEO Gary Kelly has also spoken of his desire to push even further: to Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. The synergies unleashed by the merger of our two airlines will power this expansion with nearly eight thousand pilots at the helm. Together, with every other employee, we will benefit from our improved competitive position and the opportunities created by this growth.
So let’s look ahead; not through rose colored glasses, but with plain sight. Our future lies with Southwest Airlines. In order to facilitate a smooth transition, we must focus on building upon those common traits which unite us with our peers, and we must recognize that it is in our collective interest to work together to help our new company navigate through uncharted territory.
With that in mind, I commend you on your unyielding professionalism. Together, we will write the next chapter of our careers.
In unity,
Linden Hillman, Chairman
ATN Master Executive Council
Fellow Pilots,
It is decided. The Seniority Integration Agreement has been approved. With an 83.58 percent vote of the ATN pilots and an 83.56 percent vote of the SWAPA pilots – both in favor of ratification – our collective hands have extended and accepted Southwest’s offer as to how the pilot groups will be merged. As such, the next few weeks will be busy as we start the process of combining flight operations. The momentum of this integration will accelerate in the coming months and before long our last pilot will have made the transition to Southwest Airlines. Once a phoenix rising, AirTran Airways will have flown its final flight.
Before we look to the future, however, we must take time to recognize the contributions that the ATN pilots have made to AirTran Airways. We helped build an airline from scratch, and then rebuilt it again and again. The AirTran of 2011 is distinctly different from its precursors in 1993 and even from itself in 2001.Through it all, we remained steadfast in our dedication to the success of the company and the professional execution of our duties. These traits, our core ideals, set the foundation for a high quality experience from a low-fare carrier. By exceeding the expectations of both our passengers and our most ardent opponents, AirTran, perpetually the underdog, succeeded in the face of intense competition.
Similarly, through most of its 40-year history, Southwest and its employees were also underdogs. They were fortunate, however, to have the visionary leadership of Herb Kelleher and Colleen Barrett, who encapsulated the “Southwest Way:” a Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart and a Fun-LUVing attitude. They created a whole corporate department to foster and preserve this culture, while we had to adopt these principles organically. We did it in a vacuum, amongst ourselves, because we knew that our future as airline pilots was dependant on the success of a business over which we had little control. This is our identity – professionals in the face of adversity.
Even now, we have sacrificed to ensure the success of the company. But, by ratifying this agreement, we, along with SWAPA pilots, have taken ownership of our pilot integration and the future of Southwest Airlines. From Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, Southwest Airlines will extend a reach only imagined when it began flying its first Dallas to Houston and San Antonio legs in 1971. CEO Gary Kelly has also spoken of his desire to push even further: to Mexico, Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. The synergies unleashed by the merger of our two airlines will power this expansion with nearly eight thousand pilots at the helm. Together, with every other employee, we will benefit from our improved competitive position and the opportunities created by this growth.
So let’s look ahead; not through rose colored glasses, but with plain sight. Our future lies with Southwest Airlines. In order to facilitate a smooth transition, we must focus on building upon those common traits which unite us with our peers, and we must recognize that it is in our collective interest to work together to help our new company navigate through uncharted territory.
With that in mind, I commend you on your unyielding professionalism. Together, we will write the next chapter of our careers.
In unity,
Linden Hillman, Chairman
ATN Master Executive Council
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
For crying out loud: WE GET IT! Enough!
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) told pilots it would keep operating newly acquired AirTran Holdings Inc. (AAI) as a stand-alone carrier if union members don’t agree to combine seniority lists.
Southwest briefed pilots on a “Plan B” for “separate and unintegrated” operations after that union declined to hold a membership election on a seniority proposal, according to an AirTran union summary obtained by Bloomberg News. Pilots at both airlines are now voting until Nov. 7 on a new agreement.
Keeping AirTran flying on its own would run counter to the goal of folding the discount carrier into Southwest, the biggest low-fare airline. Dallas-based Southwest paid $1 billion in cash and stock in May to buy AirTran, winning access to fly into Atlanta, home of the world’s busiest airport.
“I’m sure that’s not what management planned when they acquired AirTran,” said Hunter Keay, a Wolfe Trahan & Co. analyst in New York who recommends holding Southwest. “It probably is to some degree a negotiating tactic.”
Pilots’ approval of one seniority list would give Southwest a timeline to blend workforces and fleets, and set union members’ rankings for pay, schedules and the types of jets they fly. For AirTran pilots, ratification will mean “certainty of integration,” Southwest said in a Sept. 22 letter to union members.
Staying Flexible
Southwest has met with pilots to explain “what that vote is and what it does,” Beth Harbin, an airline spokeswoman, said in an interview today. “Absent approval, we have to think about, ‘Where is the flexibility?’”
Harbin declined to discuss the AirTran union summary or what options Southwest would consider if pilots don’t accept the new seniority agreement.
“I’m certainly not going to go into any detail about what that flexibility is,” Harbin said. “Our focus is going to be on getting the deal with the pilots done quickly because that really does set a good momentum for the rest of the integration.”
Jim Morris, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association at AirTran, declined to comment, as did Jacob North, a spokesman for the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association. AirTran has about 1,700 pilots, while Southwest has more than 6,000.
Southwest rose 2.3 percent to $8.15 today in New York trading. The stock has fallen 37 percent this year for the third-worst decline among 10 carriers in the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index.
Pilot Balloting
The seniority agreement now being voted on by pilots was crafted after AirTran’s union decided against sending the original version to rank-and-file members. Under the new plan, current Southwest pilots’ seniority rights would be protected, and AirTran pilots would get pay raises.
“The company believes this proposal strongly merits your support,” Southwest said in the Sept. 22 letter.
If the ratification vote falls short, Southwest executives have developed “Plan B” as a contingency, according to the AirTran union summary. Details of that strategy were completed on Sept. 20, the summary said.
“Plan B calls for AAI and SWA to remain separate and unintegrated,” according to the summary, using abbreviations for AirTran and Southwest.
Savings, Revenue
A stand-alone AirTran would provide the same savings and revenue benefits because it would keep collecting $200 million a year in fees for checked bags, and AirTran’s Boeing Co. (BA) 717s wouldn’t be blended into Southwest’s fleet, the summary said. Southwest flies only Boeing 737s.
“It’s certainly a valid strategy,” Keay, the Wolfe Trahan analyst, said in an interview.
Southwest has said it expects that full integration of the airlines would take about two years after receiving regulatory approval to operate as a single carrier in 2012’s first quarter. Pilots’ failure to agree on an integration plan can scuttle mergers or keep airlines from operating as a single carrier after a tie-up.
Southwest’s 2009 bid for Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc. faltered when the carriers’ pilots couldn’t agree on seniority. US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) pilots are still feuding over seniority after the carrier’s creation in the 2005 merger of its namesake predecessor and America West Holdings Corp., forcing management to follow separate work agreements with two unions.
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) told pilots it would keep operating newly acquired AirTran Holdings Inc. (AAI) as a stand-alone carrier if union members don’t agree to combine seniority lists.
Southwest briefed pilots on a “Plan B” for “separate and unintegrated” operations after that union declined to hold a membership election on a seniority proposal, according to an AirTran union summary obtained by Bloomberg News. Pilots at both airlines are now voting until Nov. 7 on a new agreement.
Keeping AirTran flying on its own would run counter to the goal of folding the discount carrier into Southwest, the biggest low-fare airline. Dallas-based Southwest paid $1 billion in cash and stock in May to buy AirTran, winning access to fly into Atlanta, home of the world’s busiest airport.
“I’m sure that’s not what management planned when they acquired AirTran,” said Hunter Keay, a Wolfe Trahan & Co. analyst in New York who recommends holding Southwest. “It probably is to some degree a negotiating tactic.”
Pilots’ approval of one seniority list would give Southwest a timeline to blend workforces and fleets, and set union members’ rankings for pay, schedules and the types of jets they fly. For AirTran pilots, ratification will mean “certainty of integration,” Southwest said in a Sept. 22 letter to union members.
Staying Flexible
Southwest has met with pilots to explain “what that vote is and what it does,” Beth Harbin, an airline spokeswoman, said in an interview today. “Absent approval, we have to think about, ‘Where is the flexibility?’”
Harbin declined to discuss the AirTran union summary or what options Southwest would consider if pilots don’t accept the new seniority agreement.
“I’m certainly not going to go into any detail about what that flexibility is,” Harbin said. “Our focus is going to be on getting the deal with the pilots done quickly because that really does set a good momentum for the rest of the integration.”
Jim Morris, a spokesman for the Air Line Pilots Association at AirTran, declined to comment, as did Jacob North, a spokesman for the Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association. AirTran has about 1,700 pilots, while Southwest has more than 6,000.
Southwest rose 2.3 percent to $8.15 today in New York trading. The stock has fallen 37 percent this year for the third-worst decline among 10 carriers in the Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index.
Pilot Balloting
The seniority agreement now being voted on by pilots was crafted after AirTran’s union decided against sending the original version to rank-and-file members. Under the new plan, current Southwest pilots’ seniority rights would be protected, and AirTran pilots would get pay raises.
“The company believes this proposal strongly merits your support,” Southwest said in the Sept. 22 letter.
If the ratification vote falls short, Southwest executives have developed “Plan B” as a contingency, according to the AirTran union summary. Details of that strategy were completed on Sept. 20, the summary said.
“Plan B calls for AAI and SWA to remain separate and unintegrated,” according to the summary, using abbreviations for AirTran and Southwest.
Savings, Revenue
A stand-alone AirTran would provide the same savings and revenue benefits because it would keep collecting $200 million a year in fees for checked bags, and AirTran’s Boeing Co. (BA) 717s wouldn’t be blended into Southwest’s fleet, the summary said. Southwest flies only Boeing 737s.
“It’s certainly a valid strategy,” Keay, the Wolfe Trahan analyst, said in an interview.
Southwest has said it expects that full integration of the airlines would take about two years after receiving regulatory approval to operate as a single carrier in 2012’s first quarter. Pilots’ failure to agree on an integration plan can scuttle mergers or keep airlines from operating as a single carrier after a tie-up.
Southwest’s 2009 bid for Frontier Airlines Holdings Inc. faltered when the carriers’ pilots couldn’t agree on seniority. US Airways Group Inc. (LCC) pilots are still feuding over seniority after the carrier’s creation in the 2005 merger of its namesake predecessor and America West Holdings Corp., forcing management to follow separate work agreements with two unions.
Recall complete
What a shame it came to this, a better turn out for the recall then there was for the election...
Looking forward to putting this ugliness behind us.
Looking forward to putting this ugliness behind us.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Voting is open. The choice is clear.
October 6, 2011
Fellow Pilots,
Today marks the eve of what may be the most important vote of your career at AirTran Airways. There is little doubt that the question of the Seniority List Integration has been debated and at the forefront of the minds of AirTran pilots over the past several weeks. Realistically, the question asked of each of us is this: Do you approve of the Seniority Integration Agreement reached between the merger representatives of the AirTran and Southwest pilots, and between their respective managements? The answer to that question becomes ours to make starting tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. EDT.
While the answer may not be easy, I believe the choice is clear.
As we all know by now, the management of Southwest Airlines, in their constant effort to keep Southwest profitable, value one asset above all others – their culture. In practical terms, that means that Southwest employees and their contributions to the company receive more consideration than Southwest’s stockholders or even Southwest’s own customers. It’s also no secret that Southwest will go to great lengths to guard a culture that has made them not only the most successful airline in America, but one of the most admired corporations in the world. Of course, management wants the company to remain profitable; however, they have figured out that their culture is one of the key ingredients, if not THE key ingredient, in their success.
Southwest officials have repeatedly expressed their view that an arbitrated SLI decision will threaten the culture they intend to defend. In addition, since the beginning of SLI negotiations, Southwest officials, as well as members of the AirTran and Southwest merger committees and pilots of both airlines, have clearly expressed their preference for a negotiated SLI agreement between our two pilot groups, because as they correctly note, only a negotiated agreement, ratified by the pilots themselves, gives AirTran and Southwest flight deck crewmembers ownership of the ultimate solution to the question of how to best integrate our two groups.
So where does that leave us? Since the middle of May, our Merger Committee, later joined by our Negotiating Committee and counsel, worked to negotiate a seniority integration agreement acceptable to the pilots of AirTran. Their goals, as directed by the MEC, have been to secure the future career prospects of AirTran pilots, and to eliminate remaining threats to a complete integration of AirTran pilots into SWA.
If the Seniority Integration Agreement is ratified by AAI and SWA pilots, these goals will have been achieved. The overall agreement, one which guarantees that every AirTran pilot will soon take their place as a full-fledged member of the Southwest Airlines family, is not only one with which I’m prepared to live, it is an agreement I believe we each can and should support.
What are our alternatives? If this agreement is not ratified, we will proceed to arbitration, a process in which we are fully prepared to engage. Although there are no guarantees, we might, in fact, secure a list in arbitration that would offer most AirTran pilots several percent greater seniority than the list we have before us.
Afterward, however, we are more likely than not to face an uncertain period; one which will likely be marked by the continued separate operations of Southwest and AirTran, and the possibility of prolonged litigation in an effort to force an integration of the two carriers through enforcement of the provisions of our scope clause and of the Transition Agreement. Litigation is also an option for which we are ready. But given length of time it may take to secure a final, enforceable award, and, even then, given the uncertainty of the outcome, is this the wisest choice?
Although the answer may not be easy, the choice is clear.
And so with the opening of the vote on whether to approve Seniority Integration Agreement, we have it within our power to safeguard our futures as pilots for the most secure and profitable airline in America. Then, as we start to make our way over to the “Southwest side,” we also have it within our power, and I’m confident that we will, show our new co-workers that we are an asset, that we contribute, and that AirTran pilots are doing their part to secure the culture of Southwest Airlines, so that its next forty years are as exciting, profitable and fun as its first forty.
Still, this is not a decision to be made lightly. But I’m proud to say that to date, the pilots of AirTran, their Merger and Negotiating Committees, counsel, and MEC representatives have, in spite of the turmoil and anxiety, approached the prolonged integration process with diligence, patience, and thoughtfulness. I have also been impressed by the willingness of the vast majority of AirTran pilots to listen to arguments on either side of the question, without giving in to the rancor and pettiness that have characterized similar debates at other carriers.
I will close by urging you to continue to uphold the high personal and professional standards that made AirTran such an attractive partner for Southwest; to continue to remain informed, engaged, and considerate of our coworkers; and to join me in ensuring our future at Southwest Airlines, by supporting and voting for the Seniority Integration Agreement.
In service,
Linden Hillman, Chairman
ATN Master Executive Council
ALPA: The Pilots Union
Fellow Pilots,
Today marks the eve of what may be the most important vote of your career at AirTran Airways. There is little doubt that the question of the Seniority List Integration has been debated and at the forefront of the minds of AirTran pilots over the past several weeks. Realistically, the question asked of each of us is this: Do you approve of the Seniority Integration Agreement reached between the merger representatives of the AirTran and Southwest pilots, and between their respective managements? The answer to that question becomes ours to make starting tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. EDT.
While the answer may not be easy, I believe the choice is clear.
As we all know by now, the management of Southwest Airlines, in their constant effort to keep Southwest profitable, value one asset above all others – their culture. In practical terms, that means that Southwest employees and their contributions to the company receive more consideration than Southwest’s stockholders or even Southwest’s own customers. It’s also no secret that Southwest will go to great lengths to guard a culture that has made them not only the most successful airline in America, but one of the most admired corporations in the world. Of course, management wants the company to remain profitable; however, they have figured out that their culture is one of the key ingredients, if not THE key ingredient, in their success.
Southwest officials have repeatedly expressed their view that an arbitrated SLI decision will threaten the culture they intend to defend. In addition, since the beginning of SLI negotiations, Southwest officials, as well as members of the AirTran and Southwest merger committees and pilots of both airlines, have clearly expressed their preference for a negotiated SLI agreement between our two pilot groups, because as they correctly note, only a negotiated agreement, ratified by the pilots themselves, gives AirTran and Southwest flight deck crewmembers ownership of the ultimate solution to the question of how to best integrate our two groups.
So where does that leave us? Since the middle of May, our Merger Committee, later joined by our Negotiating Committee and counsel, worked to negotiate a seniority integration agreement acceptable to the pilots of AirTran. Their goals, as directed by the MEC, have been to secure the future career prospects of AirTran pilots, and to eliminate remaining threats to a complete integration of AirTran pilots into SWA.
If the Seniority Integration Agreement is ratified by AAI and SWA pilots, these goals will have been achieved. The overall agreement, one which guarantees that every AirTran pilot will soon take their place as a full-fledged member of the Southwest Airlines family, is not only one with which I’m prepared to live, it is an agreement I believe we each can and should support.
What are our alternatives? If this agreement is not ratified, we will proceed to arbitration, a process in which we are fully prepared to engage. Although there are no guarantees, we might, in fact, secure a list in arbitration that would offer most AirTran pilots several percent greater seniority than the list we have before us.
Afterward, however, we are more likely than not to face an uncertain period; one which will likely be marked by the continued separate operations of Southwest and AirTran, and the possibility of prolonged litigation in an effort to force an integration of the two carriers through enforcement of the provisions of our scope clause and of the Transition Agreement. Litigation is also an option for which we are ready. But given length of time it may take to secure a final, enforceable award, and, even then, given the uncertainty of the outcome, is this the wisest choice?
Although the answer may not be easy, the choice is clear.
And so with the opening of the vote on whether to approve Seniority Integration Agreement, we have it within our power to safeguard our futures as pilots for the most secure and profitable airline in America. Then, as we start to make our way over to the “Southwest side,” we also have it within our power, and I’m confident that we will, show our new co-workers that we are an asset, that we contribute, and that AirTran pilots are doing their part to secure the culture of Southwest Airlines, so that its next forty years are as exciting, profitable and fun as its first forty.
Still, this is not a decision to be made lightly. But I’m proud to say that to date, the pilots of AirTran, their Merger and Negotiating Committees, counsel, and MEC representatives have, in spite of the turmoil and anxiety, approached the prolonged integration process with diligence, patience, and thoughtfulness. I have also been impressed by the willingness of the vast majority of AirTran pilots to listen to arguments on either side of the question, without giving in to the rancor and pettiness that have characterized similar debates at other carriers.
I will close by urging you to continue to uphold the high personal and professional standards that made AirTran such an attractive partner for Southwest; to continue to remain informed, engaged, and considerate of our coworkers; and to join me in ensuring our future at Southwest Airlines, by supporting and voting for the Seniority Integration Agreement.
In service,
Linden Hillman, Chairman
ATN Master Executive Council
ALPA: The Pilots Union
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