Gary Kelly - CEO Southwest Airlines

[diogenes]

When Gangwhal used to beat us over the head about the WN threat during contract negotiations in the late 90's, we responded with the WN contracts. He then said, well if we implement WN's model, we'll have to park half the fleet and lay off thousands of employees.

I'd say that would have worked out better than where we are now.

 

[SKY HIGH]

Sky,

Thanks for the clarification and article. I was unaware of the impasse as I have not been keeping up with recent industry union negotiations, nor have I been on their forum.

sky high states: The impasse happened in 2004. Sorry for the confusion, Pitbull. It was, however, a long fought battle for their current contract.

 

[SKY HIGH]

The same people that write on this board and gripe about basic service changes at the New US Airways...are the sample people that #### about the snack basket and any other cost saving measures US Airways tries to make.

sky high states: Basic service changes? Cost saving measures? These changes make the airline's reputation. The flying public will PERCEIVE this airline as INCONSISTENT. Worse, this airline gets in the news for services they decide TO TAKE AWAY from the customer. Constant negative publicity.

 

[azjetdude]

I have never heard one LUV employee ever speak anything negative of their management. Their management is "exceptional" in this industry, and all the employees deserve their earned success.

I have heard SWA employees complain plenty of times (basically always, like others here at AWA/USA,) on the crew van. Trust me, it isn't perfect over there either. Ask the SWA FAs that now work for us!

Is our management perfect? NO, but we are making a profit.

Is their management perfect, NO, but they are making a profit.

 

[nostradamus]

How could anyone with SWA complain now. Their wages have been going up, and advancement is predictable. Wait until the inertia finally reaches its peak and they roll down hill fast as every airline has in its life cycle. United, Delta and American put their CEO’s on a pedestal until things went bad, then they quickly wanted their heads on a platter.

 

[pilot]

I have heard SWA employees complain plenty of times (basically always, like others here at AWA/USA,) on the crew van. Trust me, it isn't perfect over there either. Ask the SWA FAs that now work for us!

Is our management perfect? NO, but we are making a profit.

Is their management perfect, NO, but they are making a profit.

Let's see, their management is proud to pay them high wages and ours laments the fact that the pilot contract now being negotiated MUST NOT cost more than the two contracts now in place. Even though the AWA/U pilots are anywhere from 70 bucks to 30 bucks an hour less than what the Southwest pilots make.

Perfect? I'd say 35 CONSECUTIVE annual profits at Southwest would make their management as close to perfect as one can get. All the while treating their employees as major league ASSETS rather than liablilites to be laid off and made scapegoats for incompetent decisions. SWA employees yipping? Care to guess what group has more yippers?

Get a clue pal. Doug and his team are making a profit ON THE BACKS of the pay cuts and penion gutting that went on here. The employees are subsidizing high fuel cost and low ticket prices. Make our labor costs the same as SWA and we lose TONS of money. Because management doesn't know how to get a cost structure in line with today's airline industry. They do it the only way they know how. Pay cuts and outsourcing.

Let the employees carry the burden. As they walk away with huge bonuses and stock options.

pilot

 

[USstew23]

You might need to re-read what I wrote. This was not about taking from customers. This was about a business model and low costs as they are associated with wages.

CAL is a great airline no doubt. But don't forget...US Airways is also profitable. And no i don't drink the Kool Aid...but I'm a sensible adult that is involved in many aspects of this business and have a very very well rounded view of this company. I tend to the see the "big picture" more often than not.

I almost always agree with everything that you say, however this is yet another case of stockholm syndrome. Our new management team for the most part is from AWA, while I'm pretty confident that they know what they are doing in the business field, they have no clue how to treat the employees (yes they put on this act to everyone that it's just all hugs and kisses for everyone on the outside, but that's not the case), sure maybe top management means well but these middle folks from Tempe are pushing it. How can someone justify over 40 flight attendants per month leaving the "West" operation? That is an insane number given that "West" only has like 2600 flight attendants. Even in US Airways darkest hour I do not think that we were losing that much, it just seems to me that some of this AWA management looks at it like a free for all and does whatever they want whenever they want. Well sorry but they've come knocking on the wrong door and I hope that type of attitude with this company changes. I try to look at the "big picture" as well but even I am getting somewhat aggravated with this bunch. We can be low cost but we do not have to be cheap, tacky and turned into a laughing stock.

 

[Smartest Loser]

Without investors believing in the management team's plans and getting some sort of return, many more at US would likely be out of a job.

Excuse me....which PLAN or TEAM are we talking about here..?? There's only been 20..!! Parker finally hit on something that seems to be working right now.

If I bet only red in Vegas, I'll be right almost 50% of the time.

Too bad, U's employees were betting on black...it lost.

SL

 

[USstew23]

I have heard SWA employees complain plenty of times (basically always, like others here at AWA/USA,) on the crew van. Trust me, it isn't perfect over there either. Ask the SWA FAs that now work for us!

Is our management perfect? NO, but we are making a profit.

Is their management perfect, NO, but they are making a profit.

Just because an airline is making a profit does not make them successful. Mesa makes a nice profit, so does Republic but they also make it at their employee's expense just like AWA did. While I do not mean any offense by that (I happen to LOVE the "West" folks)I'm just saying that AWA made a profit for the last few years and their employees were making substandard wages and not really being treated like the professionals that they are hence the extremely high turnover like Mesa and Republic (maybe not that bad but hopefully I made my point).

 

[700UW]

If their employees are the highest paid in the industry and they have been PROFITABLE FOR OVER 30 YEARS straight, I would say that is being successful.

Carrying more domestic passengers then any other airline, sounds succesful to me!

 

[PITbull]

I almost always agree with everything that you say, however this is yet another case of stockholm syndrome. Our new management team for the most part is from AWA, while I'm pretty confident that they know what they are doing in the business field, they have no clue how to treat the employees (yes they put on this act to everyone that it's just all hugs and kisses for everyone on the outside, but that's not the case), sure maybe top management means well but these middle folks from Tempe are pushing it. How can someone justify over 40 flight attendants per month leaving the "West" operation? That is an insane number given that "West" only has like 2600 flight attendants. Even in US Airways darkest hour I do not think that we were losing that much, it just seems to me that some of this AWA management looks at it like a free for all and does whatever they want whenever they want. Well sorry but they've come knocking on the wrong door and I hope that type of attitude with this company changes. I try to look at the "big picture" as well but even I am getting somewhat aggravated with this bunch. We can be low cost but we do not have to be cheap, tacky and turned into a laughing stock.

US,

At one point during U's BKs, we had 40 plus folks leaving per month...sometimes upward attrition of 60 plus, but that included retirees, resignations and terminations. Before the BKs and concessions, the average attrit rate was about 2 or 3 f/as per month..sometimes just 1. (I kept track of those stats monthly as they were sent to me by managment). At that time, the population of f/a was approx. 11,000. And, at that time, it was a great career to have; truly. Times have changed, and so has the desire to keep the job.

If 40 plus are leaving the West side, spells conditions are mighty bad at the OK Corral...heck, these folks haven't experienced concessions or bk.

What the hell is managment doing to you guys over there???

 

[USstew23]

US,

At one point during U's BKs, we had 40 plus folks leaving per month...sometimes upward attrition of 60 plus, but that included retirees, resignations and terminations. Before the BKs and concessions, the average attrit rate was about 2 or 3 f/as per month..sometimes just 1. (I kept track of those stats monthly as they were sent to me by managment). At that time, the population of f/a was approx. 11,000. And, at that time, it was a great career to have; truly. Times have changed, and so has the desire to keep the job.

If 40 plus are leaving the West side, spells conditions are mighty bad at the OK Corral...heck, these folks haven't experienced concessions or bk.

What the hell is managment doing to you guys over there???

I don't think it's all management. They may just be turning a blind eye or may not care.. Not sure. I have several friends at West and know that conditions are horrible. Contract has so many grey areas, scheduling does what they want with no regards to the contract (there is no ability to see when a trip opened, where you are on the list for call, and what time the opened trips were covered), the East people that are over there cannot get a return call from the "West" union and when they do they just get blown off. just stuff like that. I know that it got really bad with us for a while but at least our contract was black and white and you didn't have crew scheduling on some power trip just doing whatever they deem necessary. I understand protecting the operation but that outfit out there is out of control. All in all it's a pretty difficult place to work from what I gather and we need to gather alot from our East folks out there so that we can stop that madness. Also they are having trouble with their pass travel. With this new ETC when they travel on the East aircraft they have to travel on their AWA Date of Hire (which is 1, 2 or 3 months for them)when people junior to them were recalled and will board before they do. No offense to the more junior people (we've all been there)but these people have given however many years to US Airways and are now told that they are New Hires (usually by some AWA person in the pass bureau) and until integration that's the way it is. Well I've got a news flash-----THEY ARE NOT NEW HIRES. The only thing that they are considered a New Hire for is when they are bidding as a Flight Attendant and nothing else. Anyway enough of that rant. Hope all is well with you PITBull. Take Care.

 

[openview]

From the Southwest f/as I have talked to most seem to like working there alot. But I also got the impression or feeling that their d. rigs have them in the air a lot more than most airlines. Much less down time or very little time in between legs.

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

From the Southwest f/as I have talked to most seem to like working there alot. But I also got the impression or feeling that their d. rigs have them in the air a lot more than most airlines. Much less down time or very little time in between legs.

And that's the nature of the WN beast. The ramp and gate are not the only employees responsible for that 20 minute turn. If FA's are complaining about not having enough down time during the day, then they are working for the wrong airline.

Perhaps we're all too comfortable with our "hurry up and wait" model that is now more prevalent today in the United States.