NWA Gate Agents

[Kev3188]

think prior to BK the NWA domestic break-even load factor was something like 90-95%(or maybe higher), which is unattainable at a system level.

Any idea what it's at now?

Do you think you'll get that last seat in the back of the DC-9 next to that noisy engine again.

Worst. Seat. Ever.

 

[jenny@nw]

Any idea what it's at now?
Worst. Seat. Ever.

No the worst seat ever is the Jseat in the B position of the DC9. Upon landing lift your legs up and get your umbrella out. Your legs might get covered with blue juice and you might get some rain from above.

 

[robbedagain]

pto you might want to prepare yourself cause if colgan starts with NWA, the sabbs are not a good plane to fly on. that is if youre luck enough for it to actually be in flying condition!

 

[finman]

Any idea what it's at now?

I would guess that right now it's in the 75%-80% range, but I could be way off on that. This will be moving around quite a bit as labor contracts are settled and savings begin to be fully realized.

 

[777 fixer]

Seats aren't sold at a gain or loss per se. A flight will operate either at a gain or a loss, driven by yield (revenue per passenger) and load factor (number of passengers). You've probably heard in the past that the break-even load factor is xx% at the current yields. I think prior to BK the NWA domestic break-even load factor was something like 90-95%(or maybe higher), which is unattainable at a system level.

I think I got the basic gist across.

 

[Hackman]

I would guess that right now it's in the 75%-80% range, but I could be way off on that. This will be moving around quite a bit as labor contracts are settled and savings begin to be fully realized.

It could be 0% if your buddy Dougie Stealin' keeps overplaying his hand and forces another strike.

I would hate to be a Scab Air management lackey right now, must be some long days.

 

[jenny@nw]

I think I got the basic gist across.

K. Why are we looking at passenger yields? Isn't it so that Cargo & quick turn arounds produce more $$$. Planes on the ground do NOT make money. Planes sitting pretty in the AZ desert do not make MONEY. I sincerely think NW management took the wrong route on how to handle this "cost saving" matter (actually I think it's the pot smoking BOD)

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

K. Why are we looking at passenger yields? Isn't it so that Cargo & quick turn arounds produce more $$$. Planes on the ground do NOT make money. Planes sitting pretty in the AZ desert do not make MONEY. I sincerely think NW management took the wrong route on how to handle this "cost saving" matter (actually I think it's the pot smoking BOD)

I hate to give credit to NWAs BOD/management, however with that said, NWA did enjoy some cost advantages with the older fleet insofar as those they owned posed less of a financial burden if they had to park them. UAL on the other hand still had lease payments due on most of our aircraft even while sitting them. The question is where does that cost savings intersect with the older aircrafts higher fuel/maintenance costs.

Someone did a really well written expose a while back when NWA refit the cabins on most of their DC-9s, I'll try and dig it up.

 

[jenny@nw]

I hate to give credit to NWAs BOD/management, however with that said, NWA did enjoy some cost advantages with the older fleet insofar as those they owned posed less of a financial burden if they had to park them. UAL on the other hand still had lease payments due on most of our aircraft even while sitting them. The question is where does that cost savings intersect with the older aircrafts higher fuel/maintenance costs.

Someone did a really well written expose a while back when NWA refit the cabins on most of their DC-9s, I'll try and dig it up.

-now that would be interesting

 

[Red Tail Bear]

Wonderful, I do appreciate your concern. I have never had a single problem with any of Mesaba's gate agents which I have been flying my past few trips. Even when things are hectic and not going quiet right at the gate they perform in a most impressive professional manner.

You forgot to mention how that noisy DC-9 engine was on your flight back from redneckville.

I bet you were the last one to board also. Weren't you?

 

[robbedagain]

how could NWA enjoy cost advantages flying old planes when maintaince is in desperate needs on the DC-9s for example? And with fuel being high, that would be a set back especially for the old jets. and we all know that NWA right now has the most shoddy maintaince therefore the planes are not safe to fly on. there cant be cost savings there yet. can there?

 

[ThirdSeatHero]

how could NWA enjoy cost advantages flying old planes when maintaince is in desperate needs on the DC-9s for example? And with fuel being high, that would be a set back especially for the old jets. and we all know that NWA right now has the most shoddy maintaince therefore the planes are not safe to fly on. there cant be cost savings there yet. can there?

This was a few years ago robbed. If someone from NWA could remember the date/dates the DC-9 cabins were refurbished that would pinpoint it.

As I remember the argument "then" was "Why was NWA refitting an aged fleet when almost everyone else was buying new aircraft"

Back then fuel wasn't as outrageous as it is now, and the ability to sit or fly an OWNED aircraft was better financialy than worry about picking up new leases.

UAL enjoyed a similar arrangement with our B727 before we got rid of them.



As for whats happening now, I agree with you.

 

[Kev3188]

This was a few years ago robbed. If someone from NWA could remember the date/dates the DC-9 cabins were refurbished that would pinpoint it.

1998.


Click here and scroll down to page 16....

The sad thing is that I still actually have the "hard copy" of this annual report.....

 

[robbedagain]

I wonder how hard i tmust be now for NWA to maintaince the fleet of DC9?

 

[Bizman]

I wonder how hard i tmust be now for NWA to maintaince the fleet of DC9?

Where did you learn to construct sentences?