no more jumpseats for SWA

[luvthe9]

When your turned down thank J. Hefner, nice article

 

[whaledriver]

You are 100% correct my friend...SWA pilots are on my list and most other ALPA black-ball list. Don't try to cross the pond w/ me. It's real a shame...just helped out a very nice SWA guy on vacation 3 weeks ago from europe (biz class). They really need to be a little sharper with whom they choose to voice SWA pilot opinions.

You can thank SWA Capt. JEFF HEFNER. Read the article....this guy is a total &%$#!&%. :down:

 

[Tanker]

luvthe9 and whaledriver

Why don't you guys read the thread "NYT Article". In that thread you will see the statement from Capt Hefner that he never even talked to the writer of the article. I guess you guys believe everything that is written in a newspaper and you also believe that no journalist, especially a journalist writing for the NYT, ever made up quotes. In that case I guess you guys believe that Dewey defeated Truman and was President of the U.S.

 

[Flufdriver]

I smell "LUV" everywhere...sounds like SWA covering there A$$ for some idiot that opened his mouth. What else would you want corporate to say..."Yep, he said it"!!! The luv for SWA is building......time to have a little fun! :down:

 

[whaledriver]

luvthe9 and whaledriver

Why don't you guys read the thread "NYT Article". In that thread you will see the statement from Capt Hefner that he never even talked to the writer of the article. I guess you guys believe everything that is written in a newspaper and you also believe that no journalist, especially a journalist writing for the NYT, ever made up quotes. In that case I guess you guys believe that Dewey defeated Truman and was President of the U.S.

Yanker... it's a classic 'back pedal' proceedure from someone (SWA J.HEFNER) who is caught in the act. Please, stop drinking the SWA kool aid.

If the NY Times article was not true, it comes down to one simple word ------- Retraction.

 

[ramper_in_las]

Yanker... it's a classic 'back pedal' proceedure from someone (SWA J.HEFNER) who is caught in the act. Please, stop drinking the SWA kool aid.

If the NY Times article was not true, it comes down to one simple word ------- Retraction.

why should he retract. Sounds like he shot from the hip and spoke the truth. Truth is the legacy pilots are spoiled. (Big Money, Low prodectivity) Truth is you guys never thought much about SWA Pilots and the airline itself since our inception. I think the most common phrase I've heard is that we are a second rate airline. Now 35 years later, profitable, and have a leg to stand on you turn on someone who spoke the truth. Your airlines are trying to model themselves after us and they're the ones who want you to conform. So Hefner made himself a focal point by making a bold statement such as this. But really people, shouldn't ya'll be looking at your own ceo's rather than your brother pilots.

 

[jbguppy]

why should he retract. Sounds like he shot from the hip and spoke the truth. Truth is the legacy pilots are spoiled. (Big Money, Low prodectivity) Truth is you guys never thought much about SWA Pilots and the airline itself since our inception. I think the most common phrase I've heard is that we are a second rate airline. Now 35 years later, profitable, and have a leg to stand on you turn on someone who spoke the truth. Your airlines are trying to model themselves after us and they're the ones who want you to conform. So Hefner made himself a focal point by making a bold statement such as this. But really people, shouldn't ya'll be looking at your own ceo's rather than your brother pilots.

Where was all your brother talk when our contracts were getting thrown out, our pensions terminated, and you were taking market share....

the worm is turning - today you saw the first press regarding how your airline initiated its biggest fare increase ever to support expiring fuel hedges and increasing employee costs,

You won't mind if everyone starts to point out that everyone who will listen that you are losing your only advantage...low cost.

Hey, it's only business....


JBG

 

[KCFlyer]

Where was all your brother talk when our contracts were getting thrown out, our pensions terminated, and you were taking market share....

the worm is turning - today you saw the first press regarding how your airline initiated its biggest fare increase ever to support expiring fuel hedges and increasing employee costs,

You won't mind if everyone starts to point out that everyone who will listen that you are losing your only advantage...low cost.

Hey, it's only business....
JBG

JBG Imagine where YOUR airline would be if they would have taken steps BEFORE they had to in order to insure profitablity. Funny ain't it...they raise prices to offset expiring fuel hedges...you buy fuel at market rates and price as though YOU are the ones with the hedges. Won't be long before y'all see your SECOND trip to bankruptcy...hopefully it won't be as long as the first trip.

 

[mga707]

You are 100% correct my friend...SWA pilots are on my list and most other ALPA black-ball list. Don't try to cross the pond w/ me. It's real a shame...just helped out a very nice SWA guy on vacation 3 weeks ago from europe (biz class). They really need to be a little sharper with whom they choose to voice SWA pilot opinions.

You can thank SWA Capt. JEFF HEFNER. Read the article....this guy is a total &%$#!&%. :down:

While Hefner claims to have not said what was reported by the former employer of Jayson Blair, I truly hope he really did...because it its TRUE!

And comments like the above from this "whaledriver" bozo, along with the already-heard-from Pompous Ass(tm) and his little buddy Captain Batootie(tm) only help to hammer home his (alleged) point--there are indeed a LOT of spoiled, whiny, arrogant "legacy carrier" pilots out there!

 

[Globetrotter11]

I would ask everyone to take a deep breath...

There are several posters that enjoy jumping in from the sidelines with opinions that have very little to do with the alleged quote in the NYT article.

Whether it is accurate or not should really only be of consequence to Captain Hefner. It is not uncommon for journalists to attribute quotes that are less than accurate. SWAPA has publicly assured ALPA that this in no way represent the Southwest Pilots position.

I fly for one of the dreaded legacy carriers, and I have found virtually without exception that my colleagues appreciate Southwest and their pilots. They are a generous bunch and we're happy to reciprocate.

Please do not let one quote, real or not, from one person jeopardize the good professional relationships that we have.

Tailwinds always,

Globetrotter11

 

[Dizel8]

Not to douse the fire, but here is the response from SWAPA about this reporter story and no, I do not work for SWA.

SOUTHWEST AIRLINES
Pilots' Association
March 7, 2006

Captain Duane E. Woerth, President, ALPA
535 Herndon Parkway Herndon, VA 20170

Dear Duane,

On Monday, March 6 an article authored by Matthew Wald, New York Times writer, quoted a Southwest Airlines' pilot in an article entitled "Nothing but Gray Skies " After speaking to the reporter personally on at least two occasions today and speaking to the pilot who was "quoted" in the article I'm confident the reporter for some unknown reason included inaccurate and unsubstantiated comments attributed to a Southwest Airlines' pilot.

1. When asked several times today, the reporter could not recall specifically the time and place he allegedly interviewed the Southwest Airlines' pilot.. He was asked in very specific terms and was given several opportunities to confirm the precise comments he created to the pilot. He could not confirm they occurred as printed.
2. The reporter did call SWAPA for a comment in late .January in regards to another topic. He spoke to a SWAPA staff member who has a record of the call,. No information was passed to the reporter other than an acknowledgment of his request for information that would be passed to the appropriate individuals.
3 The reporter stated he was given the pilot's name by a SWAPA staff member, however the SWAPA staff' member confirmed this did not occur. It is the policy of SWAPA to never release the name of members to outside agencies; this includes the press.
4 The Captain involved was never interviewed by this reporter in regards to this story The Captain categorically denies the statements attributed to him.

The press can be your friend; however in this case Mr. Wald got it wrong. The alleged quotes reported by Mr. Wald in no way reflect the views or opinions of the Southwest Airlines' pilots SWAPA appreciates what all pilots have sacrificed to save their airlines and works cooperatively on many levels with ALPA, APA and all professional pilot organizations. SWAPA is contacting the paper to request a retraction and is pursuing other avenues to correct the inaccurate reporting which occurred

Best regards,
Joseph "Ike" Eichelkraut President, SWAPA
Brookview Plaza 0 1450 Empire Central Dr Suite 737 0 Dallas TX 75247
Phone: 214..350-9237 • Tollfree: 800-969-7972 . Fax: 214-350-0647 s www swapa org




And from Jeff himself on another site:

I am the much maligned and detested Jeff Hefner that is the topic of this thread. Let me say first and categorically that this "interview" never took place and the "quotes" attributed to me are not factual and are fabricated. I have never spoken with this individual nor any other reporter about this topic and the quotes are not my views. Now how this happened is anybody's guess but I think from the conversations that the SWAPA President has had with this reporter might shed some light on it.

I am the current SWAPA Air Safety Committee Chair and the Go-Team Chief Investigator. The events of 8 Dec. 2005 at MDW have unfortunately somewhat heightened my visibility in the national aviation community. In January I authored and released a SWAPA Air Safety Alert which dealt with winter operations and some programming issues that involved our on-board performance computer. This Alert was distributed to our pilot group and a copy of it found its way into the hands of this reporter. Our staff here at SWAPA has a record of this guy attempting to contact me after the alert was released but he was not put through. I don't do interviews nor am I the public face of our union. When confronted with my denial yesterday by our union president the reporter began some creative story changing and now has no recollection of when he actually might have spoken to me. Fact is he never has, and never will.

For those of you that gave us the benefit of the doubt until the facts could be determined, thanks! For those of you that did not, well, think about your initial reaction. Try not to use the jumpseat as a weapon, we are all much better than that

Jeff Hefner
SWAPA Air Safety

 

[jbguppy]

JBG Imagine where YOUR airline would be if they would have taken steps BEFORE they had to in order to insure profitablity. Funny ain't it...they raise prices to offset expiring fuel hedges...you buy fuel at market rates and price as though YOU are the ones with the hedges. Won't be long before y'all see your SECOND trip to bankruptcy...hopefully it won't be as long as the first trip.

Your assertion that we price as though hedges are in place shows a real ignorance for the real competitive airline environment and revenue management systems.

The only airline that I ( in my opinion )am aware of that appeared to charge less than they could was DAL with simplifares.

The reason you have to raise prices now is that your arrogant expansion and employee raises that were not in the best long term interest of your airline are catching up with you.

I know it is hard to hear, but SWA has not had it's eyes out front, they just continue to buy jets and expand - the problem is if you are not charging the least - your business model is not going to work.


JBG

 

[corl737]

"Whaledriver" and "luvthe9" are 100% within their right to give jumpseat priviledges to whomever they wish, just as I have the same right when they approach my aircraft.

 

[whaledriver]

"Whaledriver" and "luvthe9" are 100% within their right to give jumpseat priviledges to whomever they wish, just as I have the same right when they approach my aircraft.

Don't worry about it ok corl737. I'll save you the trouble and buy my own $29 ticket to LAS...

 

[KCFlyer]

Your assertion that we price as though hedges are in place shows a real ignorance for the real competitive airline environment and revenue management systems.

The only airline that I ( in my opinion )am aware of that appeared to charge less than they could was DAL with simplifares.

The reason you have to raise prices now is that your arrogant expansion and employee raises that were not in the best long term interest of your airline are catching up with you.

I know it is hard to hear, but SWA has not had it's eyes out front, they just continue to buy jets and expand - the problem is if you are not charging the least - your business model is not going to work.


JBG

Help educate me then JBG...not too long ago there was a series of posts describing how a ticket on Southwest cost more than a ticket on United. Judging by your superior attitude, I am assuming you are a United pilot. So if UAL were pricing BELOW Southwest, were they not pricing as if they had hedges in place? Why are UAL jets flying with an 80+% load factor, but not bringing in a profit....are they selling MORE seats for LESS money than Southwest to maintain that all important "market share"? Funny how SWA will sell 20 seats out of 132 at a loss, but UAL seems content to sell 120 seats out of 132 at a loss to maintain market share. So no, I guess you aren't really pricing as if hedges were in place...you're pricing as if fuel was free.