Southwest/Midwest?

[skyguy25]

Midwest has stated thatother airlines are now interested in a possible deal with their company...Could WN make a surpirse offer and beat AirTran at their own games as SWA did in Midway with ATA a few years back? would be very interesting. Any takes?

 

[luver41]

Midwest has stated thatother airlines are now interested in a possible deal with their company...Could WN make a surpirse offer and beat AirTran at their own games as SWA did in Midway with ATA a few years back? would be very interesting. Any takes?

I'm not sure that Midwest brings anything to the table that Southwest would want. I don't think they'd be interested in 717's that Midwest flies. If WN wants more planes, why not just get them from Boeing as new 737s. That doesn't even make sense, since Southwest is deferring delivery of some existing 737 orders.

Might be interested in some gates in Milwaukee, but there very well may be gates available there already. Midway was a completely different situation. Midway was all about the getting the additional gates there to feed it's expanding operation there. The situations aren't comparable in my mind.

 

[wnbubbleboy]

What about running it as seperate company? Feeding each other flight's sharing reservations and vacation packages.

We are doing it with ATA to a point.

 

[skyguy25]

What about running it as seperate company? Feeding each other flight's sharing reservations and vacation packages.

We are doing it with ATA to a point.

exactly what i was thinking wnbubbleboy. Also they have coveted gates at DCA and LGA as well as MSP. Could finally be the entrance to those long neglected markets with built-in loyalty and passenger base. Also the addition of the fuel efficient B-717 could be used in some of our high-frequency low load routes during off times. Example would be HOU-DAL, LAX-LAS ect. or even use those A/C -after retro-fitting them- into being "business- class" aircraft in Southwest's key business routes.. use them as a kind of shuttle. Between DCA-LGA or even SFO-SAN as a test. offering free drinks on every flight and keep the "cookie". Whatever it takes to stick it to AirTran 😉

 

[jimntx]

However, codeshares, etc. add complexity to what has always been a divinely simple system. SWA has been so spectacularly successful because until now they have adhered to the the KISS principle of business--Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Complexity increases costs which is something SWA is trying to reduce right now--along with every other airline in the business. (I keep telling myself that oil prices can not continue going up indefinitely, but so far the oil companies are proving me wrong.)

I don't think SWA is going to be interested in Midwest. There are just not enough revenue plusses to offset the cost minusses.

 

[flyJOE]

exactly what i was thinking wnbubbleboy. Also they have coveted gates at DCA and LGA as well as MSP. Could finally be the entrance to those long neglected markets with built-in loyalty and passenger base. Also the addition of the fuel efficient B-717 could be used in some of our high-frequency low load routes during off times. Example would be HOU-DAL, LAX-LAS ect. or even use those A/C -after retro-fitting them- into being "business- class" aircraft in Southwest's key business routes.. use them as a kind of shuttle. Between DCA-LGA or even SFO-SAN as a test. offering free drinks on every flight and keep the "cookie". Whatever it takes to stick it to AirTran 😉

YX only has a handful of slots at DCA & LGA to run flights to MKE and MCI. They wouldn't be able to run any shuttle ops there.

This is a really great opportunity to do some 'safe' growth to move into markets/routes that YX has already proven as successful. With WN cutting back in select markets, the risk becomes much more minimal. They can also shed any marginal or money losing routes.

On the aircraft situation, obviously the MD-80s can be grounded. Even though there have been deferments with the 737 order, being such a good Boeing customer, I'm sure they could work out something by returning YX's 717 fleet for the 737's on order.

 

[luver41]

I just don't see Midwest bringing enough to the table. The codeshare with ATA was a necessary part of the deal to secure the additional ten gates at Midway airport. Nothing that compelling here.

 

[JS]

But the codeshare with ATA has already been set up. Adding a codeshare with MidWest doesn't have that initial cost. So you add more rows to a table with an airline code of YX instead of TZ, big deal.

 

[luver41]

But the codeshare with ATA has already been set up. Adding a codeshare with MidWest doesn't have that initial cost. So you add more rows to a table with an airline code of YX instead of TZ, big deal.

add a codeshare with Westjet and get into the international arena makes more sense to me. just don't see the logic in adding a domestic only codeshare. If you want to add service in those areas, just buy some planes and do it.

 

[whlinder]

YX only has a handful of slots at DCA & LGA to run flights to MKE and MCI. They wouldn't be able to run any shuttle ops there.

They've got 10 flights a day into DCA IIRC, but a bunch of those slots are required to be used to MCI & OMA AFAIK.