Some history to ponder:
August 7, 1983 - Muse Air
Muse Air began service in 1982 between Dallas Love and Houston with MD-80s. In direct cooperation with Southwest, Muse was named for founder Lamar Muse. Lamar Muse was the co-founder of Southwest.
March 14, 1986 - Muse Air/TranStar
Southwest purchased major competitor Muse Air and renamed it TranStar in March, 1986. TranStar operated a 2-class service on a coast-to-coast southern U.S. basis. Muse Air flew DC-9s and MD-80s at the time. Southwest would shut down TranStar in late 1987.
Synopsis:
1. Muse Air was bought by LUV June 1985 for $60.5m.
2. Muse Air was a wholly owned subsidiary of LUV.
3. LUV installed their own personal in top positions at Muse Air.
4. LUV change the name of the airline from Muse Air to TranStar
5. TranStar was operated as a completely separate operation from WN. A passenger couldn’t interline between TranStar and WN.
6. Several talks were held between SWPA (Southwest Pilots Association and MAPA (Muse Air Pilots Association) about a common seniority list. SWPA wanted bottom of the list, MAPA want date of hire.
7. Because of the stonewalling by SWPA on the seniority issue MAPA went ALPA spring of 1987.
8. TranStar was shut down quickly summer of 1987 because TranStar was going to report a profit for the third quarter after a bruising fare war against CAL at HOU.
9. LUV told the TranStar MEC if the TranStar pilots didn’t fight the shutdown in court the pilots would be given a small severance pay package tied to their longevity with TranStar.
10. Those TranStar pilots with a B-737 type rating would guarantee an INTERVIEW with SWA if they filled out an application
11. Those TranStar pilots without B-737 type ratings were shown the door
12. Any TranStar pilot who later purchased a B-737 type rating would be guaranteed an INTERVIEW
13. The TranStar MEC requested LUV to wave the B-737 type-rating requirement for the TranStar pilots to be granted interview. To satisfy the LUV requirement that all pilots for WN have a B-737 type rating the TranStar MEC requested any TranStar pilot who passed the interview phase wouldn’t be assigned a class date until the B-737 type rating was obtained. LUV denied this request.
WN/ATA situation is starting to look familiar. I will let everyone speculate what the outcome will be.
In either case this will be very interesting :unsure: