We're codesharing with who...or is it whom...I always forget, but who cares? I should be writing this in Spanish...do you write in Spanish? Wow, I'm struggling today with what few writing skills I have, probably because I'm so excited about the announcement of our second International codeshare partner - Volaris.
It's Volaris...yes Volaris! You know, if you fuse the Spanish word volar (to fly) with the word Polaris (North Star) you get Volaris? Well, that's how they came up with their name, and I think it's a pretty cool name. What's even cooler is that Volaris is an exceptional low-cost airline flying in Mexico. They are focused on high levels of Customer Service and provide a great inflight experience. Volaris plans to begin flying in to the US sometime in 2009 and will become Southwest Airlines' Mexico codeshare partner in early 2010. If you haven't heard of Volaris, here's a little information that should give you a feel for them and why we think they will be a great partner!
Like our new codeshare partner WestJet, Volaris presently serves some pretty cool destinations...or should I say hot destinations! Places like Cancun, Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, and Acapulco are certainly great places to vacation. Mexico City (via Toluca), Monterrey, and Guadalajara are great business travel destinations and will complement our efforts to attract more business travelers.
Also, like WestJet, Volaris has a fun corporate culture. On one of our visits to their Headquarters, their VP of Sales was having his head shaved in front of the Volaris Employees—it was payback for the Employees who had met a revenue goal that he challenged them to meet. Their Employees are very energetic and love their airline. Their Customers join in the fun as well. They recently had an inflight concert! My favorite Customer experience was influenced by the free tequila and cerveza they served! They also give away Krispy Kreme donuts! It's a regular Fiesta!!! Oh yes, and every Volaris plane is named after one of their valued Customers. I can't wait to see Ricardo!
Unlike WestJet, Volaris is an unknown brand in the US. Although they are relatively small and certainly new (they began flying in 2006), Volaris has proven themselves itself as a successful and viable airline and are developing a new generation of flyers in Mexico. Coupled with the Southwest brand, network, and Customer base, the opportunities are huge.
Okay, enough of my rambling, whadoyouthink?
Comments
**Because I just got a PPL this summer and passed my written exam with a 96%, whoo hoo!!! And I'm not alone, some of my friends here got there's too and we all agree you have a fun job but it isn't really so hard. So boo, hoo, hoo.***
I love this post. If our jobs are so easy to do and get, and we make so much money, and have so much fun, why are you not flying planes for a living?
The bottom line is that this decision does not affect you, except that maybe you get to fly to Mexico. We ask the questions because we are generally concerned about our company, the product quality and yes our job growth. Why should we not go to Mexico with the safest most experience pilots in the world? No one has more experience flying 737s than we do. So instead we choose to go to Mexico with a two year old airline that currently does not fly to the US?
The ATA codeshare was reported as profitable, but how much did we really make when they went out of business and we had to get people back from their destinations? How much goodwill did we lose when their destinations disappeared off our schedule? If we want to have a true code share lets actually code share mutually, where we go to Mexico from some destinations using Volaris gates in Mexico, and they come to some of our destinations. That is a code share, this is just out-sourcing jobs.
Judas Iscariot sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Southwest management upped the ante when they sold out the Southwest Airlines brand name for 39 routes south of the border.
Just depressing. Code share could work but this feels like capitulating on near international routes. Once the others establish routes across the lower 48 boundaries, then I consider it unlikely that we will establish our own. It's our trusted brand, Boeing jets, and highly regarded employees. We should be delivering our customers to these B737-700 capable international population centers. We need the plan. We need the future committment. It could work well, if we are providing much of the trans border transportation. C'mon Mannn!!!
Mick — Wed, 11/12/2008 - 11:28
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Quoting Mick
Agree 101%
Hey Reggie,
You're right...... flying a cessna 152 in the pretty sunshine is exactly like flying a boeing 737 in the sleet and snow.... that's why we just hire any clown with a pilot's license right off the street!! Why don't you post again when you meet the MINIMUM requirements to apply as a pilot at SWA.... I expect to hear back from you in about 7-10 years
Honestly, you all sound like ignorant, insolent brats. I am very thankful that it’s Gary Kelly running this company, and not some of you.
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You sound pretty pathetic and self-righteous yourself....
Quoting "Reggie":
I'm going to Mexico cry babies and I'm standing behind my man Gary!! Go Gary and viva la Mexico!!!! Whooo, hooooo!!!!!!!!
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You know what, you are NOT going to Mexico. Volaris is. You are not. You are not. You are not....
PS: I'm not a pilot and I hate it too!
>>>Any of you koolaid drinking employees care to explain how Westjet and Volaris can make oodles of money and grow double digit proportions doing the cross boarder thing yet according to Gary we cannot? I didn't think so...
You didn't think hard enough. Westjet and Volaris haven't been around all that long (especially Volaris) so do you suppose that their *not* having 20+ year employees on the payroll (with their higher wage rates) just might have something to do with their overall cost structure?
Look, I can understand the fact that pilot contract negotiations have been going on for 2 years and that many are frustrated because of it (I would be too), but the spaming of this board (and others) with what amounts to be electronic informational picketing rhetoric might feel good as a venting mechanism, but it's counterproductive in many ways.
I'd submit that Gary Kelly et. al. know what they're doing, and have facts, figures, and other information (that rank-and-file employees do not) on which to predicate decisions upon. Am I a Kool-aid drinker? Hardly---I'm not at all shy about voicing contrarian opinions, but I'm also not dellusional in thinking that I'm the guy charged with the responsibility of running the Company. Overnighting at a Holiday In Express qualify anyone either.
(..and no, I'm not in management, I'm a union member just like most SWA employees.)
Quote...
OMG, I AM SOOO FREAKING OUT OVER THIS!! I am SOOO mad at you pilots. What is wrong with you? We're going to Mexico!! And if you ask me, its about time Gary took on some of the unions at Southwest. It is SOOO out of control with you guys. You DO NOT own this airline. You're just a little employee just like me. Because the unions make SO much money there's nothing left for us here in Dallas and we DO work hard. So pooh on you guys. And as far as dissing on our young Mexican friends and their pilots well news flash from Reggie, your job isn't all that hard. How do I know? Because I just got a PPL this summer and passed my written exam with a 96%, whoo hoo!!! And I'm not alone, some of my friends here got there's too and we all agree you have a fun job but it isn't really so hard. So boo, hoo, hoo. Cry me a river, I'm going to Mexico cry babies and I'm standing behind my man Gary!! Go Gary and viva la Mexico!!!! Whooo, hooooo!!!!!!!!
You might want to apply at Volaris as a pilot with that 96%, and I'd cut back on being a spokesperson for the GO, you're not doing them any favors.
Just depressing. Code share could work but this feels like capitulating on near international routes. Once the others establish routes across the lower 48 boundaries, then I consider it unlikely that we will establish our own. It's our trusted brand, Boeing jets, and highly regarded employees. We should be delivering our customers to these B737-700 capable international population centers. We need the plan. We need the future committment. It could work well, if we are providing much of the trans border transportation. C'mon Mannn!!!
I think Gary is doing a great job, and I have a lot of faith in his leadership. With the crazy circumstances of the last decade, name another carrier that has weathered this storm as well? So many comments have been critical of our leadership, but I fail to see where they have steered us so wrong. As for flying our own metal and crews on international routes or not “trusting our own Employees” – no one is saying we can’t or won’t some day, only that this is the most prudent route at this juncture. And things change. If there's anything we know about this business it's that things change. Yes, other airlines are doing it, but how profitably? My guess is that one of the reasons they are doing it is because they can’t compete with us on more domestic routes. If you’re so envious of their position, perhaps you should go work for them. Oh, wait, they’re not hiring. Honestly, you all sound like ignorant, insolent brats. I am very thankful that it’s Gary Kelly running this company, and not some of you.