flyprdu

You do realize that they're not refuting "the plan."

They're saying the plan isn't very good. See Midwest Express for what happens to stagnant, hometown airlines.

OTZeagle1

Comparing VX and Midwest to Alaska or Hawaiian is frankly embarrassing, only demonstrating ones naïveté to this industry and basic economics. Alaska and Hawaiian have weathered every aviation storm, Alaska being the only legacy to not be saved by bankruptcy. VX and Midwest were not built to weather even a strong breeze. VX “Mighty”🙄, VX in particular, was an airline built to be sold. Grow up, those are the real facts!
Perfect, question the plan, yup AS sucks, I am sure yours is better. We are the only airline that looks to come out of this pandemic in better financial shape then we started🤔. Yup, the plan sucks, our board and executives are clueless.

ShyGuy

Covid killed any chance of a VX business model or even the customer. Our route structure was predominantly transcon for the business markets, providing premium amenities/services for which people were willing to pay more for. All that ended March 2020 with Covid. Business travel is still near zilch and the techie types are all working from home. They aren't flying much and once it's approved and they travel for work, they aren't going to pay the premiums to fly on a VX type brand/service. AS did try to make the VX structure work and capture as much of the VX customers as possible. Covid changed that landscape and there's nothing anyone can do about it now. AS seems to have a history of making sure they do what they need to in order to ensure continued success into the future. No point sweating about stuff beyond our control.

Back2future

I talk to enough people to know that Alaska is desperate to succeed in the Bay Area. They were shocked at how much they flopped with the VX premium customers and are spending tons of money on consultants to claw back some of the lost customers.

They are simply out of their league and they're too arrogant to admit it. If Hawaiian is next I truly feel sorry for them.

OTZeagle1

AS was never more then slightly intrigued by possibilities out of SFO, much more eager to play in SJC. I think most, if not all transcon flying at SFO will eventually return, not likely with all the same frequency though. From where I sit though, the base is gone.

Ted Striker

What happened to the jetblue merger?

Humbucker

Well, we have a little over a dozen former Boeing guys that jump over to the Airbus to finally have a SFO domicile. I’m one of them. I’m puzzled that the company isn’t talking about closing the FA’s SFO base and am curious how they differ from the pilots? I have reached out to my LEC and our MEC to find ways to save the domicile. Time will tell. Also I hope the pilot group understands that if the base does close, it will affect every base with displacement’s and possibly downgrades. My hope is a 737 Bay Base. Fingers crossed.

proprunnner

And it demonstrates your naïetě to flatly ignore AS was the only legacy not doing traditional international legacy flying. All legacies are not the same

Snuffaluffagus

PREACH. Just show up, fly the plane, go home. Your job isn't to manage Alaska's finances, route structure, business acquisitions etc.

TransWorld

But it is human nature to think about, speculate, express opinions. A pilot does not even need to be in a bar to do that.