Sniper

It'd likely be the first option. Obviously, both sides want what's best for their group. An ideal way would be a blended list. Sometimes this goes relatively smoothly (Delta and Northwest). Other times, it doesn't (US Airways and AmericaWest). It essentially boils down to DOH (date of hire) vs. relative seniority in the merger (painting with broad strokes here). If it were say, Alaska that was the partner, you'd likely see 'fences' as well (protecting slots for WN pilots in say, Texas, and Alaska jobs in say, the Pacific Northwest). I don't think SWAPA would even consider a 'staple' (put the other group under all WN pilots), and I doubt the other side would either.

No matter how the respective pilot groups are merged, those pilots without seniority #'s or any history of work with either company as a pilot would be placed below any active pilot (surely), and almost surely below any furloughed pilot too. Being a 'poolie', the best case scenario for you is that your 'poolie' status is still honored @ the end of the merger.

Sniper

I never even thought about sneaking a regional into WN buy buying Alaska and getting Horizon too. Q-400's are great aircraft for some of the shorter routes that WN flies (LGA-BWI would be a great place for a Q-400). How many slots does Alaska have @ slot restricted airports?

If the scope and merger sections of the new WN TA weren't important before, they certainly could be considered important now.

Alaska would be a great companion for WN for all the reasons 'CHQ Pilot' stated. Spirit, while a totally different fleet, might be an option too (lots of international, flies out a a current WN 'focus city'). AirTran, JetBlue . . . I don't think any airline could not be improved by joining up with Southwest, honestly. Who's the lucky one?

CHQ Pilot

I don't think there can be a staple with the McCaskill-Bond Amendment and the way the scope reads (and this is a very simplified version) that SWA cannot codeshare domestically with a regional carrier, unless it is through aquisition of another airline that owns a regional airline. If that were to happen then all pilots, both the acquired airline and the regional feed would be with SWAPA pilots (taking away a whipsaw type situation). Again very simplified and if it were to actually happen, then it would get extremely complicated with integration issues. Too many variables to even go into at this point. Gives me a headache to try and think about it.

sevenfiveseven

see above for the answer

RockyBoy

If SWA attempts to buys Alaska, you would see Delta launch a bid for them as well because of the plans for the Pacific system from the west coast. I think AF/KLM would be willing to pony up some cash for the bidding war as well. They had a couple billion they were going to put into the merger with NWA, but Delta said they didn't need it. I think DAL/AF/KLM could win in a bidding war against SWA for Alaska. Delta has 4.6B in cash plus the resources of AF/KLM to SWA's 1.4B. Delta would also have less overlap with Alaska than SWA does making it easier to get DOJ approval.

flaps 9

Morris Air flew 737's. You must be thinking of Muse Air which WN purchased in the 80's. They flew the Douglas birds

ClipperJet

Dudes...take a deep breath. It aint gonna happen.

If it was going to happen, it already would have, and the news would have read, "Southwest announces the purchase of..." You don't announce you're looking to buy something because the price immediately goes up. They'll keep quiet until a deal is done.

Besides "looking to" is very, very vague. I'll bet SWA said something more like, "If we stumbled onto a great deal, we wouldn't dismiss it..."

Finally, right now cash is king. Debt is really, really bad. I doubt SWA is going to use up all their cash or take on huge debt right now.

But I could be wrong....

tomgoodman

That deal may have been partially due to special factors. As I recall, Lamar Muse was the founder of SWA, and the Board later replaced him with the company's lawyer, Herb Kelleher. Muse then started another airline.

Bucking Bar

And that is how greenmail is played.

Look at how AirTran was the unwitting beneficiary of the MidWest fiasco.

letsfly

I agree with Sniper...we need to remember the 2009 outlook letter we poolies received in January:

"Also, we want to remind you that the interview/hiring process is ongoing. While you are currently in a pool for a future class date at Southwest Airlines your pool status is not an offer for employment."

If something like this acquisition happens, hell even if it doesn't happen, I'd be happy to still be in the pool:

"Your pool status is good for 18 months from your interview date, after which time you could be subject to a background update, further flight records request through the PRIA Act, reference check, and possible re-interview."

Good luck to all of us poolies, I can't decide what helps or what hurts our chances of flying 737s for Southwest. What I do know is after August I'll have a lot more time to work on my short game. Yes!