SOUTHWEST ! WN ! SWA

La cie americaine à bas coût Southwest réduit aussi la voilure après une perte de 56 millions USD au Q4,
reéchelonnement des livraisons Boeing, réduction de l'offre de 4 %, il lui reste encore 220 commandes, options et "purchase rights" d'ici 2018 ! Que des 737.

Sur Avaition Week :

Southwest, reporting its second straight quarterly loss and seeing post-January "softness" in bookings, said Jan. 22 it will cut its capacity by 4% in 2009 and suspend its fleet growth plans through at least 2010 because of the recession.

It will mark the first time Southwest has ever shrunk its capacity over a full year.

"The economic environment has never been more uncertain, certainly in Southwest Airlines' history, and accordingly we've got to adjust," CEO Gary Kelly said. "Our immediate goals will be to protect: We want to protect our financial health, and we want to protect our profitability."

Southwest lost $56 million in the fourth quarter, following a $120 million third quarter loss that was its
first quarterly loss in nearly six years. A lot of that could be attributed to special charges tied to the declining future value of its fuel-hedging portfolio.

Kelly and other Southwest officials emphasized that the airline still turned a profit in the third and fourth quarters of 2008 when special items such as fuel hedging value adjustments were excluded. It has dramatically reduced its fuel hedging exposure for future years, saw fourth quarter revenue rise 9.7% to a record $2.7 billion-- even with a 0.8% increase in capacity--still reported its 36th consecutive year of profitability in 2008 and is hopeful for a 37th in 2009. The airline also has not given up on post-January bookings, noting that it also had early softness for December and January until a surge of close-in bookings gave it actual and expected 7% increases in unit revenue.

"We do very well, comparably, in recessionary times, and I think the fourth quarter is good evidence of that," Kelly said.

Nonetheless, Kelly and CFO Laura Wright said the airline must be cautious. "I don't think any of us are
comfortable predicting one way or the other [on bookings]," Kelly said. Wright said February revenue is down 12% year-over-year right now, on 4.4% lower capacity for the first quarter.

Regarding the capacity cuts, Kelly said Southwest would make them without cutting jobs--although some
employees might be "redeployed" under the carrier's plans to eliminate unprofitable flights and lower its aircraft utilization.

Regarding aircraft, Kelly said the airline's fleet growth plans have been "suspended indefinitely," but later specified that definitive decisions to have no net gain in its fleet have only been made through 2010. The airline, with 26 new aircraft deliveries, grew its fleet by a net of about 15 aircraft in 2008.

Arranging for no net gain this year and in future years required renegotiating part of its Boeing delivery schedule, and will require retiring or selling aircraft.

For example, in 2009, Southwest still will receive 13 aircraft, including three aircraft deliveries that were pushed into 2009 by the machinist strike at Boeing. But Southwest actually plans to reduce its fleet from 537 aircraft at the end of 2008 to 535 by the end of 2009 by retiring or returning 15 aircraft.

For 2010, Southwest has reduced its scheduled aircraft deliveries from 22 to 10. It has also reduced
them from 32 to 20 in 2011 (10 firm orders and 10 options), and 40 to 23 in 2012 (13 firm orders and 10 options).

How the airline will keep its net fleet gain to zero will depend in part on the market for selling its aircraft, which right now is non-existent given the condition of airlines and the credit market, Kelly said.

"If we have 10 more airplanes than we want, and we can't find anyone to take them off our hands, we'll have to make a decision whether we want to retire some of our older aircraft early, put aircraft on the ground or look for additional flying," he said.

The airline's total firm orders, options and purchase rights for the 737-700 aircraft remain at 220 through 2018. Kelly said several times that Southwest still wants to grow, it's just a question of when.
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/generic/story.jsp?id=news/SWCAP012209.xml&headline=Southwest%20Suspends%20Fleet%20Growth%20&channel=comm

Deux extraits pris sur le blog de M. J. Wallace du Seattle P.I. qui complètent les informations d'Avaition Week :

"Our current 2009 fleet plan includes taking delivery of 13 new Boeing 737-700 aircraft, including three aircraft originally scheduled for delivery in 2008 that were delayed to 2009 due to Boeing machinists' 2008 strike. Two 737-300 lease returns that were planned for fourth quarter 2008 were deferred to first quarter 2009.
Including these two lease returns, we currently plan to return or retire fifteen aircraft, to end the year with 535 aircraft.
"Today, we announce our revised Boeing 737-700 delivery schedule. We have reduced our 2010 aircraft deliveries to ten firm orders from 22 (16 firm, 6 options) and have made adjustments to our schedule beyond 2010.

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/aerospace/

"Our fleet growth plans are suspended indefinitely," Kelly told analysts and reporters on a conference call. "I definitely want Southwest Airlines to grow. I believe we will be able to grow, but that is certainly a secondary objective in this kind of an economic environment."

Amende finale de 7,5million d’USD pour Southwest par la FAA, sur les 10,2 proposés par l’agence concernant les 46 B 737 classics en 2007 ( non application d’une AD )

Avec injonction de donner toutes les informations techniques sur les contrôles
internes de la Cie aux inspecteurs de cette agence, maintenance lourde
Sur ATN :

Southwest Airlines yesterday agreed to pay US FAA a $7.5 million fine to settle an enforcement action stemming from the carrier's operating 46 737 Classics for nine days in March 2007 after it had disclosed to the agency that the aircraft were in noncompliance with an airworthiness directive.

The total amount represents a reduction from a $10.2 million penalty proposed by FAA last year, but the agreement also requires the LCC to take a number of steps regarding its maintenance program.

According to FAA, SWA has agreed to increase the number of on-site technical representatives for heavy maintenance vendors from 27 to 35 within 30 days; to allow FAA inspectors improved access to maintenance and engineering information within 60 days; to designate a management head of Quality Assurance "who does not have air carrier certification responsibilities" within 90 days; to review its Required Inspection Item procedures to ensure compliance with FAA rules and "identify more clearly all RII items on its maintenance work instructions, engineering authorizations and task cards" within 180 days, and to rewrite all FAA-approved manuals within one year.

"This agreement furthers aviation safety by requiring important improvements to the airline's safety program," Acting Administrator Lynne Osmus said. "Some of those safety measures exceed FAA regulations."..............

-----------
by Aaron Karp

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=15785

Les résultats du Q1 en perte prévisionnelle, - 91 millions USD, c'est mieux que pas mal d'autres, avec, en fin d'année une flotte prévue de 535 B737 !

Le CR d'Aron Karp sur ATW Penton

Southwest Airlines' stretch of unprofitability continued with a first-quarter net loss of $91 million, reversed from a $34 million profit in the year-ago period and the LCC's third
consecutive quarter in the red, leading it to initiate a "systemwide voluntary early-out program" as part of an effort to "align headcount to current capacity."

Chairman and CEO Gary Kelly said the carrier is "modestly overstaffed" and added that he doesn't "see involuntary furloughs needed" unless demand declines more than
expected and a fleet reduction becomes unavoidable. But he emphasized in a
conference call with analysts and reporters that SWA, which expects to operate
535 737s at year end, has "no commitment to grow our fleet and that is indefinite."

----Kelly said reports that the airline had promised pilots it would grow its fleet are incorrect, explaining that a tentative five-year contract with the Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn.
contains provisions that would put "fences around" some codesharing if the fleet does not grow. "Absolutely we are not committed contractually to grow the fleet," he said.

The voluntary leave program will be offered through June 19. "We don't have a minimum [number of employees accepting] that we are dependent on" and will not resort to
layoffs if a certain figure is not reached, he claimed. SWA has implemented a hiring freeze and suspended pay increases for senior management.

First-quarter revenue dropped 6.8% to $2.36 billion while expenses increased 1.4% to $2.41 billion, producing an operating loss of $50 million, reversed from an operating profit
of $88 million last year. Traffic fell 4% to 16.89 billion RPMs on a 4.1% cut
in capacity to 24.17 billion ASMs, producing a load factor of 69.9%, down 0.1 point. Yield dipped 2.8% to 13.33 cents as RASM slipped 2.9% to 9.75 cents and CASM lifted 2.8% to 9.96 cents. CASM ex-fuel rose 8.4% to 7.07 cents.

Kelly projected "another year-over-year decline in our second-quarter 2009 operating unit revenues," cautioning that the recovery from the economic downturn "is going to be a long, drawn-out, painful affair." He added that the RASM drop "could be worse" than the first quarter: "I wouldn't be shocked at all to see it down more than 2.9%."

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=16307



Des liens indicatifs sur SW
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines

Un tableau sorti d'ATN sur les résultats comparés d'avril 08 et 09.

........................................................2009....................2008..........Change

Revenue Passenger Carried................7,551,740............7,667,160..........(1,5)%
Enplaned Passengers.........................8,814,504............8,794,398...........0,2%
Revenue Passenger Miles (000)...........6,517,856............6,261,385...........4,1%
Available Seat Miles (000)..................8,463,511............8,625,382..........(1,9)%

Load Factor........................................77,0%.................72,6%............4,4 pts

Trips flown..........................................96,457..............100,307...........(3,8)%

.....................................................Year To Date

.......................................................2009......................2008........Change

Revenue Passenger Carried...............27,311,430.............29,171,981.......(6,4)%
Enplaned Passenger.........................31,864,494.............33,503,013.......(4,9)%
R P M............................................23,409,485.............23,853,543.......(1,9)%
A S M............................................32,635,186.............33,818,819.......(3,5)%

Load Factor........................................71,7%.................70,5%.............1,2 pts
Trips flown.......................................375,592...............395,097............(4,7)%
http://www.airtransportnews.aero/article.pl?mcateg=&id=17202

SWA fait du sale & Lease back, besoin de trésorerie.

Article de Forbes relativement détaillé :
--------------------------

Southwest Airlines Co., trying to pad its cash balance amid a downturn in travel, said Thursday it sold three planes for $104 million and leased them back.

It was the second such transaction in just over a month at Dallas-based Southwest, bringing to six the number of planes it has sold.

Southwest said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that on Tuesday it closed a sale-leaseback deal with a third party aircraft lessor involving three Boeing 737-700 jets. It immediately leased the planes back for 16 years.

Southwest said it will make monthly payments of about $4.4 million for the first six months of the leases. It didn't identify the lessor in the transaction.

The low-fare airline had a string of profitable quarters from 1991 until last year, the longest streak in the U.S. airline industry. But it has lost money the last three quarters, with falling
traffic hurting its results so far in 2009.

Airlines have had a difficult time borrowing money to finance aircraft purchases and other purposes. The chief executive of American Airlines parent AMR Corp. said, however, that the credit squeeze seems to be easing.

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2009/05/21/ap6453404.html

Merci, Daren et LHO, pour ces posts intéressants !

Matière à réflexion !

LHO Sevrien....décidément...

Numéro de vol: pas d'accord entre WestJet et Southwest

http://lapresseaffaires.cyberpresse.ca/economie/transports/200905/25/01-859666-numero-de-vol-pas-daccord-entre-westjet-et-southwest.php

La compagnie aérienne canadienne à bas prix WestJet a annoncé lundi que son partenaire américain Southwest repoussait l'entrée en vigueur d'un accord de partage de codes entre eux, en raison de la récession.

Cet accord devait être mis en place à la fin de l'année. Dans l'intervalle, WestJet compte se concentrer sur un autre accord de partage de codes conclu cette année avec Air France-KLM en y consacrant une partie des ressources prévues pour l'application de l'accord avec Southwest, a indiqué le transporteur canadien dans un communiqué.
Aucune nouvelle date n'a été fournie pour l'application de l'accord entre WestJet et Southwest, à l'égard duquel Southwest a toutefois réitéré son engagement, selon le communiqué.
«En réponse au contexte économique actuel, Southwest concentre son attention sur plusieurs objectifs d'importance, y compris l'accroissement de ses recettes», a déclaré Bob Jordan, vice-président Stratégie et Planification chez le transporteur américain à bas prix.

Il a reconnu que ce changement de priorité allait avoir un impact sur la mise en place de l'accord de partage de codes avec WestJet, mais s'est engagé à le minimiser le plus possible.
Le partage de codes permet à chaque compagnie signataire d'appliquer son propre numéro de vol à un trajet effectué par l'un de ses partenaires, donnant la possibilité à chaque transporteur d'accroître sa desserte et simplifiant les procédures de réservation pour les clients.
«WestJet comprend la décision prise par Southwest. Notre expansion continue aux Etats-Unis est une stratégie-clé pour notre compagnie, mais le partage de codes n'en est qu'un élément», a dit pour sa part Hugh Dunleavy, l'un des vice-présidents de WestJet.
WestJet et Air France-KLM ont signé en février un protocole d'accord prévoyant la mise en place de vols en partage de codes à la fin de l'année ou au début de l'an prochain.
L'action de Westjet a clôturé à 12,11$ à la Bourse de Toronto, en baisse de 37 cents ou 3%.

Tableau de variations pour le mois de mai chez SWA, à comparer avec le tableau plus haut posté par Daren

Relayé par ATN :



............................................................2009...............2008..........Change

Revenue Passengers carried................7,470,271......8,143,173.....(8,3)%

Enplaned Passengers..........................8,685,825......9,304,834.....(6,7)%

RPM (000).......................................6,434,369......6,672,655.....(3,6)%

Available Seat Miles (000).................8,624,950......8,914,187......(3,2)%

Load Factor..............................................74,6%........74,9%........(0,3)%

Bonjour à tous

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=17877

Southwest targets Europe, South America with long-haul low-cost model

Wednesday September 16, 2009

Southwest Airlines plans to open international routes to Europe and South America, although so far there is "no timetable" for the move, Director-Network Strategic Planning Lee Lipton told ATWOnline at the World Route Development Forum in Beijing.

"Europe and South America are our first choice. . .but currently we are still evaluating our options," Lipton said. Southwest Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly said last month that the LCC is "seriously considering" operating international flights to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean as soon as 2011 (ATWOnline, Aug. 21).

Lipton told this website he is confident that the "low-cost, long-haul" business model can work for the carrier "just as AirAsia X and Jetstar have achieved success," adding, "it could even become a trend for LCCs in the coming days."

Interestingly, Spring Airlines, the most successful Chinese LCC, also plans to launch international service. It intends to operate to neighboring Asian countries in time for Shanghai's Expo 2010 starting in May.

However, Assn. of Asia Pacific Airlines DG Andrew Herdman expressed reservations about the low-cost long-haul model, saying, "It's too early to tell if it will be a trend for the future."

He contrasted the normal low-cost business model--narrowbody aircraft, single-class cabins and online ticket sales--with a typical long-haul operation. "Once the LCCs enter the international market, they have to comply with international rules, which means they have to operate a two-class cabin on widebody aircraft and sell their tickets not only through their website but also by GDS," he told ATWOnline. "All these would make low-cost carriers look like full-service airlines, as they have a lot of convergence with carriers that choose the standard model." Herdman concluded: "I wouldn't say it can't work, but it's quite challenging."

Southwest en Europe ?
Tout d'abord d'ici 2011 en amérique centrale et du nord.
Ensuite vers l'Europe
Jetstar et AirAsiaX ont montré la voix.

Petit rappel (fondé ?) sur les obligations du long courrier : cabines 2 classes et vente de ticket plus seulement limitée au WEb.


Bonne journée

Bonjour à tous,

La compagnie et ses pilotes sont proches d'un accord :

NEW YORK, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Southwest Airlines and its pilots reached a tentative agreement on a contract on Thursday, roughly three months after the union rejected a previous offer, the airline and its union said.
The proposal is a five-year agreement that runs through August 2011, the airline said in a statement.
Southwest's pilots will be sent the agreement shortly and are expected to vote on it in October, the union said in a statement. The union board voted unanimously to endorse it.
The revamped agreement "gives an increase to retirement benefit for pilots sooner and further restricts the company's ability to codeshare both domestically and internationally," said the union, which represents 5,900 pilots. (Reporting by Deepa Seetharaman, editing by Leslie Gevirtz)

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSN1723224120090917

Amicalement

Bonjour à tous

Quelques nouvelles financières

http://www.atwonline.com/news/story.html?storyID=18200

Southwest in red for fourth time in five quarters
Friday October 16, 2009

Southwest Airlines posted its fourth quarterly deficit in the past five reporting periods, a third-quarter net loss of $16 million that was narrowed from a $120 million loss in the year-ago period, and announced that it likely will follow up its "no growth" 2009 with a flat 2010.

The LCC said it would have earned a $23 million third-quarter profit absent special items, including a $27 million charge for its "early out" voluntary job reduction program and a $12 million noncash mark-to-market fuel hedging charge. Chairman, President and CEO Gary Kelly said the result was a "remarkable accomplishment" given the "continuation of the depressed economy."

He said that while the carrier's "low fare brand" serves it well during a downturn, it is suffering along with the rest of the industry because of the absence of full-fare business passengers. "We're not counting on the return of business passengers anytime soon," he told analysts and reporters. "It's a low fare environment. . .I think the economy will continue to bump along. It's not getting better. It's just not getting worse." Advance bookings are robust but "discount-oriented," he said.

SWA likely will be forced to keep capacity flat through 2010, Kelly projected. Its capacity in the first nine months of 2009 was down 4.3% year-over-year. "We still see ourselves as a growth company," he said. "Now is not the time to grow, of course. We hope we'll have ample opportunity [in the future] to grow our route map, not only in the US but in the near-international market."

He insisted that the decision not to charge for first and second checked bags is paying off: "It's not a stretch to say that 2%-3% of our customers [are flying on SWA] because we're not charging bag fees. . .We're at worst neutral [from a revenue perspective] by not charging the bag fee and it's our belief that we're ahead."

Third-quarter operating revenue lowered 7.8% to $2.67 billion while expenses decreased 5.7% to $2.64 billion, producing operating income of $22 million, down 74.4% from $86 million last year. Traffic rose 4.7% to 19.71 billion RPMs on a 5.8% cut in capacity to 24.77 billion ASMs, driving load factor up 8 points to 79.6%. Yield declined 12% to 12.94 cents as RASM lowered 2.2% to 10.76 cents and CASM was flat at 10.67 cents. CASM ex-fuel increased 6.6% to 7.11 cents.


by Aaron Karp

Intéressant !
Le Yield... c'est à dire le revenu par place vendue est en baisse importante 12%...
Ainsi malgré une grosse augmentation du coef de remplissage, la revenue par place disponibles baisse...

Dur dur...

Et encore, SW n'est pas la moins bien armée dans ce contexte

Bonne journée

Bonjour à tous

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2009/10/22/333891/southwest-tests-new-interior-materials-as-it-targets-fuel.html

Southwest tests new interior materials as it targets fuel savings
By Megan Kuhn

Southwest Airlines has begun a six-month, in-flight evaluation of new interior materials as the low-cost carrier seeks to reduce fuel costs and greenhouse gas emissions by operating a lighter-weight aircraft.

Dallas-based Southwest outfitted one four-year-old Boeing 737-700 aircraft that was due for refurbishment with items that are lighter-weight than what is currently used on the airline's fleet: 100% recycled carpet;two types of seat covers;foam fill in the back of the back of the seats;aluminium instead of plastic passenger seat rub strips; and canvas life vest pouches instead of the current metal containers.

Combined, these "eco-friendly" elements were expected to trim 472lbs (214.1kg) of weight from the aircraft, translating to nearly $20,000 in fuel savings per aircraft, per year based on an estimate of $2 per gallon of fuel, Southwest chairman, president and CEO Gary Kelly said during the airline's annual media day on 21 October. But after the airline installed the five different products on aircraft WN222, Southwest found the aircraft was 519lbs lighter.

With roughly 540 aircraft in the Southwest fleet, the airline estimates fleet-wide deployment of the new materials could result in fleet-wide fuel savings of $10.3 million per year, an airline spokeswoman says.

In addition to weight savings, the products being tested in revenue service are expected to be more durable, require less maintenance and lower the airline's labour costs, he says.

For example, it would take four hours to lay down the carpet currently used in Southwest's fleet, which is installed in a single piece, whereas InterfaceFLOR's modular carpet took two hours to lay down sinceit was installed in sections, the airline spokeswoman says.

Aside from reducing labour expenses, the new materials are expected to cut refurbishment costs. The leather seat covers currently used in the rest of the carrier's fleet require refurbishment every four years at a cost of$30,000 per aircraft, the spokeswoman says. The seat covers being tested--e-Leather's recycled leather seat covers on the right side of the aisle and IZIT Leather's leather alternative seat covers on the left side of the aisle--are expected to last eight years before requiring refurbishment, she says.

During the six-month demonstration, the airline will survey passengers and observe how the two different seat covers wear and how easily they can be cleaned compared with the leather seats in use in other aircraft, she says.

After six months, Southwest hopes to have enough data to make a decision about deploying the materials fleet-wide, she adds.

No commitments have been made yet but should the airline opt to purchase any of the five materials, they would be installed as aircraft are due for refurbishment.

Réflexion du SWA sur un intérieur optimisé...
Avec quelques modifications allant vers :
- un allégement des aménagements intérieurs
- une augmentation de la robustesse
- l'emploi de matériaux récyclés

Test pendant 6 mois

Economie calculée sur le carburant : 20 000 $ avec un kérosène à 2$ l'USgal

Bonne soirée

Gain sur un 737-700 de 40 ans : 235 kg

Bonsoir à tous,

Le trafic d'octobre 09 comparé à octobre 08 :

+ 1,9 %
- 9,4 % pour la capacité
+ 8,8 points à 79,2 % pour le coefficient d'occupation

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idCNN0620560520091106?rpc=44

Amicalement

Bonsoir à tous,

Le trafic de novembre 09 comparé à novembre 08 :

+ 11,7 %
- 7,7 % pour la capacité
+ 13,3 points à 76,5 % pour le coefficient d'occupation

http://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0416943820091204?rpc=44

Amicalement

Bonjour à tous,

Un sursaut pour Southwest. A voir si cela ne correspond pas aux fêtes de fin d'année.
Le trafic de décembre 09 comparé à décembre 08 :

+ 3,0 %
- 5,8 % pour la capacité
+ 6,5 points à 76,2 % pour le coefficient d'occupation

http://www.reuters.com/article/idCNN0825632920100108?rpc=44

Amicalement

Bonjour !

Un extrait du rapport Annuel de South West, grand opérateur de 737 , presque 600 ! et probablement le premier intéressé, par les évolutions du 737 !
Un interlocuteurde poids pour Boeing, réputé pour insister pour avoir un choix de moteurs concurents !

Bon, a suivre qq lignes concernant les optimisations pour les écos d'énergie ! 14 % de gagnés depuis 2000 quand même !

Noter :
Alimentation: courant, Air conditionné, proviennent du terminal ! APU out à l'escale !
Winglets, merci aussi, vitesse, optimisée etc !
Optimisation des profils de vols !
La dernière mode aussi, laver souvent les moteurs .. Merci Mr Kärcher !
Et coup de gueule anti govt, contre les ATC qui ne sont pas modernisés assez vite ... avec les impôts Airlines et Pax !

Et une petite phrase ambigue concernant le renouvellement de la flotte ...

Gradually replacing our classic aircraft with more fuel-efficient next-generation 737S
CEKOICA ??
Remplacer les derniers 737-300
Des 737 remotorisés ...
Ou le mono couloir NG !
Seul point certain, Airbus n'est jamais mentionné !

La flotte SouthWest / 2009
http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/factsheet.html#Fleet

------------------- Extrait, et le lien -----------------

http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2010/05/southwest-ceo-kellys-speech-at-the-annual-meeting.html#more

---------------
At present, the biggest risk to our near and long-term outlook is rising jet fuel prices. This year, based on current market prices with hedging, we will realize record high fuel costs per gallon. It is imperative we have a continued focus on fuel efficiency.

In 2009, despite a record load factor, we held our fuel efficiency per available seat mil steady with the prior year. Since 2000, our fuel efficiency has improved by almost 14 percent. Our operating groups deserve all the credit and have taken a number of steps to achieving such improvements including:

* Installing blended winglets
* Refining our optimum cruising speeds
* Deploying auto-throttle and vertical navigation to maintain optimum cruising speeds
* Conducting engine washes
* Utilizing electric ground power for aircraft air and power at the gate
* Gradually replacing our classic aircraft with more fuel-efficient next-generation 737S

And finally, Southwest Airlines has taken the lead in our industry with our previous commitment to next-generation navigation techniques, known as required navigational performance, or RNP. Currently, commercial aircraft navigate using the FAA's ground-based radar system, deployed in the 1950s. It is horribly out of date and horribly inefficient. That means we waste billions of dollars a year in fuel, as well as other resources. Burning excess fuel means more dependency on foreign oil, as well as tons and tons of unnecessary greenhouse gases, or CO2 emissions. RNP utilizes state-of-the-art cockpit avionics and satellites, or GPS, to produce much more efficient flight paths. It reduces miles flown, time in the air, fuel consumption, and greenhouse gases. This is a significant part of what modernizing the air traffic control system is all about. Our government needs to make it a priority, and it needs to happen soon with funds already paid to the aviation trust fund by airlines and the flying public.

The global airline industry produces less than three percent of worldwide greenhouse gases. Still greenhouse gases can be reduced by the federal government with a modernized ATC system. Congress continues to consider various schemes to effectively tax greenhouse gas emissions. For our industry, the government focus needs to be itself: and up-to-date ATC system, not more taxes on an already over-taxed industry.

In addition, our country needs a comprehensive energy policy that lessens our dependence upon foreign, often unfriendly, countries to ensure stable supplies and stable prices.

Finally, we need to encourage the research and development of the next generation of aviation and engine technology. Our fuel consumption per available seat mile has declined significantly by more than 35 percent over the last three decades. With higher energy costs, we need a commitment to the next generation of technology to continue to reduce fuel consumption, costs, and emissions.

Read more: http://startelegram.typepad.com/sky_talk/2010/05/southwest-ceo-kellys-speech-at-the-annual-meeting.html#more#ixzz0oT2UHGTQ


JPRS

Je crois qu'ils ont simplement encore des 737-500 ou -300 en flotte remplacé par des -700

A noter que les -300 de SWA vont être partiellement dotés de winglets

Du lien wiki

Frequent use of the Ecopower system is estimated to improve fuel efficiency by about 1.9%

Ecopower est un truc de PW

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southwest_Airlines

Bonne journée

Bonjour à tous

http://blog.seattlepi.com/worldairlinenews/archives/221431.asp

Southwest Airlines moves one step closer to adding the Boeing 737-800

Southwest Airlines (Dallas) is carefully consulting with its union of whether to add the larger Boeing 737-800 to its fleet. The decision to bring the Boeing 737-800 into the fleet moved one step closer today as the Executive Board of the Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 556, representing more than 9,700 Southwest Flight Attendants unanimously approved a tentative agreement reached with the Company. The tentative agreement will now be presented to members of TWU Local 556 for a ratification vote.

If Southwest pursues the -800, a joint committee would meet to work on the logistical details related to scheduling and bidding procedures that adding a fourth Flight Attendant will require. If approved by a majority vote of the Flight Attendants, their current contract also will be extended by one year, becoming amendable on May 31, 2013, and also include the potential for wage rate increases based on the Company's financial performance.

The decision to add the -800 still isn't final; Southwest is still in discussion with our Pilots Union, SWAPA, and are continuing to evaluate network and configuration options. As such, any details regarding firm orders with Boeing, timing, and quantity of deliveries are still to be determined.

Southwest fait les démarches nécessaires pour avoir l'accord des représentants du personnel navigant pour l'introduction dans la flotte d'un avion de la taille de 737-800
Cette taille requiert la présence d'un 4 ième PNC.

Ce qui ne préjuge ni d'une commande de -800 ni de rien d'autre

Moi je trouve très bien que SW consulte son PN !
Faudrait faire passer le message à AF !

Hou Hou Eolien !

JPRS

Southwest va acquérir AirTran pour 1,4 Md$.

Southwest Airlines annonce un accord pour l'acquisition de la compagnie AirTran à travers une offre combinée en numéraire et en actions, pour un prix d'environ 1,4 milliard de dollars.

Sur la base du cours de l'action Southwest Airlines de vendredi dernier, l'offre valorise l'action AirTran à 7,7 dollars, soit une prime de 69% par rapport au cours du 24 septembre. Pour chaque action Air Tran, l'acquéreur propose 3,75 dollars en numéraire et 0,321 action Southwest.

La transaction, valorisée au total à 3,4 milliards de dollars en tenant compte notamment de l'endettement net, reste soumise aux conditions usuelles, y compris le feu vert des autorités compétentes et des actionnaires de la société cible.

Cette acquisition doit permettre à Southwest de se renforcer dans les services à bas tarifs avec un renforcement de son réseau vers de nouveaux marchés intérieurs.

Sur les 12 mois terminés le 30 juin dernier, Air Tran a réalisé un résultat opérationnel courant de 128 millions de dollars pour un chiffre d'affaires de 2,5 milliards de dollars, contre 843 millions et 11,2 milliards respectivement pour Southwest.

http://www.boursorama.com/infos/actualites/detail_actu_societes.phtml?num=ebf92d52d2c9ebb2436159e30e12fca8

Belle acquisition

Airtran a des 717-200 et des 737-700 en flotte... et en commande pour les derniers
Il va y avoir des 717-200 sur le marché probablement...

Un peu plus de détail ici

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/09/27/347841/southwest-to-acquire-airtran-airways.html

A terme une seule marque

Gain immédiat pour SWA :
- Washington National
- La guardia
- Destination touristiques internationales proches (caraïbes)

A suivre donc

Bonjour !

Bien vu Art-Way !
Ca crée de l'agitation chez Airliners !
Tout le monde tombe de l'arbre !

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4938433/

Delta avec du monde dans sa cour à Atlanta !

A suivre, faudra qq temps pour l'approbation !

Maintenant, c'est South West qui va vraiment décider pour le futur des MC chez Boeing !
Bientôt une flotte de 1000 MC chez eux, avec les cdes restant à livrer ???
Faites moi SVP MON avion pour moi, et point !
Messieurs de chez Boeing !
Ca va y ressembler !
Et MOL de Ryanair loin derrière pour exiger ... le sien !

JPRS