WN to Borrow $500 Million

[FlyingPhotog]

Let the rumors begin! Southwest is borrowing $500 Million dollars, using 16 aircraft as collateral. What will the money be used for?

Will they finally buy Alsaka Airlines as has been rumored in the past?
Are they after another airline at all?
Will they buy back more stock?
Will it be used to build a new showcase terminal in Dallas (DAL)?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/092007dnbussouthwestdebtbrf.ef253a8f.html

[AASuper80Fan]

Maybe to expand Internationally? Not! We shall see, I could see them going after Alaska, but I think other airline would throw a fit.

[DAL767-400ER]

WN will finally be getting 3 A380s to operate thrice daily services on DAL-STN .

[screaming_emu]

oh, I'm sorry to disrupt the massive amount of attention this thread has been getting. I'm so disruptive....

[z740]

oh, I'm sorry to disrupt the massive amount of attention this thread has been getting. I'm so disruptive....

How rude!! just kidding. i personally think that they will either go after Alaska or outfit their fleet with some new equipment(radar, the new ATC thingy, etc.) or they might be purchasing some A380s to fly DAL-Hong Kong or maybe even the moon.

-Chris

[FlyingPhotog]

How rude!! just kidding. i personally think that they will either go after Alaska or outfit their fleet with some new equipment(radar, the new ATC thingy, etc.) or they might be purchasing some A380s to fly DAL-Hong Kong or maybe even the moon.

-Chris

WN did confirm a while back that they WILL be installing the "new ATC thingy" in order to save on flight time and fuel costs.

[Airbus_A320]

WN did confirm a while back that they WILL be installing the "new ATC thingy" in order to save on flight time and fuel costs.

Is it the "new ATC thingy" called ADS-B. If that's what your talking about, it's supposed to become mandatory eventually, at least that's what I read when I sat down in Barnes & Noble today with an issue of Flying magazine.

[z740]

NextGen i do believe: http://www.popularmechanics.com/scie...e/4219569.html

-Chris

[Airbus_A320]

Although GPS is nice and the new units and advances coming out are pretty slick, you really are putting your trust in something that's in outer space and can potentially have something happen to it. I'm just wondering what would happen if the GPS satellite system goes down. Also in the article I read they said that radar isn't going to totally go away, so I imagine the possibility of an a GPS snafu is the reason for keeping the radars around.

As for the thing with the Alaska airlines example they gave that sounds like RNP which there was a post about here before.

But like I said, I wonder what will happen in the event of a GPS outage. Highly unlikely, but you never know.

[flyingbosshog]

From what I have heard from a couple of buddies who are dispatchers.... some of this cash will go towards upgrades such as Auto-Throttle units, and other potentially cash saving upgrades....

[Excalibur2004]

Let the rumors begin! Southwest is borrowing $500 Million dollars, using 16 aircraft as collateral. What will the money be used for?

Will they finally buy Alsaka Airlines as has been rumored in the past?
Are they after another airline at all?
Will they buy back more stock?
Will it be used to build a new showcase terminal in Dallas (DAL)?

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont....ef253a8f.html

I've heard from some rather worried folks that WN is looking to absorb FL....heard the rumor for 2 days straight and it's driving me nuts

I know it's way outta left field but I personally like the idea!

[DAL767-400ER]

Well, it would be their only realistic chance of ever getting into ATL . But at the same time, WN and FL are such different products...

[FlyingPhotog]

I've heard from some rather worried folks that WN is looking to absorb FL....heard the rumor for 2 days straight and it's driving me nuts

I know it's way outta left field but I personally like the idea!

I like the idea as well, and I think FL is a great product. But with WN going through it's own pains of rapid-growth (deferring deliveries and under staffing at mega stations MDW and BWI) I don't know if WN would be able to swallow such a big fish. I think those 717s would be perfect for some of our low-load routes in Texas.

And if FL was offering up to 10 Billion for Midwest I don't think $500 million would be enough for FL. Last I heard WN has about $3 billion in unrestricted credit at their hands. I guess it would make a great down payment.

[chris133]

No the A380 will be used to replace 3 of the DAL-HOU turns, gives a little more capacity

[Justin_AUS_Spotter]

From what I have heard from a couple of buddies who are dispatchers.... some of this cash will go towards upgrades such as Auto-Throttle units, and other potentially cash saving upgrades....

Autothrottle and Autobrake sure would be some good fuel savers... Knowing that right now they use throttle manually and no autobrake, it would be sad to see old traditions go but that was then this is now and I think A/T units would greatly benefit them.