Southwest Rapid Rewards - Rumor: WN will announced to SJU

I hear a rumor from entire a.net. WN will announced SJU service but, not sure for which the soecific date is that. WN will have 30 flights a days and they will have 6 gates. WN will start to SJU sometime in end of 2012.

WN will start service from DEN/HOU/MDW/ISP/STL/BUF and some seasonal flight to ALB/MHT/PVD or BOS.

Let's the speculation begin.

I hear a rumor from entire a.net. WN will announced SJU service but, not sure for which the soecific date is that. WN will have 30 flights a days and they will have 6 gates. WN will start to SJU sometime in end of 2012.

WN will start service from DEN/HOU/MDW/ISP/STL/BUF and some seasonal flight to ALB/MHT/PVD or BOS.

Let's the speculation begin.

Well, they better hurry up and announce it because 2012 is almost half over.

Also, i heard from sources that the SW Flight Attendants have not even begun to over water trained/certified yet. They better get going then if this rumor is true.

AirTran already services SJU. Isn't this just a natural part of the integration?

AirTran already services SJU. Isn't this just a natural part of the integration?

Right, FL has already existing service from FLL/TPA/MCO/BWI/ATL-SJU.

SJU service will be announced within a week or two after the FAs get the labor agreement settled regarding flights outside of the 48. Heck, Hawaii might be announced then as well.

SJU service will be announced within a week or two after the FAs get the labor agreement settled regarding flights outside of the 48. Heck, Hawaii might be announced then as well.

What FA labor agreement issue exists "regarding flights outside the 48?"

You suggesting AirTran ends SJU runs upon resolution?

I admit I don't know the labor details but there is currently a pending labor issue for WN FAs regarding overwater flying and/or flying outside of the 48. About a month ago the FA union voted down the contract that was proposed so it went back to the drawing board.

Like I said, I don't know all the details but this looks to be the only real hold up on SJU service and WN seems to be keen to open this station ASAP.

Here's a short blurb on it: http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20120522-southwest-flight-attendants-turn-down-deal-on-over-water-international-flying.ece

No comment on whether it will be a 100% switchover on day one or if it will be a gradual ramp up/draw down.

I admit I don't know the labor details but there is currently a pending labor issue for WN FAs regarding overwater flying and/or flying outside of the 48. About a month ago the FA union voted down the contract that was proposed so it went back to the drawing board.

Like I said, I don't know all the details but this looks to be the only real hold up on SJU service and WN seems to be keen to open this station ASAP.

Here's a short blurb on it: http://www.dallasnews.com/incoming/20120522-southwest-flight-attendants-turn-down-deal-on-over-water-international-flying.ece

No comment on whether it will be a 100% switchover on day one or if it will be a gradual ramp up/draw down.

I was chatting with a FA on flight from JAX-BWI two days ago. He explained to me that the big stink right now with the contract is that WN wants the FA's to do full day layovers in other countries and NOT GET PAID.. Sure, they'll get free lodging in a foreign country and all day to do tourist stuff, but it will be at their expense as far as meals are concerned and they won't draw a paycheck at all for that particular day.

SJU service will be announced within a week or two after the FAs get the labor agreement settled regarding flights outside of the 48. Heck, Hawaii might be announced then as well.

Any reason why you are making definitive statements when you are uninformed?

Any reason you don't want to inform us?

Yep, its not public information.

I was chatting with a FA on flight from JAX-BWI two days ago. He explained to me that the big stink right now with the contract is that WN wants the FA's to do full day layovers in other countries and NOT GET PAID.. Sure, they'll get free lodging in a foreign country and all day to do tourist stuff, but it will be at their expense as far as meals are concerned and they won't draw a paycheck at all for that particular day.

It's not that we wouldn't get paid, it's that we would get paid a lesser amont than what's in our current contract for doing the same overnight in one of our current stations. It has to do with the duty guarantee we currentky have in place.

It also involves time in customs, some foreign destinations not allowing crew food bags and our daily per diem in those situations. The first TA had some vague language. The negotiating team is preparing to meet with management soon. Our work group is eager to work the issues out and move forward with the planned growth for SWA.

It's not that we wouldn't get paid, it's that we would get paid a lesser amont than what's in our current contract for doing the same overnight in one of our current stations. It has to do with the duty guarantee we currentky have in place.

It also involves time in customs, some foreign destinations not allowing crew food bags and our daily per diem in those situations. The first TA had some vague language. The negotiating team is preparing to meet with management soon. Our work group is eager to work the issues out and move forward with the planned growth for SWA.

Thanks for clarifying. I'm switching most of my flying back to WN because of the expansion in the Caribbean.

With the unusual back-to-back schedule extension announced today, this seems to be stoking the SJU rumor again. A comment on a.net today seemed to suggest that the new schedule released today has freed up 7 planes.

Is a big announcement coming next week?!?

This will be great to utilize my CP from LAX to SJU. Until then, it looks like I'll need to transfer enough points (76800) to FL, for me and my wife as there are few coach awards. On that note, if the fares stay the same, it should only take about 20k RR 2.0 points on WN with CP. Almost 75% savings! Waiting patiently...

With the unusual back-to-back schedule extension announced today, this seems to be stoking the SJU rumor again. A comment on a.net today seemed to suggest that the new schedule released today has freed up 7 planes.

Is a big announcement coming next week?!?

A few weeks ago there was a post over there saying that the next schedule after today's release would be the one to have new cities. Considering that they also freed up some aircraft in the process suggest that the next release will definitely feature some more converted stations. CLT? (More) DCA? SJU?

I was chatting with a FA on flight from JAX-BWI two days ago. He explained to me that the big stink right now with the contract is that WN wants the FA's to do full day layovers in other countries and NOT GET PAID.. Sure, they'll get free lodging in a foreign country and all day to do tourist stuff, but it will be at their expense as far as meals are concerned and they won't draw a paycheck at all for that particular day.

Travel between the US mainland and SJU doesn't require a passport - its a U.S. territory. Sure, a lot of folks around SJU speak a first language other than English - but that's true of a lot of airports on the mainland. And yes, there are restrictions on transporting agricultural products back and forth - but that's true of travel between the mainland and Hawaii. Is a layover in SJU really that different from a layover in FLL or LAX? (I don't know how WN treats layovers there)

I have a conference I need to get to in SJU in May of 2013 and I'm really hoping that I can fly WN there and back from DEN.