[Butch Cassidy Slept Here]

I guess this must be the week of resurrecting old posts. I'll try to look on the positive side: 10 days old sure as heck beats-out the two-month one "DL" dredged-up. The latter party has yet to be forthcoming about his/her motives in doing that.

As to your post Gromit: I'll say basically the same things your airline friends on here would say if the tables were turned--

On your numbers: I suspect Southwest CONSISTENTLY comes-up with numbers like that, or better. The "legacy" airlines WISH they had numbers like that on a REGULAR basis. And, yes, I know--Alaska is, technically, a "legacy" airline.

I can't believe the cities Alaska serves doesn't have something to do with their numbers. I suspect it's been a long time since there has been a tarmac delay at Nome or Barrow airports. The biggest source of delay (aside from snow and wind) at those airports is probably chasing moose off the runway.

I don't know how one can, with a straight face, say Alaska's route network compares to Southwest's.

Still, Alaska is on my "A-list" of domestic airlines. Next to Southwest, their flight attendants are about as fair and rational as anyone could hope for. Alaska's (mainline) first class service is a plus when it comes to comfort. As I stated previously, first class food service is your typical something dead with gravy on it. By the way, does anyone on here remember the STEAKS on the old Northeast Airlines circa 1969?

As to the collective bargaining agent at Alaska (from a post, by Phx, in this same thread): So far I have NOT been able to find any Teamster representation. Thus my previous post is corrected. Still, to equate the Teamsters with the era of Jimmy Hoffa, SR. borders on the absurd. Hoffa, Sr. has been dead (or in the barrell?) for something like 20 to 30 years. At one point the union was re-admitted to the AFL-CIO. Whether they're still affiliated I don't know.