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F D X v. S W A

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O.K. I'll come clean...I left SWA after a very short tour and went to FDX. Like you I was in both hiring pools at the same time and SWA came in with the first class date. 6 Months later FDX called.

Had I been with SW longer, say over a year or two I probably would not have left. Great Company, super people. Like some have eluded to your 'situation' should dictate where you go. Look at the domiciles because not commuting makes either job a whole lot easier. SW offers more choices here. What type of flying do you want to do? I didn't want to spend 30 more years in a 737...not even the 700's/900's. As far as trying to categorize the type of flying you will have at FedEx you can pretty well have your pick. Sorry but some of the previous threads regarding "mostly night flying" is inaccurate, and yes that's due primarily to the postal flying. We have a day time sort that occurs at all of our hubs that has us flying close to 50% of all flights during the day time. This contract was just renewed with the Post Office for another 7 years. Ya, I know I can hear you typing now..but what if the contract goes away...blah , blah, blah what if, what if. Nobody has a crystal ball and who the hell knows whats going to happen tomorrow never mind 10 or 15 years from now. Look at the history of the industry on both sides. Which one has an established record of profits and continued growth. How many pax airlines have gone away? how many cargo? The airline industry has been the only industry in the U.S. that is still in operation, to post more in revenue losses than overall gains. I know SW has been a shining star within that group and I hope they can continue to perform that way for a long time to come. But the profit and loss statements aren' t even close.

If you have the time try to get the bid packs from both airlines and look at the trips. Don't talk to any friends at either airline unless they can tell you about the 'job' and not try to convince you why their Company is better. When we answer a question like that from our buds we are usually trying to justify in our own minds why we are in the 'best place '.

As far a the single v. married thing. It may have an impact if you can STAY SINGLE at SWA. Good Luck...absolutely, hands down SWA the winner, but the FA isn't funding my retirement, nor do I want to fund hers.

I can go on and on over the details but my situation is not yours. For myself it was a great decision but I'm sure I would have had a great time had I stayed at SWA. Like the one guy said you wont know for sure until retirement. Either way I think both companies will definitely get you there which is what its all about! Good Luck and have fun.
 
I think it's worth pointing out that your happiness is probably more dependent on you, not which company you pick. If you're generally a happy person, you'll be happy at either. If you're generally a complainer, then you'll complain at either. Just keep thinking that the glass is half full and it will be. I don't think either will be going away anytime soon.
 
Not trying to convice you but I'll toss in that we have 5000 pilots on the property with aspirations for 9000 by 2012.

I "like" my job. I love the company. When the sh!t hits the fan this joint's got your back and they show it time and again. I can't tell you how many stories I've heard from personal injury to family tragedy and the company calls, sends gifts and flowers letting you know that they're here for you.

Bottom line. There will always be times when you wonder why you didn't pick the other option. I'd let this decision be made between you and your wife - not a bunch of boneheads like us.
 
Originally Posted by FlyBoeingJets

Excellent point. Which one were you recommending again???

I actually had another paragraph originally with my 2 cents but decided it wasn't really relevant. I'm at SWA and enjoy it. Have a bunch of friends at Fedex but once I got in the pool at SWA I decided not to continue pursuing Fedex, and that was with a 2+ year pool wait at SWA. I think the posters with advice about the commute probably are closest to the mark. I suspect that trying to 'pick a winner' for 30 years from now may be an exercise in futility. I am keeping my Fedex application current though with an update a year even though I hope never to have to change the availability date to 'now' instead of some random date in the future. (I paid my 50 bucks, and admit to being a little superstitious. As in, once I say screw it I'm never going to another airline, fate may throw me a curve)

We've had a few guys in my squadron get hired by both and they went to Fedex. I think some guys see the money and jump for it, which is hard to fault. Money/time off = quality of life. I do think it is a little silly to make career/life long decisions based on the most current contract like so many guys seemed to do back in the late 90's. 'Well my career earnings at airline X will be 8 million but at airline Y they will only be 6.5 million.' There are so many assumptions that those kind of numbers can be the next best thing to meaningless. Including the ones that guys are doing now comparing SWA and Fedex. What if SWA gets 787s and starts paying 300+ a year to do international on a second plane type? What if the Fedex A/B plans go away as a result of the entire Fortune 500 ditching their plans? Where are your career earnings now?

Lots of things to ponder. Great to have the choice but tough too, those of us who only ever got one interview are secure in the knowledge we made the right choice, hobbesian though it may have been. My high school physics teacher had a poster on his wall that said, "A man with one watch always knows what time it is, a man with two watches is never sure." I only had one airline interview me so it is the right one. People that have to choose between two have a tougher row to hoe.
 
Good perspective, firstthird.

I personally think there there is no "right" answer here. Just innumerable reasons why one is better than the other.

Kinda like who's going to win the superbowl, God or the ('86) Bears?

Full size Ditka or mini-Ditka?

Full size Ditka.

I say God, score 60-58.
 
Malter1 said:
If you're asking that question, then one of 2 things apply to you: 1.) You already know which one you're going to take and you just made this post to gloat. OR 2.) You really didn't do your research prior to figure out which one is the better fit.

In either case, if you're that wishy-washy, go to Southwest. Make room for my buds who know what they want to do with their lives and have had the singular goal of getting hired at FedEx for years.

Dick.
 
727Capt said:
O.K. I'll come clean...I left SWA after a very short tour and went to FDX. Like you I was in both hiring pools at the same time and SWA came in with the first class date. 6 Months later FDX called.

Wow. That was stupid. I hope you live in Memphis.
 
If "boxes dont bitch" or "not dealing with pax" is in your pro column for FedEx, you do not belong here.

To each their own, but I cant help but wonder what some passenger did to Megadeth to cause her disdain for passengers. All I have done in three years is stand there and look stupid. The FAs and customer service sups take care of the rare pax incidents. Ive never even been able to make it out of the cockpit quick enough after the landing to see the outcome.
 

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