Going Hat in Hand to SWA

[JetDude]

The fact that you are AF will probably be a bigger hurdle than the turn down.

The director of pilot hiring (AF) has left the position. The company realizes that MILOA abuse is way up (recent firing) and the company sees the culture drifting as a result of the Kernals "now it all, I flew an F-16 attitude" and total lack of interpersonal skills.

Good luck though.

Willie,

I've just gotta throw this out...I have flown follks with military backgrounds, and folks with civilian backgrounds. In EACH group there are great folks. In EACH group there are jerks. When you disparage a group because of their background (see above), it only shows you have unresolved self-worth issues. Please get over it, or I will assume you belong to the jerk group without (possibly) having ever met you (and that wouldn't be fair would it?).

The same goes for SWA/FO.

Rant over...many thanks to everyone else for your patience.

 

[YellowLab]

I was a UAL furloughee and in the SWA interview I told them that I had never even applied to SWA before. Times change, airlines change and people change. They hired me. I was competely honest and told them why I went to UAL and why I had never applied to SWA before. Go full steam on this one because SWA is a great place to work.

I highly doubt for liability sake that the PD will tell you will or won't get hired but it is worth giving them a call anyway.

Good Luck

 

[SWA/FO]

The same goes for SWA/FO.

He is an awesome dude. But I highly doubt this dude will get hired if he turned down a class with us. We remember those folks.

 

[Kharma Police]

Go "hat in hand to South West"?!? They don't wear hats, SWAPA got rid of them.....

 

[Dane Bramage]

Don't listen to ignorance

Mandrake:

Of course SWA hires pilots who merely turned down a previous offer. Now, if you were in class or already on the line and then quit...well that's a different story.

I am in the know...SWA has hired dozens of guys who turned down a SWA job offer in the 1998-2001 timeframe. SWA has also turned down a lot of guys the second time around, as well.

You will be asked to explain your rationale for going to AA in 2001. BE HONEST! Talk with your wife about all the reasons you decided to go to AA, and then speak very matter-of-factly about it with the interviewer(s). SWA does not penalize pilots for making a decision that was best for them and their family at THAT time. In fact, explaining your decision to go to AA actually gives you an opportunity to demonstrate a thorough decision-making process and fill one of the interview squares. Remember, one of the keys to success in any interview is to make a positive from a negative and show personal growth through negative experiences.

I say again...SWA does not penalize pilots for making a well-researched, well thought out decision which took into account all the priorities affecting your family at the time.

On the other, if you merely say that you wanted more money, then don't expect much sympathy. And you still have to pass THIS round of interviews just like you did in 2001. BE FOREWARNED...it's a LOT harder getting hired at SWA in 2006 than it was in 2001. We are hiring about half as many on a percentage basis.

Best of luck!

 

[jhill]

We had several guys in my reserve unit in the same boat. SWA told then they would not be considered since they turned down employment. This is very recent as in side a year for both.

A good friend was recently hired and he had turned us down back in 98 or so. He got turned down on his first retry and like I said was recently hired. Just finished his IOE. It is not impossible but you better come up with something good.

 

[Huggyu2]

No one I know that left SWA for another major has gotten hired back. One pilot in particular (furloughed UA) has a brother at SWA, went to the interview, but was rejected.

 

[Laboule]

No kidding...why would we hire more folks who are qualified with clean records, when they could leave again once the legacies improve to what they were? If they didn't want SWA then, they won't want us again in the future when other carriers' conditions improve.

BTW, why is everyone so defensive about not going to college? I would think there would be gratitude for SWA's hiring of them...

 

[YellowLab]

Actually we have 1 guy who left for another carrier and came back. He was a capt. at SWA when he left. He is now at SWA swinging gear. The only guy who left and was able to come back but I don't know the special circumstances. If you where in class here your hosed but if you just turned down an offer your still in the game but it wont be easy. Good luck.

 

[northstar]

He is an awesome dude. But I highly doubt this dude will get hired if he turned down a class with us. We remember those folks.

As weird as this is, I'm gonna have to agree with SWA/FO. You got a long shot. Sorry to sound crude, but they do remember everything. By the way, what will calling the people department really do? The receptionist, or maybe if you are lucky, a recruiter, will tell of course tell you to try. I think you are asking a question you already know an answer to.

 

[Benjamin Dover]

As weird as this is, I'm gonna have to agree with SWA/FO. You got a long shot. Sorry to sound crude, but they do remember everything. By the way, what will calling the people department really do? The receptionist, or maybe if you are lucky, a recruiter, will tell of course tell you to try. I think you are asking a question you already know an answer to.

Isn't it possible that what you and SWA/FO think must be the logical company line, i.e. "no chance", might not actually be the case? Read the posts here - it really has been happening. Sure it's an uphill battle, and I'm sure not in great numbers, but it's not impossible. DAL friend of mine was offered jobs at both SWA and Delta back in 2000. He went to Delta. He quit Delta for SWA earlier this year.

It seems that unlike the leadership at FDX, Southwest understands that much has changed in our profession since 9/11. Rather than make a blanket 'no hire' policy in these cases, they still seem to try to hire the best people for their company. I know some will blast this assesment too, so fire away.

So, to the original question that started this thread - give it a shot. Odds are against you, but not impossible as some of the LUV posters on here would lead you to believe.

 

[satpak77]

In 2001 I was hired by SWA and AA. For a couple of reasons, perhaps brain death was one of them, I went with AA--and got axed in the first wave of furloughs. I went back on active duty AF and will retire next year. I'm thinking of applying to SWA again. Has anybody out there gone back begging to SWA after turning down their original offer of employment? How would you handle the situation during a second interview? Is this something I should call SWA about before applying?

I'm non-current on where all the good SWA gouge is hiding on the internet. Any suggested resources would be appreciated. Best of luck to all of you.

Well, we know what your chances will be if you don't apply.

Apply and find out!

Good Luck

 

[benelli]

I turned down an offer from SWA back in 2000 and went to another airline. At the time I had more guys at SWA telling me to take the major job then telling me to come to SWA. 4 1/2 years later, while on on the street, I interviewed again and was asked if I had a problem giving up my number. I said no! 3 weeks later I was given a second chance. I'm now at SWA with no regrets. They will give you a second chance. Just be honest with any questions they may ask. They understand the difficult choices we have had to make. Best of luck!

 

[GuppyWN]

The guy we had leave and come back most certainly didn't go to another airline. He was ultra senior (25+) years, young and though he could day trade his millions into billions. Lost it all, made a few phone calls and came back a couple years ago at the bottom.

Gup

 

[slaquer5]

Actually we have 1 guy who left for another carrier and came back. He was a capt. at SWA when he left. He is now at SWA swinging gear. The only guy who left and was able to come back but I don't know the special circumstances. If you where in class here your hosed but if you just turned down an offer your still in the game but it wont be easy. Good luck.

What Gup said he did not go to another airline. He last his as# in the market, his wife left him ect. He was and is a great guy and SWA is lucky to have him back.

 

[walkthasky]

No clue? How do you know? I've been slaving away with you here for a long time now.

Ive been a slave before, and SWA lifestyle is not slaving at all. I do feel you work hard but its very productive with good overnights and lots of days off.

Cant make everyone happy i guess...

 

[Lancer79]

SWA will give you another look. What matters is how you paint the picture, in terms of what your decision making process was at the time you turned down the offer, be candid and truthful you might be surprised by the result.
L79

 

[chase]

Mandrake,

First of all sorry things haven't worked out as planned for thanks for your service. A couple of thoughts that might be useful.

Folks who have been offered jobs (no kidding new hire dates) & then turned them down have been brought back....very few & as some have said the explanations that go with those stories are critical. This type of scenario would in my opinion only be the toughest hurdle to overcome short of those who were on the property, left & then requested to come back.

If you were interviewed & then placed in the "pool" for a future date & then went to AA & called up SWA to let them know, "remove me from the pool", that is also difficult but understandable.....more of these types (again not a large number but not as big a hurdle as above) have been called back.

Assuming you fall into one of these categories then anything is possible. Assuming you have buds that will write good letters, go after a type (not required by any means but shows a desire....high risk, low returned since you may be out money if not hired but a thought anyway) & are willing to be turned down one or more times without giving up. If AA was to start recalling or you only wanted to try once & then not reapply...my thoughts would be to save your money & not reapply. Never say never might apply here but it depends on how much energy & desire you have....again thanks for your service. cheers,

 

[skypilot27]

Since were talking odds here...

What are the odds of someone with a "law violation" on their record getting an interview/hired at SWA?

Personally speaking I have a Minor in Possession charge from college 12 yrs ago. Otherwise, my record is clean. Would it be prudent to spend $7K for a type in this situation?

 

[YeOldeProp]

SkyPilot: Your "Minor in Possession" is negligible if it's alcohol and it didn't expand into any big silliness from there. Been there done that...(keg party in the dorm freshman year of college). I'd guess a couple (or more) of the SWA HQ/Flight Ops/Mx/Personnel/Provisioning/Gate Agent gang has gotten the same style of ticket (or was in the vicinity and just didn't get caught at some keg party along the way). The Southwest individual knows how to have a good time when the time is right (ouch...that opens the flood gates for negative comments), and they spent years perfecting that talent. They'll see it in your application (they'd better...because if they find it and think you're hiding it they may not call for an interview), then they'll see it in your background check. If they ask, explain it and show how you learned your lesson, and be yourself in the whole interview. They didn't ask me about something that had happened 20+ years before. They make their decision based on the whole interview and research (letters of rec, contacts, etc.). Good Luck...

 

[ELVISP]

I agree with Yeoldprop. Just put it down, be honest, have your story straight and let them know what you learned from it. They seem to be interviewing redily without the type, so mabe apply and wait a few months and see what happenes.

 

[Mandrake]

Chase, thanks for taking the time to respond to my message. You seem possess the class and kindness that some lack on this website. Too bad. I used to come here 5 or 6 years ago and everyone was like you.

I was in the un-type rated pool when I walked away from SWA. I am near the bottom of the AA furlough pile (about 2700th) so I don't look to go back to AA. I would freely give up my recall rights for a career with SWA. If I get the call to interview, I will definitely get the type before I go, if possible.

I'm going for it. Wish me luck and thanks for your service.

 

[crashpad]

Anyone who serves in our military should get first dibbs.