SWA or Alaska?

[Baze]

There goes the neighborhood. JenLee & SWA/FO have moved in!

I don't think hyeflyin was asking anyone to make a career decision for him. From what I gathered from his question, he wants to know how long he can expect to sit in the SWA pool.

In any case, good luck to hyeflyin in making the decision.

 

[Rickindfw]

Curious why a SWA guy recommends Alaska instead of SWA????

Because someone who comes here looking for advice about Southwest vs some other airline doesn't really know what Southwest is all about. We want people who really want to be here. Keeping the culture going that has made this airline the best after 35 years.

 

[lumax]

That is about the biggest B.S. thing I've heard. You sound like you are AS management in training. During interviews, AS wants applicants that have only applied to AS. That is why a 737 type rating can hurt your chances. Most of us applied at several airlines before getting our current job.
Yes, SWA has a good culture which is made strong by the good employee/management relations, but I can almost guarantee that most of your pilots also applied at other airlines. It was just SWA that offered the job first.

 

[Going2Baja]

go to Alaska!

Now that says A LOT!!!

 

[Going2Baja]

Because someone who comes here looking for advice about Southwest vs some other airline doesn't really know what Southwest is all about. We want people who really want to be here. Keeping the culture going that has made this airline the best after 35 years.

How does that Koolaid taste??

 

[Charlie Brown]

Good luck Tanker Clown, I hope that Airtran thing works out for you

 

[igneousy2]

Singlecoil - great post and well said. There is a wealth of information from the weekly negotiators note pad for those who care enough and take the time to read it. We see steady progress each week. As long as that continues, then I "get er done". When steady progress stops, then my attitude changes a wee bit. If we end up in mediation someday, it is far better to go there with everything done except pay. This only gives the mediator / company / ALPA one thing to hash out rather than a laundry list. Like it or not, this is the direction the negotiating comitee is taking.
Tico - guys like you scare me. Replace our negotiating committee with "hired guns"? Why is it that every airline has pilots who think that there are some laywers out there who can run in to save the day at the table. You want to hire tuff guys who know nothing about your job, but will some how be able to know what you want at the table? Replace our people who have been working on this issue 24/7 for nearly a year with some guy from Johnson & Johnson law firm? Sure that will fix it...

I disagree with your assesment. When I read the stuff the MEC puts out they do not seem to share your optimism. Bill Ayer has not backed off of his cost-neutral requirement for the contract which is something that seems unacceptable to the line pilots. At least the ones that I talk to.

Sure we'll give you 20 days off a month and make all the reserves into 4 hour call outs but if that's the case then your pay/retirement will need to be XXX to be cost neutral.

I am not at all optimistic that we are anywhere near a settlement.

 

[Rhino]

quality of life?

Get your type rating and go fly for SWA... unless you value living in SoCal and NOT commuting for your career. What value do you put on that? It all depends on you, not the rest of us on this site.

As for Alaska, as a newhire if you want LAX, you will get it. It's a junior base. It's also a co-terminal base, so trips start from Orange Co. too.

You will make more money at SWA.

 

[Tanker Clown]

Good luck Tanker Clown, I hope that Airtran thing works out for you

Thanks CB. I would have tried to get on with Song to avoid the LBB overnights, but General Lee must have black balled me. I hear the new CEO at Delta is going to resurrect Song. I can't wait. Everyone wants in on the low cost market in Atlanta. That's why SWA is going after Air Tran.

I wouldn't discount this Air Tran buy out talk. My buddy knew about the LAS domocile six months prior to the announcement. He's in the know. He said one of the main reasons SWA wants to do this is to increase their debt. I'm not sure what it really means, but he also said slowing down new hires will allow SWA to feed in all the 717 guys into training.

Makes sense to me. Looks like I missed out on a SWA interview for now, so might as well try to get in through the back door (Air Tran).

 

[ferlo]

Because someone who comes here looking for advice about Southwest vs some other airline doesn't really know what Southwest is all about. We want people who really want to be here. Keeping the culture going that has made this airline the best after 35 years.

I just threw up a little bit

 

[Green Banana]

You will make more money at SWA.

All the airlines are only as good as there current contract. You can never say this without it being a complete wild a$$ guess. FedEx, PanAm, UAL, AA, SWA, they have all been at the bottom and the top. It is a long ride. If you make a decision based on a current short term contract, the only thing I can guarantee is that you will be disappointed.

 

[hyeflyin]

Thanks guys for all the great feedback. It's good to hear the good and bad for both places. Will help making a decision a little easier. Both of these companies on their own are a great place to be. It's a good situation to be in but it's definitly harder to choose than I thought. It looks like I am not the only one with the same issue. Got a guy on the other board with the same problem. At the end of the day, I just got to do what's best for my family. Thanks guys!

 

[Going2Baja]

As for Alaska, as a newhire if you want LAX, you will get it. It's a junior base. It's also a co-terminal base, so trips start from Orange Co. too.

You will make more money at SWA.

I've been in LA for close to a year and have only moved up a few numbers. I'll be on reserve for close to two years I'm guessing. If in ANC I could now hold a line. The problem so I'm told is that there is nowhere to grow the base due to lack of gates. Most of all future growth is going to be in ANC.

As for pay....Well all I can say is we'll see. SWA was the bottom paid 737 company pre 9/11 and now that everyone else has taken pay cuts they look pretty good. I think you really need to look at the distant future to decide where you want to be. In 20 years I'm guessing the SWA will be the same airline only larger. I bet Alaska will have merged with a legacy and you will then have a choice of heavy international flying of they same type that we are doing now. I for one never wanted to work as hard at the SWA pilots do and I never applied. But I can say that my friends that are now Capt's at SWA do enjoy the lightened workload and the heafty pay check.

Good luck...Baja.

 

[The Victors]

another thing that no one has mentioned is the major difference between swa and the rest. At swa you, as a pilot, are considered an ASSET. Everywhere else, a liability. the pay is good , but not the most important thing to consider.

 

[737ski]

At SWA, the pay is great. As Gordon Gecko said, "greed is good". Or, if you want QOL, you can have that, too. They pay you for working hard, not slacking off in a hotel room. I've never seen a hotel room as nice as my own house. I'll pay for my vacations, thank you.

BTW, on pace to make >72k in my 1st year living in domicile. ???'s