Southwest Offers CASH for Pilots to leave!

[becket]

I'll say upfront, I'm not trying to flame anyone here, but in the past, at other airlines, a paid early out program preceded furloughs.

I'm NOT saying/wishing any furloughs will actually happen at SWA, I just find this odd...

 

[PropPiedmont]

The last one resulted in zero pilots taking the buyout and zero furloughs.

Hope the zero furlough part stays the same.

 

[Falconjet]

Hey, how about that looming pilot shortage? Thanks again SWAPA, APAAD and ALPA. What a bunch of dumb asses.

FJ

 

[Sandhawk]

Hey, how about that looming pilot shortage? Thanks again SWAPA, APAAD and ALPA. What a bunch of dumb asses.

FJ

I wonder what their stand will be on Age-70 in a few years ???

:smash:

 

[PropPiedmont]

I wonder what their stand will be on Age-70 in a few years ???

:smash:

What do you mean, "...in a few years ???" They're already working on it.

 

[satpak77]

it is interesting to note that this is going into a time frame (2010-2012.....we are basically at 2009.5 right now) where the fuel hedges will be running out, at least at the prices that offered competitive advantage when everybody else was paying 110 a barrel.

 

[jtf]

Are they offering anything other than money- like continued health care until medicare kicks in? A 60 or 61 year old guy could very well spend most of the buyout on family health insurance by the time they are eligible for medicare. The top guys at NetJets don't make anything near what the top guys at WN make, but their buyout is for about twice the money and health care on top of it. I'd think WN could sweeten the deal considerably, save themselves a lot of money down the line, and actually get a reasonable amount of pilots to take it. As it is presented here, I'd have a hard time believing many would take it. At least pilots have been offered something and it may help some enjoy retirement earlier.

 

[Herkdrv]

What do you mean, "...in a few years ???" They're already working on it.

For what its worth SWAPA sent out an email a couple of weeks ago saying they DO NOT support any changes at this time. Of course they might change their minds once the guys get closer to 65 uke:

 

[satpak77]

In my opinion there is a bigger reason behind this and if nobody (well, besides three dudes) takes it, I wonder what is next. Offering "buyouts" to employees is in many cases the pre-furlough phase. Basically SWA has already acknowledged that "we have more bodies than we need". Some posters above have also stated this.

If the buyouts do not work, then what?

 

[TV9Driver]

sooooo.....I won't be getting a class date any time soon?

 

[contrail67]

what happens when nobody takes this offer?

If not enough take it then step 2, pay cuts or furloughs.

I really expected a higher buyout.

 

[Papa Woody]

all those dumbasses who paid for a 737 type and thought they were going to heaven....

 

[clickclickboom]

At Jetblue all you heard was how we were 400 pilots fat while the union drive was on. now people are being hired and summer target bid divisors are 90hrs plus with reserve coverage in the red nearly every day..

Last month 100 hrs credit this month at 97 hrs..

We did offer the buyout as well.. It was one month salary per year of service.. a few senior guys bit because they were taking over 100k on the deal.

Heck that will pay for 3 190 fo's with our pathetic pay scales for low seniority new pilots here..

 

[satpak77]

looks like SWA earnings out on July 16. Wonder if this is some "damage control" to shore up earnings/losses or at least show some proactive efforts are being done by corporate office in these tough times

 

[Flopgut]

I really expected a higher buyout.

What we learned about buyouts at CAL was that you could double or triple the amounts and not increase the participation much at all. Guys that can't take 130k to leave now can't take +500k either. They just don't have their sh!t together and they never will. That's why they will fight age 65. I had a SWA jumpseater the other day who said it's already being efforted. I predict this buyout will have more participation on the 98 and down side than out the top at 130k.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

sooooo.....I won't be getting a class date any time soon?

If this "terd" gets voted in...you can bet on it. You'd be helping your chances if you hope and pray it goes down.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

I had a SWA jumpseater the other day who said it's already being efforted.

Boy, that guy really yanked pretty hard on your chain, didn't he?

Relax, there is nothing like that being bantered about....not even in idle chatter.

Besides, the change from 60 to 65 took just under 20 years to get done....a change to age 70 would, IMO, take just as long or longer.

 

[Captainzero1]

Its called the Freedom 09 Voluntary Separation Program!

Hired 1997 or earlier = $130,000
1998 = $115,000
1999 = $105,000
2000 = $95,000
2001 = $80,000
2002 = $70,000
2003 = $60,000
2004 = $50,000
2005 = $35,000
2006 = $25,000
2007 = $15,000
2008 = $4,500

I wonder if any old goats are leaving?

Is it taxable?

 

[Flopgut]

Boy, that guy really yanked pretty hard on your chain, didn't he?

Relax, there is nothing like that being bantered about....not even in idle chatter.

Besides, the change from 60 to 65 took just under 20 years to get done....a change to age 70 would, IMO, take just as long or longer.

He brought it up. Said "We've got guys who are working on chaging it to 70". He was no more in favor of 65 than I was.

It will be interesting for the pilot group to see who goes and who leaves. Per capita jerk quotient is going up. And you guys don't have many to start.

 

[pilotyip]

May have no other options

He brought it up. Said "We've got guys who are working on chaging it to 70". He was no more in favor of 65 than I was.

It will be interesting for the pilot group to see who goes and who leaves. Per capita jerk quotient is going up. And you guys don't have many to start.

As Social Security and Medicare goes broke, Congress will rasie the retirement age to 75 in the next 20 years. The new for retirement age for everyone will also move up.