SWA Poolies . . . a glimmer of hope?

[spciii]

I'm hearing rumors from training center instructors of one, possibly two classes at the end of the year once our current RNP training is complete.

With three cities new next year, flying inching back towards 2007 levels, and the loss of a few pilots through attrition/retirement, this rumor seems very plausible to me.

Looking forward to buying you your first two beers at the ELP Radisson, after 6 legs of course.

spciii

 

[CL65'er]

Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

 

[Daddy]

I wouldn't get your hopes up on that rumor...I'm calling BS

 

[JumpJetter]

Retirements? WTF you talking about Willis.....(RIP)

 

[captain822]

Retirements? WTF you talking about Willis.....(RIP)

One just retired today...saw the shower in TUS.

 

[goahead]

Attrition......... really where to?????

 

[vetrider]

I think you guys are good to go. At LCC we heard the same kind of rumblings, along with the same pessimism, and we got recalls. Keep in mind this is USAirways I'm talking about. Good luck, I think it'll come to fruition.

 

[V1 ROT8]

One just retired today...saw the shower in TUS.

That was a WWII Veteran Honor Flight, not a retirement (unfortunately).

 

[jonjuan]

That was a WWII Veteran Honor Flight, not a retirement (unfortunately).

So, a F/A then?

 

[scoreboardII]

Uhhhh, no. Sorry.

Every conceivable path for upgrade/FO hiring has been beaten to death.

Age 65, no one is retiring at 62 as promised.

No growth.

800's increasing ASM possibly requiring no growth.

An admitted 400 pilot overage during slack, neutral manning during high tide.

Economy still sucks.

What you may be hearing is need to upgrade some FO's to CA to cover for increased costs of paying CA JA vice FO JA.

Sorry, keep your day job or two, like all of us.

 

[Whataburger]

That was a WWII Veteran Honor Flight, not a retirement (unfortunately).

Maybe the Capt was a WWII Vet who was retiring?

 

[Full of LUV]

Maybe the Capt was a WWII Vet who was retiring?

Well it's about time..... even if he was 18 during the big WWII, he'd be pushing at least 83 years of age now.... talk about delayed retirements.....

 

[Cruncher]

The Space Cowboys will retire: 2 guys this year. 6 in 2011. 10 in 2012. If someone retired yesterday, he is no longer on the list as of this writing (and not in the above #s).

Keep treading poolies.

 

[mt2]

Thanks for that spcii, I like the glimmer of hope theory: it's always darkest just before the dawn. I'd certainly like to believe I'll be enjoying that beer in ELP sometime in 2011. Time will tell if some of these signs turn into a class or two.

 

[spciii]

Retirements? WTF you talking about Willis.....(RIP)

Jump,
I don't remember Arnold dropping the F-Bomb!
You missed my qualifier, the word "few", as regards retirements/attrition. We have had some retirements, medical outs, firings, and tragically, at least 2 deaths that I know of. In any case, we have less pilots on property than we did when we stopped hiring in 2008.

The economy may be stuck in neutral, the over-60 geezers are still here, and the -800s don't mean much in the short-term, but we're adding three cities, still growing in DEN, BOS is going very well and UAL/CAL will mean more to us than getting slots in EWR. And an election season in November may blunt the damage the current leadership in DC is doing to business. I don't predict we'll turn on the spigots full blast, but can't buy the half-empty story much longer.

Good luck.
spciii

 

[MILPILOT17]

Jump,
I don't remember Arnold dropping the F-Bomb!
You missed my qualifier, the word "few", as regards retirements/attrition. We have had some retirements, medical outs, firings, and tragically, at least 2 deaths that I know of. In any case, we have less pilots on property than we did when we stopped hiring in 2008.

The economy may be stuck in neutral, the over-60 geezers are still here, and the -800s don't mean much in the short-term, but we're adding three cities, still growing in DEN, BOS is going very well and UAL/CAL will mean more to us than getting slots in EWR. And an election season in November may blunt the damage the current leadership in DC is doing to business. I don't predict we'll turn on the spigots full blast, but can't buy the half-empty story much longer.

Good luck.
spciii

I don't know about new hire classes, but spciii's info above is 100% correct. Hang in there poolies or should I say float in there?

 

[GuppyWN]

The reserves on both sides of the cockpit are sitting whole blocks without getting used starting this month.

I just can't see needing anyone until at least spring.

Gup

 

[mt2]

August numbers looked pretty good, again.

 

[StopNTSing]

Lots of optimism from nearly everyone I spoke with while at the training center recently. To a man (or woman) they all believe once the RNP training wraps up in Dec, that new-hire classes will start in early '11. Also had an asst chief pilot on the jumpseat recently who said he would gladly trade the next twenty years for his previous twenty years at SWA...."You ain't seen nu-thin yet!"

So for what it's worth....

 

[slaquer5]

Lots of optimism from nearly everyone I spoke with while at the training center recently. To a man (or woman) they all believe once the RNP training wraps up in Dec, that new-hire classes will start in early '11. Also had an asst chief pilot on the jumpseat recently who said he would gladly trade the next twenty years for his previous twenty years at SWA...."You ain't seen nu-thin yet!"

So for what it's worth....

That is the buzz w/ the higher ups at HQ. Take it for whats....