Southwest upgrade falls to 9 years 7 months

[bluesideup1]

Less than 6 months after the final integration of Airtran upgrades have fallen to under 10 years. Four bases for the most recent junior Captain are less than or right around 10 years. This doesn't include the lances that should take it into the early 9 years for the upgrade. This also means that over 500 of the previous Airtran captains have upgraded or at least had the ability to upgrade.

There is also around 450 pilots in ATL come the end of May.

 

[bafanguy]

What are "lances" ?

And...what's the date of hire for the bottom pilot in ATL ?

 

[freightdogfred]

What is the global seniority # of the most junior capt?

 

[redflyer65]

OAK 4872.
ATL 4695.
MDW 4864.
HOU 4826.
DEN 4835.

All pretty similar except MCO and ATL. Hopefully we keep adding slots in ATL for both seats.

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

What are "lances" ?

SWA Bubba is a lance.

 

[SWA Bubba]

What are "lances" ?

And...what's the date of hire for the bottom pilot in ATL ?

A Lance Captain is a Captain-qualified First Officer. He gets an F/O line, but can pick up or trade for Captain pairings. He gets paid the appropriate rate for whichever seat he's sitting in for a given pairing. The top 2.3% of F/Os in a base get to be Lances.

I am not a Lance Captain. However, Uncle Bunkle is still an idiot.

Bubba

 

[canyonblue]

The top 2.3% of F/Os in a base get to be Lances.

You mean Top 3.2%.

 

[Luv2BFlyin]

OAK 4872.
ATL 4695.
MDW 4864.
HOU 4826.
DEN 4835.

All pretty similar except MCO and ATL. Hopefully we keep adding slots in ATL for both seats.

Maybe that will come from that 6% growth you espoused in another thread?

 

[redflyer65]

I just hope the guys that want Atlanta get it Luv.


......and, that's what they are supposed to do with each month. I just hope they hold true to that plan.

 

[outerlimits]

SWA Bubba is a lance.

I hope I never have to fly with you . You seem obsessed with other pilots .

Does a PPO work with flying with other crew members ?

 

[SWA Bubba]

You mean Top 3.2%.

Why, yes. Yes, I did. Thanks. :beer:

Bubba

 

[Uncle Bunkle]

Does a PPO work with flying with other crew members ?

Up to an extent, yes it does. However what you must remember is to not wear cowboy boots in the cockpit.

 

[PGTB]

A Lance Captain is a Captain-qualified First Officer. He gets an F/O line, but can pick up or trade for Captain pairings. He gets paid the appropriate rate for whichever seat he's sitting in for a given pairing. The top 2.3% of F/Os in a base get to be Lances.

I am not a Lance Captain. However, Uncle Bunkle is still an idiot.

Bubba

That's pretty rediculous. I thought only regionals did that kind of stuff.

 

[PCL_128]

That's pretty rediculous. I thought only regionals did that kind of stuff.

Southwest does all sorts of crap that you'd think only regionals would do.

 

[SWA Bubba]

That's pretty rediculous. I thought only regionals did that kind of stuff.

Southwest does all sorts of crap that you'd think only regionals would do.

I'm guessing then that neither of you understand it, or why Southwest has it.

It's not the company doing it; it's the pilots. It's left over from back in the day when Southwest was very small and several times HK acquired airplanes and there was insufficient captains to utilize them fully. Having "spare captains allowed that flexibility.

For the past 10-15 years, the company has wanted to get rid of the program in the worst way, but the pilots want to keep it, as it's a mechanism to "grease the wheels" in order to allow for more trip trading and giveaway between pilots. During the last section six, the company insisted on getting rid of it, while the union fought to keep it; the compromise was to keep it with more restrictions and limitations. The program probably won't survive another section six or two; or at least that's the general consensus.

Basically it's an unnecessary remnant of the early days, but that the pilots like because it's a good deal for them. So not really ridiculous (or "rediculous")

Bubba