AirTran to SWA Smart Phone ? ? ?

[Afterprop]

Current Verizon Droid user, but now time to get a new smart phone. Crossing partition early next year. On AirTran side, minimal differences between iFamily and Droid World. For SWA, pros and cons of iFamily vs Droid, what would be the best?

Just trying to move ==>

 

[shagadelic]

I have a Google Nexus phone and love the open time app that is only available on android....but I use my Ipad to check my schedule on the program that only works in the apple world. If I only had one device, I probably would go Iphone. Having said that, we'll all have Ipads this year, so I guess it really doesn't matter what you go with.

 

[milflyboy]

What Open time app is that?

 

[GhettoBeechjet]

swaptimizer has a beta of an open time app that you can get from their webpage. It presents the trips in a much more readable format.

 

[SWA717]

swaptimizer has a beta of an open time app that you can get from their webpage. It presents the trips in a much more readable format.

My frigging god. So what's wrong with the normal way of looking at it? Just wondering what I have to look forward to. Thanks.

 

[bluesideup1]

When you get an open time request it comes in a format similar to what you get in a wx packet: SWAOTA84954/HOT/1300/FO/DP1S-29/1DAY/6.5TFP/7.95TFP/0149BLK/1600RPT/0009RLS/DHtoBNA/STARTFLy2150?29.

After you receive this jumble of information you have to physically type in a precise response and whether you want it a premium or straight pay to get your name on the list for it.

With the android app it sorts through all of this info. Then displays it in a very easy to understand format and gives you a couple buttons you can push and it automatically sends in your open time request. It also allows you to look up the trip directly from the app. This is a great time saver and a very useful tool.

What use to drive most Southwest pilot to the Iphone was the app that would let you double click to open trips. Before this app you could not open trips because the links were not hot and if you double clicked on them on your phone all it does is zoom in. Now though with all the changes/updates going on with our portal the app is having is running into problems. Since it is designed by a swa pilot and given away free there is no real recourse if you can't get it to work.

Now it doesn't matter about the double click as both android can now double click with the new browser Puffin. This new browser will do everything the Iphone app does and it doesn't rely on SWA portals programming to make it work. A lot of those who have had trouble with the Iphone app are now downloading Puffin web browser on their Iphones so they can have the double click capability without using the app.

Android now has the double click capability and even if it didn't the swaptimizer is worth its weight in gold. Plus if you go over to the Iphone a lot of the apps that you enjoy for free cost money on the Iphone.

 

[Afterprop]

Certainly do appreciate the replies and info.

Next question, the iPad, when is it really coming? How much of a credit is SWA going to provide the pilots to purchase the minimum capable iPad for use?

And while we're at it, as a military retiree I see that SWA has a Health Savings Account. At AirTran, I used a Flexible Spending Account, any of the retirees at SWA using Tri-Care use the HSA? (The HSAs are normally used for high-deductible health plans where you pay your deductible first, before the insurance kicks in -- not sure Tri-Care would fit that model)

Again, thanks for the information.

 

[j41driver]

Next question, the iPad, when is it really coming? How much of a credit is SWA going to provide the pilots to purchase the minimum capable iPad for use?

Latest info I've heard is 1st qtr 2014 for system wide deployment. They're going to provide a stipend for the full amount if whatever minimum iPad configuration they are going to require. No idea if that'll be a 16GB, 32GB, cellular, wifi only, etc... I'd assume that min configuration would be announced by January because I believe the stipend is supposed to be paid in January.

 

[King Air Evac]

What cell provider do most people at SWA use? I currently use Verizon and have a military 15% discount on my my primary line. I found something that said Southwest employees get a 23% discount on AT&T. Any comments?
Thanx

 

[Luv2BFlyin]

Verizon gives a discount as well. You have to ask about it, they don't volunteer the info. It is 20% for AirTran, not sure the exact amount for Southwest.

 

[Flycatcher99]

I have Verizon, and my discount is 20%. To the original poster, I have the iPhone, and I've encountered nothing that would encourage me to switch to droid (though many droid users I've flown with probably feel the same way...either platform provides whatever you need/like).

I like the CWA app for iphone, which basically lets you view CWA and double-click links where Safari will not. SWAPA has iphone apps that provide union info such as the contract and many other things, as well as your complete logbook which fills automatically with your flights, including times, aircraft, and captain/FO.

I am aware of the open time app, but I don't use it. I've gotten comfortable with reading the open time text and responding to it. The app might save you a few seconds on responding, but that isn't an issue anymore since we've gone to random SNOT (short notice open time) instead of the old FCFS, which was little more than fastest quick-draw at the OK corral.

 

[King Air Evac]

Is the iPad for an electronic flight bag? Paper charts going the way of the dinosaur?

 

[SWA Bubba]

Is the iPad for an electronic flight bag? Paper charts going the way of the dinosaur?

Eventually yes.

The key word here is "eventually." They just told us not to buy the newest new iPad yet, because they haven't finalized the choices of iPads or brackets yet. They've been testing with something like 600 guys for a few months now, and they're supposed to give us the stipend to buy one in January. At least that's the last I heard.

Bubba

 

[bluesideup1]

I have Verizon, and my discount is 20%. To the original poster, I have the iPhone, and I've encountered nothing that would encourage me to switch to droid (though many droid users I've flown with probably feel the same way...either platform provides whatever you need/like).

I like the CWA app for iphone, which basically lets you view CWA and double-click links where Safari will not. SWAPA has iphone apps that provide union info such as the contract and many other things, as well as your complete logbook which fills automatically with your flights, including times, aircraft, and captain/FO.

I am aware of the open time app, but I don't use it. I've gotten comfortable with reading the open time text and responding to it. The app might save you a few seconds on responding, but that isn't an issue anymore since we've gone to random SNOT (short notice open time) instead of the old FCFS, which was little more than fastest quick-draw at the OK corral.

SWAPA has the same app for android that will do everything you mentioned above also. Most androids also have larger screens to make it easier to read.

If you like typing in a long text to put yourself into open time no one will begrudge you that. Most pilots like the easy way and feel a lot better just pushing one button that sends off the open time (less chance of a mistake). With Swapamizer it is much faster, easier to read, cleaner layout and you can look up the trip straight from the app. If you haven't used it you don't know what your missing.

 

[northstar]

careful. "discounts" are deceiving. for example, the 20% discount at Verizon is for the "first $100 of the bill". If your bill is below or near 100 box, I'm jealous.

 

[scoreboardII]

Latest info I've heard is 1st qtr 2014 for system wide deployment. They're going to provide a stipend for the full amount if whatever minimum iPad configuration they are going to require. No idea if that'll be a 16GB, 32GB, cellular, wifi only, etc... I'd assume that min configuration would be announced by January because I believe the stipend is supposed to be paid in January.

I would wait till you get here and see what they do with the EFB.

If they, like they are saying, will require the newest hotness, the ipad Air with mid sized memory and cellphone chip (for GPS), then I plan long term to dump my droid, go back to a flip phone as a phone, and use the ipad for all info.

This info should be out around Dec-Feb.

 

[dicko]

I would wait till you get here and see what they do with the EFB.

If they, like they are saying, will require the newest hotness, the ipad Air with mid sized memory and cellphone chip (for GPS), then I plan long term to dump my droid, go back to a flip phone as a phone, and use the ipad for all info.

This info should be out around Dec-Feb.

Somebody, sometime put out the SWA IPAD plan. I must admit that I was pleasantly shocked. Having seen the variously screwed up ways airlines have attempted to implement tablet EFBs, I was ready for a piece of stone and a chisel from SWA.

Delta decided that every human with an I.Q. over 40 must be wrong and 'bought' a gazillion Surface's. FedEx Corporate IT security turns your IPad into the fastest way to get yourself lynched since god invented Tequila. The list of buffoonery goes on.

If SWA puts in a mount that's forward compatible, it should be a great deal.

 

[waveflyer]

From an iPad tester in Vegas who's in Dallas now

All subject to change-
1Q 2014 should be the rollout.
The stipend ought to be for the 32gig iPad Mini- wifi or data version is still being questioned, but this first round of stipends will probably be just wifi-, and we'll continue to use suction cup mounts for all for the next few years- they work great - if you want more memory, or an air or larger screen that's on you. The 32g wasn't necessary- it is an extra expense bc with 16gig, it would be very limited for personal use, so the company is backing up the iPad team with that request to make the iPad useful at significant cost
Expect new stipends every 3-4 years for new iPads- battery life has been shown to last hat long- and keeps us from registering and monitoring the status of every EFB
Idea for now is just to do the basics- replace charts
Extra capabilities can and will be added as we adjust to the new product and roll it out for all. Including gps features on 10-9's inflight wifi radar etc etc
There is a LOT in the works- none of which needs to happen now - crawl before you walk

Now with group 2 there are almost 1000 testers giving data on it- a couple ios7 glitches, but none major and it's working great

Pet peeve of all iPad users:
Last guy leaving the charts out- finally got rid of charts and now you just made them dig into them again and put away your mess- I don't know what the math is for 1000 pilots but it's a high enough percentage to just put away your stuff

Can't wait til they roll it out

Flight attendants should have a small tablet coming as well for their manual and possibly replace their handhelds