Alaska pilots in the SWA pool

[fly-n-fish]

Heard through the grapevine that there might be quite a few current Alaska pilots with apps in at SWA ... AND that there might be a number in the SWA hiring pool already. I've heard there are a large number of current Alaska FOs (and probably some young Capts) who are unhappy with their prospects at Alaska. Might be a good move for someone unhappy in their current location, with plenty of time left in their career, to try to improve their lot in life. Any insight on this from the SWAers or anybody from Alaska know anything solid?
Fly-n-Fish

 

[Old School 737]

I have been hearing the same. Time will tell if it is true.

 

[Hpilot]

A guy I know that went through class recently said there was a gal that was supposed to be in his class that went to Southwest instead. It surprises me pilots on the property are leaving. Alaska was my first choice, but after 3 years of no hiring I went elsewhere. Best of luck to Alaska.

 

[ferlo]

verified, 126 ALK in the LUV pool...

 

[SWA/FO]

Any insight on this from the SWAers or anybody from Alaska know anything solid?

My insight follows: Good Luck Alaska guys/girls in the SWA pool!!!!!!!

 

[Old School 737]

My insight follows: Good Luck Alaska guys/girls in the SWA pool!!!!!!!

If those numbers are true, which it sound like they are, how long untill they get the call for a class date?

 

[alaskaplt]

verified, 126 ALK in the LUV pool...

How did you verify this?

 

[ferlo]

stopped by the ALPA office and was told by 2 officers that SWAPA called them and told them.

 

[alaskaplt]

stopped by the ALPA office and was told by 2 officers that SWAPA called them and told them.

Awesome. So those guys are actually in the pool or just have applications in with SWA?

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Great!!!

Take em LUV, as far as I'm concerned. I would like nothing more than to work at AS. These fellas will hopefully make some room for losers like me.

 

[Wolf King]

Pardon me, what is 126 ALK?

 

[Old School 737]

Pardon me, what is 126 ALK?

126 ALK = 126 Alaska pilots

 

[Wolf King]

Thanks. I don't know how big the pool is, but I find it hard to believe that the DB would stock it with a majority of currently employed Alaska folks.... must be a huge pool, I guess.... Maybe they mean 126 apps from Alaska on file, that would be much more reasonable; with the success rate of the process, just imagine how many Alaska pilots would have had to interview to get this many in the pool...

 

[ferlo]

I realize that 126 hired seems crazy high but look at the facts.

SWA has to hire several hundred in the next 18 mos.
why not hire Current, qualified 737 pilots. Not only current but current in 4/7/8/900 series?
Not to mention:

RNP
HGS
Mexico

Also, what better way to torpedo your main west coast competitor, the same one that put the Kibosh on your plans to expand boeing field?

Take it all with a grain of salt, however, I think it speaks volumes about Alaska Airlines that even a few want to leave. Bill Ayer destroyed Alaska Airlines, but then again, I'm sure he couldn't give a sh*t what a pilot thinks.

 

[luv2fly]

I realize that 126 hired seems crazy high but look at the facts.

SWA has to hire several hundred in the next 18 mos.
why not hire Current, qualified 737 pilots. Not only current but current in 4/7/8/900 series?
Not to mention:

RNP
HGS
Mexico

Also, what better way to torpedo your main west coast competitor, the same one that put the Kibosh on your plans to expand boeing field?

Take it all with a grain of salt, however, I think it speaks volumes about Alaska Airlines that even a few want to leave. Bill Ayer destroyed Alaska Airlines, but then again, I'm sure he couldn't give a sh*t what a pilot thinks.

Our pool currently doesn't have half that number of people in it, as of last week. We are running a class a week for the remainder of May and for the month of June. Our interviewers are running full steam just to stay barely, and I mean barely (a few more than 10 ahead) of the next 6 classes!

Not to take anything away from Alaska, but the rumor you hear about pilots in the pool is just that, rumor. I would be suprized if any are in the pool, currently!

 

[Skyboy722]

stopped by the ALPA office and was told by 2 officers that SWAPA called them and told them.

I have no idea why SWAPA would have this info or why they would ever feel compelled to pick up the phone and pass it along...

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Its big decision time. Many are hiring and its time to pick a seat before the music stops.

I know Frontier Captains have come to SWA. I've heard of at least one SWA guy leaving for Frontier. I've heard of at least one Airtran person going to CAL.

So is it smart to leave Alaska for SWA? From a career job security perspective, I don't know. For seat progression I think it it tips to yes. For those and location issues combined, I wouldn't be surprised if someone left SWA for Alaska or even Airtran. No one can possibly know for sure which one of the three would be the best over 10 years.

What I do know is Gary Kelly and his team are working to keep SWA a great place to work and the pilots are not militant against the company. That will be huge when the hedges start to run out.

 

[AK737FO]

rumor vs. reality

When rumor hits reality - the rumor usually comes up short.

Thanks to the LUV pilots on this thread pointing out the obvious holes in this rumor.

In ANC we actually had the opposite rumor - it went something like this. Mr. CEO of SWA called Mr. CEO of ALK and they had a friendly chat. Mr. SWA told Mr. ALK that he had 126 of his boys applying for work, but not to worry, he wouldn't hire any of them because that just wouldn't be friendly to hire another guys work force. The next rumor was even better, it said that SWA was going to grow to large so fast that they needed to hire Captains off the street and that they were targeting Alaska boys to save the day!

This thread is more about militant SEA Alaska pilots looking for some kind of twisted revenge, rather than their sincere desire to work for SWA.

At the MEC meeting a few weeks ago, it was discussed that we may loose a few guys to LUV, or to overseas over the next year but so far the number has been very small. The bigger concern was the 85 early retirements that had been submitted. Which is probably why the company just dumped 44 million into the pension, to keep a mass bail out from happening for the lump sum.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

In ANC we actually had the opposite rumor - it went something like this. Mr. CEO of SWA called Mr. CEO of ALK and they had a friendly chat. Mr. SWA told Mr. ALK that he had 126 of his boys applying for work, but not to worry, he wouldn't hire any of them because that just wouldn't be friendly to hire another guys work force.

That is interesting.

I know some SWA folks have left for FedEx and I honestly don't think management gets into who is applying where. I could be wrong but I've never heard of that before.

Isn't that confidential information??


Active UAL and DAL pilots have been hired at SWA over the past 2 years.

 

[AK737FO]

Pure sillyness

FlyBoeingJets,
This is all just pure sillyness. None of this stuff is true, no CEO calls another CEO, no union calls another union (about these matters). That's what makes it such a fun rumor - guys talking about this stuff like its a life or death deal, and it has no truth to it what so ever.
We have one guy here in ANC who left SWA a few years back. I think he was about 7 years with SWA, had even made Captain, but didn't like OAK that much. He made the choice to come here because he wanted to live in the state of Alaska. Bold move but one that a lot of guys who live up here can understand.

 

[ferlo]

I'd believe 126 have apps on file, already hired is hard to believe. I don't agree that it's about militant SEA pilots wanting revenge on ALK, or that many don't have a sincere desire to work for SWA. I think it's more about the 126 having a sincere desire to Wash their hands of Alaska Airlines and not look back.

I know some, mostly ANC guys, get personally offended by that notion. I've never understood that response. To me, that's like getting offended because somebody ripped on my cell phone provider or my Costco Membership. Destroy Loyalty once, it won't come back. They decided that the cash was more important than loyalty. They made their decision, I'm sure they know that there were risks. BTW, I don't have an app in at SWA.

 

[lumax]

This thread is more about militant SEA Alaska pilots looking for some kind of twisted revenge, rather than their sincere desire to work for SWA.

I can aggree with many of your statements because they are usually well thought out, but this one is a bunch of crap!
How do you know some of these guys that are supposed to be in the pool at SWA are not from ANC?
After kasher I have flown with ANC and LAX pilots that were just as pissed off as any SEA pilot. If you were not upset by the kasher award and specially the treatment that followed from the company, then you must be a zombie unable to feel emotions.
Militant because we are upset? Maybe a few out there are militant and they just might be in ANC and LAX as well. I don't believe anyone here wants to destroy this company, we just want fair threatment and we are not getting it. Maybe some things will change with the new V.P. and C.P. but only time will tell.
Trying to stay optimistic!

 

[Old School 737]

Where is FLX757? Do you have any info on the subject? Is there any buzz about it in the office? And when are the new classes starting and how many in them? Thanks!

 

[mach none]

AK737FO

You once again lost me with the militant SEA pilot comment. But than again, that does not surprise me. You are the Kool aid drinking type Rob, Ben and Kevin wish they had more of.


Who knows how many pilots applied or have even interviewed. Who cares. I think it speaks volumes that our pilots are even exploring other options. I know several that are looking to leave the industry all together. This job will consist of good aircraft, good locations with mediocre hotels and great, fellow employees. The management is horrible. They have no leadership skills and they choose to manage via emails. They have always hated labor and treat employees as a liability. That will not change until they change the way they groom the management candidates. Inbred nepotism comes to mind.

 

[ferlo]

.

You are the Kool aid drinking type Rob, Ben and Kevin wish they had more of

That's why they are now administering the MMPI personality test to potential new hires. Basically is a psych test. They know how badly they F'd the moral here so there fix is to find Mr. Kool-Aid, not do the right thing...as always.

 

[AK737FO]

Mission Impossible

Mach,
I have come to the conclusion that you and I will never agree on anything. I realize that you work in a completely different world than I do. I understand a bit of your world, but I wonder if you understand any of mine?

"The management is horrible."

Two Major pax airlines are left with intact / unaltered pensions, American and Alaska. Of those two, ours is in the best financial shape.

How many full service major airlines posted a profit last year? To the best of my knowledge the answer is one - Alaska.

Two simple examples, but Hardly what I would call horrible management.

Yes it does get under my skin when I hear the "one ping only" crowd. I believe that I need to do everything in my power to do the very best job I can (enabling) to make us successful and profitable. A healthy, profitable company is the only way that we will grow and see upgrades.

 

[Falconjet]

This whole premise doesn't pass the smell test.

I would move along.

FJ

 

[mach none]

AK737FO

You missed my point. I did not state it clearly and that is my fault. They are managers of money and the stock price, they are horrible leaders. They allow the middle management to violate the contract at will. Where were they last summer when everything went side ways? Every time there is an incident on the ramp, they first assume it is the pilots fault and not the minimum wage Menzies ramper. They Managed those episodes via email and intimidation. They were not out on the concourse helping. I do understand where you are coming from. You have enjoyed the experience of not dealing with this stuff on a Daily basis. That will change as your base grows and the lovely Mudhed leaves.

Moral in the arctic may be high, and you guys have enjoyed a very unique airline experience, but don't lob grenades over the fence and call us on the outside a bunch of militant SEA guys. We are fighting with the managers everyday so you can enjoy your life up there.

Enjoy, be healthy and maybe we can drink a beer to solve the rest of the worlds problems sometime?

 

[400ADude]

I know Frontier Captains have come to SWA. I've heard of at least one SWA guy leaving for Frontier. I've heard of at least one Airtran person going to CAL.

Frontier Capts???? Give me a break, why would they leave for SWA, especially as a Captain. Doesn't make sense. I could see leaving Airtran for CAL or SWA though.

For those and location issues combined, I wouldn't be surprised if someone left SWA for Alaska or even Airtran.

I could see someone leaving Alaska for SWA, CAL, or FEDEX but my gosh Airtran?????? I might consider Airtran over a regional but no way in hell over Alaska. This has got to be a joke.

 

[AlbieF15]

I think there are guys at several airlines right now (Jetblue, Airtran, Alaska, Continental, and HP...) with apps/interviews/pool letters from FedEx and/or SWA. I'm not shocked at all that someone might bail from carrier X for carrier Y...for a host of reasons.

However--I've said this before--some guys get BITTER about a guy leaving their company. However, besides union pressure, there is NO bigger incentive to the management to offer competitve wages/benefits than someone burning up training costs to go somewhere else. So--if someone wants to leave FedEx for SWA...Godspeed! If someone leaves JB for SWA--you JB guys should be going "tsk tsk managers...we TOLD you this might happen if we don't fix the 190 rates..." When an Airtran guy bails for FedEx---"dammit Joe...keep stalling on the contract and you know you'll lose more...."

The only thing that would stop this is if managment got together (like the old pro ball days) and had a "no trade" policy. However, the only thing that bickers more than pilots on a message board are CPs and HR folks from different companies, so I think we are safe for a while...