Bought my Type and DAMN proud of it!

[dalad]

Dude, seriously.

What is your fearful obsession with Lubbock? Did you get your pasty, skinny behind violated there or something? Still have a few lingering bad memories? I don't get it.

As far as flying there goes, we make money flying to Lubbock. That's why we do it. Certainly you've heard that's what the object of operating an airline business is. Hell, we'd fly to your mother's house if we could make money doing it.

And besides, it's actually not bad--you should try it. There's a couple of bars down the street from our crew hotel where all the Texas Tech coeds hang out. And you know what the Texas coed foreplay cry is right? ("Y'all,... I'm sooooo drunk!") Unless, of course, it was the Texas college girls who violated you. Then I could understand your trepidation.

Bubba

I think one of those ranch "hands" must of got a hold of him and not even have given him a reach around. I don't understand the hype on the PFT either, I could care less. Before I got out of the AF I paid for my ATP to help my chances of being hired. I interviewed at three and got hired by three Majors in 1989. AMR, NWA, and DAL. I chose DAL and got lucky. There's nothing wrong with a layover that you can't turn into a good time. Good God, I was in GEO last week, it doesn't hold a candle to LBB! Not even a coat of paint on that town would improve it. I mean stopping on the way to the hotel because there's a 50 foot anaconda in the road? GMAFB, not all the inernational layovers are caviar and champagne. Just ask a DAL pilot about those layovers in BOM, ACC, DKR, and GEO. I was sitting by the pool in ACC about 2 years ago and heard a mosquito buzz in my ear-you would have thought it was a rattlesnake! No Malaria in LBB!

 

[Roomwithaview]

Hey Kernal Lee

Making more money is what your company will be focusing on during your upcoming contract talks.

For someone who constantly claims to be an industry expert you sure don't know much about airline management. Isn't that what they ALWAY focus on? But more so ESPECIALLY when it comes to contract talks. I guess you weren't paying attention when you guys had to vote in your concessionary contract.

I wish you luck with those, but it may be tough since your airline is having a tough time identifying what type of an airline it is.

Thank you! And, as always with me, I hope we can ALL get better pay and work rules with each and every contract we negotiate. Your welcome for keeping the bar high for the last ten years while the industry has been in the crapper.

Your merger with AirTran so far has been a flop. All they hype about coming to ATL, and so far you actually reduced the total number of flights. Thanks for that. It appears a large part of the AirTran workforce feels disheartened over the discord between your management, SWAPA, and the Trannies. Having ATL based 737 pilots bid back to 717 to stay in ATL, and then giving them back to Boeing sure upset many. But, we'll take those planes to add seats to all of the cities SWA will be dumping, thanks again.

Yet to be seen. From what I understand everything that is happening is what management had planned from the get go which is why I never bought into the SLI. However, it is what it is and it is now water under the bridge. Both groups overwhelmingly supported their respective TA's so the majority were definitely on board with the master plan.

It's great you love LBB. Not many people in this business are envious of your ability to go there. You might feel like "top gun" there, but you're really not in reality.

Someone once asked Willie Sutton why he robbed banks. Google his response and you'll get your answer on Lubbock.

I much prefer to go to museums in Paris, or tour WWII sites in the Marianas than go to bars in LBB, but hey, that's you

I like Museums in Paris, WWII sites, cruises, diving the barrier reef, visiting all the continents (with the exception of Antarctica) and I've had the opportunity to do that to my hearts desire. Isn't that what a great schedule with awesome vacation and flight benefits allows all of us to do?

Our pay is rising, and will surpass yours,

I hope so. That will make for some pretty fruitful negotiations. It's great that you guys are finally catching back up from the concessionary contract you hung around our necks for the last ten years.

and the bottom half of your company see the stagnation ahead for you, with curtailed expansion and few future retirements. But, those bars in LBB and MAF are enough for you, which is fantastic. Good for you!

I wouldn't start whistling through the Southwest graveyard just yet. We sure seem to be positioned well to weather the ongoing economical storm that has saddled all of us for the past ten years. Regarding your downplay of our RON cities the beer is colder in Midland and Lubbock than any I've had in Europe but to each his own.

:beer:

 

[Dash Power]

It sucks getting old but at least the wisdom can bring you peace.

Psych 101: One who constantly repeats how good their life is compared to others are only trying to convince themselves.

I believe the average age of maturity on threads like these is about eight.

 

[dalad]

Could we just put GL and Wave in a room together so one could yell " SCUMBAG SELLOUT!, and the other could yell "LUBBOCK, LUBBOCK!". We are all airline pilots, period. I haven't met a SWA pilot on a layover that wasn't nice and good to talk to at the bar. I remember sitting at the lounge in the Doubletree Airport in SEA, and the bar maid asking my F/O and I were with SWA. When we said no, she said "no 123 for you". So this SWA pilot overhears and buys us 2 rounds and we just paid him back.

 

[Roomwithaview]

Could we just put GL and Wave in a room together so one could yell " SCUMBAG SELLOUT!, and the other could yell "LUBBOCK, LUBBOCK!". We are all airline pilots, period. I haven't met a SWA pilot on a layover that wasn't nice and good to talk to at the bar. I remember sitting at the lounge in the Doubletree Airport in SEA, and the bar maid asking my F/O and I were with SWA. When we said no, she said "no 123 for you". So this SWA pilot overhears and buys us 2 rounds and we just paid him back.

I jumpseat on DAL frequently and I can't tell you how many times the crews have bent over backwards for me. We're all in this together. I want you to succeed and as Tony told Phil there's enough money for all of us.

 

[dalad]

It sucks getting old but at least the wisdom can bring you peace.

Psych 101: One who constantly repeats how good their life is compared to others are only trying to convince themselves.

I believe the average age of maturity on threads like these is about eight.

Yeah, every time GL gives you grief about LBB, ask him about those layovers in ACC, GEO, DKR, and BOM. Also about those Yellow Fever shots, Malarone, Dengue Fever, and on and on. Also how about the pilots that got robbed and shot at in the van from the airport to the hotel in MEX about 2 years ago. We have to have an armed convoy to the hotel in LOS, and an armed guard in the van with us in MEX and BOG now.

 

[chjack]

it seems to me, and correct me if im wrong, but buying a type at southwest is justified because of the potential return on investment? i say potential, because there are no guarantees in life. while it may have worked for you, it doesnt mean it will for the next guy. ive also seen this same rationale, by non southwest guys who are hoping to get hired.

the problem is that while southwest may give a quick return on that investment, everyplace wont. and once management sees that guys will trip over themselves to buy their type, and even brag about it as seen here, then it wont be long before everyone requires it. thats why everyone else gets so upset about it.

imagine having to buy a type to work at a crap hole like usair! pft is either good or bad, you cant say its ok because the pay is higher. and while i know you say it isnt pft, its a job requirement, they are currently the only major with that requirement.

 

[Dan Roman]

Could we just put GL and Wave in a room together so one could yell " SCUMBAG SELLOUT!, and the other could yell "LUBBOCK, LUBBOCK!". We are all airline pilots, period. I haven't met a SWA pilot on a layover that wasn't nice and good to talk to at the bar. I remember sitting at the lounge in the Doubletree Airport in SEA, and the bar maid asking my F/O and I were with SWA. When we said no, she said "no 123 for you". So this SWA pilot overhears and buys us 2 rounds and we just paid him back.

Good post. That's the reality of this industry. Most of us get along just fine and I am quite confident if we were all at a layover bar we would find a lot in common and GL and wave would get along just fine. When we were at the Monarch in PDX they would just give us the 123 deal even though we were Hawaiian. Thanks guys, you raised the bar and it had a ripple effect across the industry!

 

[Roomwithaview]

it seems to me, and correct me if im wrong, but buying a type at southwest is justified because of the potential return on investment?

Not the way I looked at it. When I got hired at SWA it was the ONLY way for a WM to get an interview. So, if I wanted to work at SWA it was a box I was going to have to check.

i say potential, because there are no guarantees in life. while it may have worked for you, it doesnt mean it will for the next guy. ive also seen this same rationale, by non southwest guys who are hoping to get hired.

Got no argument with this logic.

the problem is that while southwest may give a quick return on that investment, everyplace wont. and once management sees that guys will trip over themselves to buy their type, and even brag about it as seen here, then it wont be long before everyone requires it. thats why everyone else gets so upset about it.

Well, the genie was out of that bottle long before I was even a pilot and I haven't seen many airlines following suit, especially the majors.

Would you not take a job if that company made you sign a training contract? I've known of some places that do this. I don't like it but it is what it is.

imagine having to buy a type to work at a crap hole like usair! pft is either good or bad, you cant say its ok because the pay is higher. and while i know you say it isnt pft, its a job requirement, they are currently the only major with that requirement.

SWA's mgt has used the type requirement as a means to reduce training time and costs. That's their main point of reference to ultimately justify it. If SWA was a sheethole place to work then I doubt they would have had so many candidates lining up to do it.

If I was in my late twenties or early thirties and in this environment I doubt I would do it now. Just because the "gamble" is a lot higher and the "payoff" is a lot less.

 

[Linedriver]

Requiring a type rating is questionable good business. But if that is the deal, SWA owes it to the candidates a fair and impartial pilot selection committee. Not an Air Force biased one.