I have to agree with Bookingsareup that picking up open time while your brothers are furloughed is not a big deal. Pilots just don't get it. Gup if you are so worried about your BROTHERS then lets change the age limit back to 60 so your BROTHERS can have a chance to pay their bills. Those over 60 guys are taking jobs from there BROTHERS...yada yada yada....GUP if you haven't learned by now in avaiton, there is no brotherhood, never was. Funny how that is... Bottom line, we already have to many wannabe pilots willing to work for nothing. At least open time pays what we are worth. Better then hiring or having so many pilots that we all get min pay so we can have a ton of wannabe pilots on board. We need pilots who have worked hard to get that job so they realize what they deserve and fight for it. Look at Fedex or UPS pilots. As for SWA your time is coming where you too will be taking paycuts once your hedges match the other airlines, it is inevitable in avation since there is no brotherhood, never was, and we have too many sell you soul for that job wannabe pilots who we allow to have a job in the first place that haven't earned it yet. If pilots were not willing to work for squat, pilots wouldn't want to work extra....So pick up that open time because that is what pilots are worth. It is fine. The furloughed guys or potential newbies will just have to wait for that 60, I mean 65 year old to retire so he can get his shot. We already have to many wannabe pilots who will work for nothing and sell themself for very little just to have a job and then vote for a paycut to keep it. Screw that. Make them earn that job so they know what they are worth. Gup you got no argument until age 60 is put back in place about there being any BROTHERHOOD! Your age old sayings haven't worked since avaiton was deregulated dude. Wake up. It is becasue pilots work for cheap wages becasue they haven't had to earn it. My 2 cents...
It seems to me that the age 65 law was passed a few months before the airlines started to furlough. I don't think anyone could have predicted airlines were going to be furloughing in the first quarter of say. . . 2009.
I don't believe anyone over the age of 65 is taking jobs from our brothers and sisters. It was their decision and their right to stay. . .simple as that.
Heck, it makes that transition between age 60 and 62 when ya can't even get social security.