Future Hiring.........

[k2774]

I hate to beat a dead horse, but I must ask. For the major airlines that survive(AA, UAL, DAL, etc), and with retirements, do you think that there will be any hiring in the next 10+ years.

I still have aspirations of working for a major passenger carrier.

G

 

[foofighter145]

CAL just started hiring again yesterday

For an indefinite time into the future....

All the hiring cycles are just that...they cycle with retirements so every 10 years or so expect a generational hiring wave...

Which ones will hire - well that is the million dollar question

 

[DH2WN]

Which ones will hire - well that is the million dollar question

The only assurance with the legacy carriers is they will definitely be furloughing again and again. So you might get hired in the next 10 years but if you don't get lucky and get in early you will get furloughed.

That's one of the many reasons SWA is the best airline for pilots.

 

[General Lee]

The only assurance with the legacy carriers is they will definitely be furloughing again and again. So you might get hired in the next 10 years but if you don't get lucky and get in early you will get furloughed.

That's one of the many reasons SWA is the best airline for pilots.

Wow that was cocky. Are you sure about that? Will they be furloughing or just retiring a bunch? Do you really know for sure? "Definitely...." Ok.......


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[DH2WN]

Wow that was cocky. Are you sure about that? Will they be furloughing or just retiring a bunch? Do you really know for sure? "Definitely...." Ok.......


Bye Bye--General Lee

They have never furloughed a pilot in 32 years of service. How many pilots have the legacy carriers furloughed in that time? Thousands upon thousands. When the economic sine wave fluctuates up and down every 10 years the legacys furlough at the low point. About every 10 years. If you don't get hired in year one or two during the upswing you are out when it starts to downswing. Chalk it up to very poor executive foresight and planning.

It's not being cocky. It's factual and makes SWA a great place to work.

 

[chase]

DH2WN,

Having been at SWA for just 5 years I'm no expert but I agree with your historical statements....SWA has been fortunate to not to have had to furlough any pilots in its history.

However, and I'm on dangerous ground for speaking for GL but I believe he is right in his assessment that past performance is no guarantee of future performance. We will only NOT furlough future pilots or any employees for that matter if we continue to keep our costs low & raise our revenue. In this environment that is difficult but certainly not impossible. Nothing lasts forever if one remains status quo is what I believe GL was trying to say.

I hope we continue to do the necessary & maybe even unpopular things to a minority of folks to keep the company profitable. Sitting on a high horse usually results in a tough landing when it stops suddenly....humility serves one well regardless of economic times. Glad to have you on the team & willing to inform others of the culture at SWA....hope it is meeting your expectations!!!

 

[MICK]

Sounds cocky to me.

 

[PastFastMover]

Sounds coccky and I'll bet from a youngster in the big scheme of things. SW is a great company and well run, but those proverbial fuel hedges will run out and then guess what? Beware of any company or person that talks about a no furlough policy, or that a furlough will never happen.

 

[General Lee]

They have never furloughed a pilot in 32 years of service. How many pilots have the legacy carriers furloughed in that time? Thousands upon thousands. When the economic sine wave fluctuates up and down every 10 years the legacys furlough at the low point. About every 10 years. If you don't get hired in year one or two during the upswing you are out when it starts to downswing. Chalk it up to very poor executive foresight and planning.

It's not being cocky. It's factual and makes SWA a great place to work.

You said "Southwest is the best airline for pilots." That is a huge statement. (And you can't erase that) I think it is great that you are at a "secure" airline (for the moment), and I wish I felt the same at my airline. I felt that way in '96 when I was hired. I thought nothing could ever go wrong. In reality, I thought United was the best airline out there---it had the best routes, best planes (744s), and lots of money. In fact, many Southwest Captains left Southwest for United pre-911. Where are they now?

If you are looking for a secure airline, look for one run by a country----they will funnel money into it to keep it around (sounds like some US carriers). Also, some pilots want different things in an airline. I like flying larger planes to far away places. Some people would be happy on a Dash 8 the rest of their lives. Security is very important, but so is enjoying your job and doing what you want. Southwest may be great for you, but don't make assumptions for other people just because you are happy where you are. Enjoy that security.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[SWAdude]

Sounds coccky and I'll bet from a youngster in the big scheme of things. SW is a great company and well run, but those proverbial fuel hedges will run out and then guess what? Beware of any company or person that talks about a no furlough policy, or that a furlough will never happen.

One should not be so sure in an industry as volitile as the airline business. But to an equal degree, to say when the hedges run out, the airline will be in trouble is also being very presumptuous.

I personally knock on wood whenever I talk about SWA's current state.

 

[chase]

me too swadude, me too

 

[aav8trix]

I think it will take American about 5 years to go through their furloughees, before they get to hire anyone new. Since they haven't called anyone back yet, who knows. The estimate is based on about 300/year and nearly half saying 'forget it, I'm not coming back.'

This is just a guess, I have no official information. But I wouldn't hold my breath (and I'm not)

 

[TristarCostar]

My two cents.

By viewing your information with your post and seeing you are a student pilot w/<100 hours, I don't think you could ask for a better time than now to be working on all the certificates and ratings. I will certainly be the last person to ever speak negatively about someone's aspirations. However, with the age 60 rule, even if they increase it, there will be thousands of pilots at carriers retireing in the next decade. Depending on how quickly you are pushing to build time and ratings, I think your timeline looks better than what most would think. Just remember one important thing: The first 1000 hours of flying are very diffecult to aquire. However, at 1000 hours of time lots of doors will start to open. Express carriers, Corporates, etc. If you have the resources, push on!!

Best of luck to ya!

 

[canyonblue]

but those proverbial fuel hedges will run out and then guess what?

This is always the STUPIDEST line I read on this forum. Fuel Hedging is a constant. We are currently hedging for the distant future as well as the current environment. For 2005 the un-hedged fuel is being hedged at various rates. We will obviously hedge fuel until 2075 and beyond. What will the price be in 2010? Yea, no one knows, so SWA is currently looking at hedges from there on out. So please, before I read it one more time on this board, if you don't understand hedges, do not comment on the subject.

 

[80drvr]

This is always the STUPIDEST line I read on this forum. Fuel Hedging is a constant. We are currently hedging for the distant future as well as the current environment. For 2005 the un-hedged fuel is being hedged at various rates. We will obviously hedge fuel until 2075 and beyond. What will the price be in 2010? Yea, no one knows, so SWA is currently looking at hedges from there on out. So please, before I read it one more time on this board, if you don't understand hedges, do not comment on the subject.

But you won't be hedging at $25/bll moving forward.

 

[FDJ2]

They have never furloughed a pilot in 32 years of service.

Neither had Delta in its first 32 years. Think about it.

 

[DH2WN]

But you won't be hedging at $25/bll moving forward.

It doesn't matter SWA's costs are so far below anyone else SWA will be the only airline moving forward. The sine wave is still going down and the legacys are still furloughing and more all going CH11. The original question was when they will be hiring. The answer is ambigious but history dictates the facts.

 

[FDJ2]

But you won't be hedging at $25/bll moving forward.

Bingo!

 

[TAZ MAN]

Bingo!

Hedging is not a new practice. It has been a practice that every solvent airline has been doing for who knows how long. Its since this industry depression that the legacies plainly do not have the cash to invest. They must manage their reserves for survival. Delta, as I recall, sold their options several years ago or so to build their reserves.

And yes...hedging oil today at 45 to 50 bucks a barrel will help when oil hits 75 to 100 bucks a barrel.

No one has ever said that SWA is run by anything but brilliant people.

 

[DH2WN]

And yes...hedging oil today at 45 to 50 bucks a barrel will help when oil hits 75 to 100 bucks a barrel.

.....