Leave SWA for Fed Ex

[Flybynite]

I
By the way I haven't updated my profile in a while. It's a lot more than 850 hrs. Try double that!! And I'm flying 121 now for a regional so I think I have a bit of a clue what I'm talking about. Thank you.

A regional with 1600 hours, you do know it all. Thanks for the insight.

 

[instructordude]

Instructor Dude,

- Freight Dogs wear Uniforms.

As for the rest of your post....Nevermind, I don't have the time or energy.


YKW

Sorry, figured you guys didn't have and wouldn't want to. Did you try and get rid of them with the TA?

 

[satpak77]

I changed my signature and added a picture of me drag racing it. Pretty cool pic even if I lost that race.

By the way I haven't updated my profile in a while. It's a lot more than 850 hrs. Try double that!! And I'm flying 121 now for a regional so I think I have a bit of a clue what I'm talking about. Thank you.

Good luck on the ATP written. Let us know how it goes.

Meanwhile, you might like to know that SWA has "long haul" legs also, such as Oakland to Philly and Vegas to Providence, amongst others.

No SWA does not go to London, but Pan Am did. Maybe you could travel back in time and join Pan Am in 1978, over SWA in 1978, and you could report back how your career was.



Bottom line, both are good companies and have received various "Best Place to Work" type accolades in various publications over the years. Both are well-run, started from the ground up by their present CEOs. These people are still in place (well, Herb, not officially but you can bet he still has influence) and still have the hunger to stay alive. Not like CEO's at other airlines, such as Tilton who came from Texaco or Siegal (old USAIR) who came from Avis Rental Car. Siegal lasted two years.

So both SWA and FDX have CEO's who fought in the trenches and have fought for their company's survival since Day-1, when the competitors and everyone else was sueing them and trying to put them out of business.

Is it any surprise both are successful today?

 

[instructordude]

No SWA does not go to London, but Pan Am did. Maybe you could travel back in time and join Pan Am in 1978, over SWA in 1978, and you could report back how your career was.

Why would I want to work for Pan Am over SWA. You know they went out of business don't you? Some people here are so stupid.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Dang skippy Air Force & proud of it!!. Can u say you've logged combat time, been to Afghanistan, Iraq, or flown a Congressional delegation to Africa???

Humble aren't ya. I bet you spend a lot of time walking around the Exchange/Commissary wearing your leather jacket and telling your stories to the new 2LT's. I am sure they are all impressed.

You do realize that this is a forum for professional pilots. Many of them also happen to be military pilots. I am sure many have done just as much and more, but thanks for sharing.

 

[Clyde]

Regardless of who the choices are, treat it like a business decison, because that is what it is. Unless you have other means, this is going to be your main source of cash flow, and you want it to continue as long as it can. Keep your emotions out of it and look at the numbers. By emotions, I mean things such as glamour or lack thereof.

Compare the balance sheets, historical financial data, and growth potential. Based on the numbers, where will Brand X be in 5 years? 10 years? How is the given market and how does the company fit in it? Is it a leader or a follower? What does the longevity of employment look like? How easily is retirement from one or both companies?

Then, look at how your QOL is affected. Personally, this is part of the equation that is very flexible for me. It might not be that way for the other person. If the commuting is an issue, then move to domicile or choose the other company. Again, I would rather have very stable employment and move to domicile if need be versus the alternative.

You obviously want to enjoy going to work, but don't rely on your employer 100% to fulfill your happiness quota. No place is perfect, and your main relationship with your employer is to exchange your time and talents for monetary compensation. Everything else will fall into place.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

No SWA does not go to London,

yet.

 

[Daddy]

I changed my signature and added a picture of me drag racing it. Pretty cool pic even if I lost that race.

By the way I haven't updated my profile in a while. It's a lot more than 850 hrs. Try double that!! And I'm flying 121 now for a regional so I think I have a bit of a clue what I'm talking about. Thank you.

This guy is either the biggest flame-baiter on this board or the biggest loser...I'm just not sure which, but one of the two for sure

 

[Mud Eagle]

Combat time in the KC-10 and KC-135. The only people over there that should get to log combat time are the army helos who are getting shot at everyday and maybe the A10 and herc. If your above 18000 your safer than if you were in the states.

That wasn't true back in spring '03. Maybe now...but not during Shock n Awe.

 

[Rook]

Why would I want to work for Pan Am over SWA. You know they went out of business don't you? Some people here are so stupid.

Um, I think it was rhetorical.

 

[instructordude]

the biggest loser...

Look in the mirror Mr. Navy Jet Guy.

 

[ivauir]

Why would I want to work for Pan Am over SWA. You know they went out of business don't you? Some people here are so stupid.

He's mocking you.

I think anyone asking about leaving SWA should. Not because they'd hurt my feelings or give away the secret knock needed to get into the newhire FA's room, but because people don't ask that kind of question when they are content and satisfied.
I have run into a handfull of folks here who are clearly not satisfied with domestic 737 flying. In my opinion it makes no sense to leave a stable, growing company where you have finished training and are building senority - but life is too short to do what makes sense every dam time...

 

[CF34-3B1]

the secret knock needed to get into the newhire FA's room,quote]


All you have to do is tell them the TV in your room isn't working, and you have to watch the Weather Channel, for safety of flight reasons.

 

[capt. megadeth]

[ but because people don't ask that kind of question when they are content and satisfied.
...

I don't necessarily agree. You can be content and satisified but there may be a place that will be more satisfying.

 

[firstthird]

Back in 99 some Southwest guys were leaving for UAL, DAL, etc. Turns out to have been a poorly timed decision. I guess that makes current SWA guys, like me; a little leary of the 'grass is greener' mentality.

I don't subscribe to the 15 minutes quip. You know: FDX, UPS, and SWA are having ours now and we're at 14 and counting. Airlines are in general cyclical, especially hub and spoke legacies. But, I think that some have found a way to manage their revenue/system to make money in up and down economies. Hopefully, SWA continues to be one of those.

Although, if you don't see your current airine as a career/destination place; by all means, search around. In a way it is good, when management sees guys bailing, they might decide that a little more pay/benefits/scheduling is in order. I don't think SWA is at or near something like that, although B6 may be with their 190 rates. In the long run, it works for everyone involved, the guys that leave get to go to their 'dream' airline with the ________ (fill in your desire here: widebody, int'l, domestic, one plane type, training every 2 years for that ATP full of types, whatever) and the ones that stay end up benefiting from improved contracts down the road.

The underlying principle is that we all root for the home team. We like to believe that WE were smarter/luckier than the next guy; not that we're idiots for staying on at a place we enjoy working at. It is a little disheartening to see guys get the fdx/swa choice and seem to usually choose fdx, but that is life. I also knew guys that only applied to one airline, SWA, and wouldn't have stayed flying if not hired. I applied everywhere and SWA wasn't my first choice. Lucky for me I didn't get what I wanted but what I hope will be better in the long run.

It is a scary industry where our hard earned skills don't transfer due to the seniority system, good in many ways, but it makes the A or B choice all the more important/life changing. And the burned bridge you leave behind is sort of a bummer too, that is for sure.

Good luck. I think the posters that say ask your real life friends and see how really seems to be happier are right on.

 

[SWA/FO]

Once again for the kernal's out there. This guy is NOT, repeat NOT on the property at SWA. He has NOT started class. He does NOT have an employee number. He is NOT on the Southwest Pilots seniority list. He would NOT be leaving SWA for Fed Ex. He is NOT here yet.

Any questions?

 

[Falconjet]

Just one. How long has that guy been at SW?

Thanks.

FJ

 

[instructordude]

Any questions?

Are you gay?

 

[firstthird]

He may not be but a guy in my class left for FDX with a month left on his SWA probation. He was from Memphis though and was flying with a guard unit there, seems like a pretty easy decision with that factored in. I have no idea if the current thread guy is though, I'll defer to SWA/FO as more informed than me. (a little scary, but heck, he's about to be SWA/CA)

 

[HoursHore]

Has anyone ever based a their decision on one of these X vs Y threads?

Seems to me if you had the quals to get on with either of these places, then you obviously knew someone at the company.

Why would you ask a bunch of faceless buffoons (myself included) instead of your buds?

At least these threads are good for 6-8 pages. Wasn't there a FDX vs SWA thread in 02-03 that was like 15 pages?

 

[Bluto]

Probably because one out of every 50 posts on these might have some insight that could prove useful. Basically, the same reason most of us read this forum at all. Sifting through all the manure can, on occasion, yield something useful.

 

[Babylon]

I've thought about SWA vs. FDX a lot in my last 3 years at FDX. I think I made the right decision but certainly won't know for quite some time. My 2 cents:

- better job security and retirement at FDX - regardless of earlier posts there's really no serious debate on this issue
- more night flying at FDX - anyway you cut it there's more of it and it's not fun
- much better domiciles at SW - if you're from the coasts you will probably hate Memphis - I've never met anyone who liked it - just those that "tolerate it" for the benefits it gives you - SW has some nice domiciles - yeah commuting at FDX is often easy but not nearly as easy as living in domicile
- the lines get better as you get more senior at FDX - don't think this is the caes at SW - you can get some really cool stuff at FDX - 4 days off in downtown Paris where you can fly the wife out, etc. etc. - nothing really cool at SW even for the senior guys
- opportunity to fly to some cool places and fly some cool jets at FDX - expanding intl and the MD11, 757 (soon) and A380 (I suspect) are cool jets. The 737 - even the NG (I fly it for the reserves) just isn't that impressive of a jet. And the way SW flies it with the dumbing done of its inherent technology makes it really basic

I think that the flying is better for a junior guy at SW. Nice pay and opportunity to make a lot and the crews are just more fun to fly with. I would think it would get old as you grow.

For me I was fortunate enough to fly the MD11 out of LAX - life is good and will be very good after the TA.

 

[DH2WN]

the lines get better as you get more senior at FDX - don't think this is the caes at SW - you can get some really cool stuff at FDX - 4 days off in downtown Paris where you can fly the wife out, etc. etc. - nothing really cool at SW even for the senior guys.

Not true and from what I'm told SWA gets more days off per month on average than FDX. 17 vs. 14

 

[SWA/FO]

Are you gay?

Hey instructordude you looking for a date? Why don't you take your 850+ hours of C-172 time and go back to the instructor board. You are not a player here. You can only dream of flying a B737 or MD-11..... maybe someday.

Not everyone can fly the greatest flying machine ever made......the 737.

 

[ExAF]

Entertainment Value

Probably because one out of every 50 posts on these might have some insight that could prove useful. Basically, the same reason most of us read this forum at all. Sifting through all the manure can, on occasion, yield something useful.

So true and it is also mildly entertaining at times as well.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Not everyone can fly the greatest flying machine ever made......the 737.

Ok, now it's confirmed.......he is gay and RETARDED!

My airplane is bigger and cooler than yours....na na na na na

 

[Sluggo_63]

Not true and from what I'm told SWA gets more days off per month on average than FDX. 17 vs. 14

That may be partly true. We work on a 28 day month or a 35 day month, not 30 like SWA (I think).
In a 28 day month, max work is 15, with 13 off min.
For a 35 day month, max work is 19, with 16 off.

I just looked at Oct (35 days) and Sept (28 days).
For October, the average days off was 18.19.
For September, the average days off was 14.7.

So, it's about 16.48 days off average for a 31 day period.

My question is, with the SWA days off, is that an average of the bid line, or an actual average of what pilots are flying? It seems to me that talking to my SWA friends, they pick up a lot of JA (is that the right term?). It's good for them, good for the company, and pretty easy if they live in domicile. It all make the days off go down. I know at FedEx, they never call me on days off to draft me (maybe they will now that the summer of the family is over), and I never have to accept it. They can't jetbridge assign me (I think they can do that to you, right), and my days off are my days off. Not saying one is better than the other, but just want to compare apples to apples.

 

[satpak77]

Instructor dude has DOUBLE his profile time, according to an earlier post

He is probably away right now, watching Martha King ATP videos

 

[Hagar17]

Hey instructordude you looking for a date? Why don't you take your 850+ hours of C-172 time and go back to the instructor board. You are not a player here. You can only dream of flying a B737 or MD-11..... maybe someday.

Not everyone can fly the greatest flying machine ever made......the 737.

what a tool.......

 

[Hagar17]

Instructor dude has DOUBLE his profile time, according to an earlier post

He is probably away right now, watching Martha King ATP videos

one more thing, Martha King is HOT!!