Life on reserve at swa

[LUalum]

No one can just drop anything. You can put your entire line up for giveaway. You can give your whole line away and not work at all, but you aren't going to get paid either. There is no minimum.

Good to know. If you tried giving away trips do people normally pick them up? ie. could you plan on doing that or is it hit and miss as far as the trips actually getting picked up? If on reserve can you give away reserve days? If not, how could you adjust your reserve schedule. Assuming you didn't mind small paychecks but want to maximize time at home whilst keeping the SWA seniority number.

 

[shagadelic]

So, I assume off the street hires into swa will be behind all the airtran peeps? If you got hired at swa now, how long would you be on reserve?? A lot of people here at flexjet are trying to get on at swa and I'm not so sure its such a good move now, is it??? I know swa is a great company but if you're a fairly senior captain at flexjet getting schedules you want etc... is it really worth the jump? I'm mainly talking Qol, I know the pay is more.

If you have to ask, stay where you are. SWA hires people who really want to work at SWA. I don't want to sound like a dik, but really, you are comparing a career at flexjet to SWA? I'm assuming you're in your late 50's?

 

[Sluggo_63]

I don't want to sound like a dik...

Too late...

 

[scoreboardII]

Thea reality is, nobody picks up reserve lines, you might swap AM ro PM or different days but nobody is going to give you a line for a reserve unless they really need a day off which is rare.

The reality is, this is a very bad time to start at the bottom of any airline seniority list, period.

 

[ArcadiaMaxima]

8out of 10 times if you want a day off you can getting through bidding or ELITT I'm bottom 1/3-1/4 of MCO FO and have never had an issue...hell I got xgiving and Xmas off this year....you have to know how to bid.....no cartel here....no reserve either.

 

[slaquer5]

Can you drop (straight drop) trips and/or reserve days at SWA? Is there a method of doing that? I assume there would have to be adequate coverage on the days in question, but if there was, could you do that? Are there a minimum number of days/hours worked per month required?
At AirTran, currently you can drop trips if there is coverage available (there usually is, surprisingly) and there is a minimum of 35ish hours worked per month.

As others have said you cant drop your res days. You can give the block or res away. You can give away the trip SWA gives you when you get the trip or any time it goes through your base.
You can give away part of your reserve days, that they have not used you yet. (ex. 3 day block of res and you have a 2 day trip, you can give away last day)

the last example is what most want. We have pilots that call the res pilot and ask for his last day of res.


Most SWA pilots( even our union reps) have no clue how our contract works along with pay. Find one of few that took the time to steep over the pennies to grab the dollars.
There is so much money to be made at this place if you know what is actually allowed .

Yes you can drop all your flying but SWA does not take it. You have to put it in give away and someone else has to pick up your trips.



PSS To the thread hijacker, I agree w/ Sag. Stay where your at, I do not think you would be happy here

 

[slaquer5]

So, I assume off the street hires into swa will be behind all the airtran peeps? If you got hired at swa now, how long would you be on reserve?? A lot of people here at flexjet are trying to get on at swa and I'm not so sure its such a good move now, is it??? I know swa is a great company but if you're a fairly senior captain at flexjet getting schedules you want etc... is it really worth the jump? I'm mainly talking Qol, I know the pay is more.

No one can be that stupid to have to ask that question. Can they ?


Your Analogy is like saying
( I am a CFI , I love wearing Epaulets and living at home w my parents. Is it worth giving all that up to go to flexjets?.)
I'm mainly talking Qol, I know the pay is more.

 

[doylehargraves]

No one can be that stupid to have to ask that question. Can they ?


Your Analogy is like saying
( I am a CFI , I love wearing Epaulets and living at home w my parents. Is it worth giving all that up to go to flexjets?.)
I'm mainly talking Qol, I know the pay is more.

For the record, I didn't use an analogy and, if I did please show me where I did. The reason I asked is because i don't know. Alot of people here are talking of bailing to SWA and I'm curious if that is the right choice for them because they ask my advice, that is why I asked. I'm sorry, I know it's inconceivable and heartbreaking to you that I don't want to work at SWA and have never wanted to work there.

Also, your analogy does not parallel my sentiment but it is funny. And no I'm not even close to being in my 50's.

 

[doylehargraves]

If you have to ask, stay where you are. SWA hires people who really want to work at SWA. I don't want to sound like a dik, but really, you are comparing a career at flexjet to SWA? I'm assuming you're in your late 50's?

I wasn't comparing, I was asking because I don't know. If I was comparing, it would be assumed that I knew the answers for comparison. I'm not asking for me, I'm asking due to everyone talking about it at work. I don't know every detail about swa schedules and days off, hence me asking the question. If I thought I wanted to work at swa, I would be asking you if it would be possible for me to make over 100k and get 18 days off a month; that's the kind of things I would be interested in.

 

[shagadelic]

I wasn't comparing, I was asking because I don't know. If I was comparing, it would be assumed that I knew the answers for comparison. I'm not asking for me, I'm asking due to everyone talking about it at work. I don't know every detail about swa schedules and days off, hence me asking the question. If I thought I wanted to work at swa, I would be asking you if it would be possible for me to make over 100k and get 18 days off a month; that's the kind of things I would be interested in.

Ok, fair enough. As an FO it is very easy to have 18-19 days off and make over 100K...Except for the new guys, I doubt few make less than 100k. Our schedules are extremely productive and fairly easy to manipulate to get what you need.

 

[doylehargraves]

Thanks appreciate it.

 

[Kermit_D_Frog]

Since when does FJ get 18 days off a month? The pay has gotten up there ok, but they still work you like a rented mule last I heard. If they are giving you time off, they must be overstaffed. When have they ever been overstaffed during the holidays? Not now either I bet!

 

[wood pecker]

Another question for any 717 guys in the know zone.

If you are a junior FO on the 717 and bid SW 737, how long before your number gets called for training depends on SW correct?

It could possibly take until Jan 2015 anyway and by then everyone is making the same hourly pay correct?

Unless a junior 717 FO gets 737 SW right away then the waiting time for a SW class vs. 2015 is really how much different?

After witnessing the toll commutting is taking on my DAL friend's family via his wife complaining to my wife about not having a husband blah, blah.. I am staying with the 717.

 

[waveflyer]

I have always pretended I was a banker and had to live where the job is.
I believe I've been happier and healthier for it

 

[Ralph Wiggums]

I have always pretended I was a banker and had to live where the job is.
I believe I've been happier and healthier for it

Sometimes being a banker might not work out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVNPRm7y9xM

 

[jonjuan]

I have always pretended I was a banker and had to live where the job is.
I believe I've been happier and healthier for it

First smart thing you've said in quite a while. Move to where the food is. Wife don't like it? Find a new one.

 

[fngswa]

It depends

As usual, it depends. I have a buddy that specifically bid November reserve and wasn't used first two weeks of month. People will trade a 3-day hard trip for a reserve line IF THEY DON"T THINK THEY WILL BE USED. October/November are good times for this. Possibly other months, pickens are slim and 60K numbers are picking up two day reserve right now. As a reserve commuter, just like someone said before, if assigned a 3-day trip on a 4-day reserve block you will get numerous calls for that last day of reserve - same on a 2-day trip paired with a 3-day reserve. You can also put a preference to fly on reserve (guys in domicile put pass - they don't want to fly) so you will likely hit the road if you want.
Once you get assigned a trip you can put it up for give away. If someone may pick it up but you go right to the top of the list for another trip.
The key is to learn the system and then work it. There are ways to "work" the reserve system but you need to understand it.
Back to the original question, you can't get back time with your kids. If you are way underwater and the bank is going to take the house then do it. Can't pay me enough to commute. I live in domicile, commuted two months in my 7 year career, never want to do it again.

 

[waveflyer]

First smart thing you've said in quite a while. Move to where the food is. Wife don't like it? Find a new one.

"I know that film crew could give the kid a sandwich....

But you know I've been doing a lot of thinking, spent some time working it out, and I've solved world hunger. You want to solve world hunger, stop sending em food folks, don't send them another bite. If you want to help, do your part in some way, Send them Uhauls. Send them luggage. Send them a guy, that pulls them aside and says 'So...it occurred to me as we've been bringing your food here for, oh ...the last 30-40 years, that there wouldn't be world hunger, if you people, would live WHERE THE FOOD IS!!!! "
RIP Sam !
"you know what this is... It's sand..."

 

[mayoplane]

No heart broken

Alot of people here are talking of bailing to SWA and I'm curious if that is the right choice for them because they ask my advice, that is why I asked. I'm sorry, I know it's inconceivable and heartbreaking to you that I don't want to work at SWA and have never wanted to work there.
.

Your coworkers are asking a wrong guy for advice.

Our heart is not broken to know you dont want to work here. We just want to hire people who really want to be here, not someone who is asking him/herself, do i really want to work at SWA?

Reserve rules are not that attractive but we do get 15-16 days off. Im a lineholder and I do swap my regular trip with a reserve block sometimes to give a rsv guy a break, to maybe get a day at home (hoping not get called), or to avoid an annoying Captain. (sometimes just to get another dikhead.)

 

[Lear70]

"I know that film crew could give the kid a sandwich....

But you know I've been doing a lot of thinking, spent some time working it out, and I've solved world hunger. You want to solve world hunger, stop sending em food folks, don't send them another bite. If you want to help, do your part in some way, Send them Uhauls. Send them luggage. Send them a guy, that pulls them aside and says 'So...it occurred to me as we've been bringing your food here for, oh ...the last 30-40 years, that there wouldn't be world hunger, if you people, would live WHERE THE FOOD IS!!!! "
RIP Sam !
"you know what this is... It's sand..."

lol - I played that CD a few weeks ago when I was getting rid of the plastic CD cases and putting them all in a zipper case. Sam Kinnison was probably one of the funniest comics I've ever heard. I still love the "Wild Thing" remake he did.

"You're a lying, unfaithful, untrustable tramp, but I think I love you!"