Merry Christmas Swa Poolies

[jhill]

I noticed Pipejockey's profile says he should be an EMB captain. Should be but for those pesky checkrides huh. Oh and that darn qualification problem too.

 

[pipejockey]

I knew I'd probably get dumped on for my last post....thats alright though, it's all good. I find it interesting that I state what I feel is an injustice to the pilots and FA's, and do not insult anyone personally but the personal insults come flying my way because I stated an opinion about SWA.

I had posted my last remark just after reading a news article on USAviation.com

And canyonblue,
your right I wont be getting to 801 for quite some time. I had to give up on my airline pilot aspirations after 9/11. I was hired by a regional right out of flight school in summer of 2001 but never started class before 9/11 rolled around, and my training didnt include CFI cetificates so I have to try and decide how I'm going to double my time somehow to get another oppurtunity. Can't wait to see what your intellect will come up with next for your next insult.

Jhill,
sometimes you have to take things at face value and quit reading into things so much. Yes I say I "should be EMB Captain" as I would have been Captain now after 2 years. I guess I'll have to put a bunch of non-sense on my profile section so people like you 2 have less to use for your witty insults.

And again, my best wishes for the flight attendents who hopefully will succeed in gaining fair compensation for the work they perform at SWA....The most successful airline in the past 30 years!! Its the least they can do. Its labor that have made SWA what it is today.

 

[pipejockey]

And to get this thread back on topic, I hope you all truly find SWA a rewarding experience...finally reaching a goal airline!! If I were ever offered a position with SWA I'd be all over it as well! I wont be at that level for many years, if ever.

So again goodluck and happy days to come I hope!!

 

[LJDRVR]

I really should leave this alone, but...

Pipejockey, you are welcome to state your opinions here anytime. You should however, realize that as an industry outsider, (You choose not to fly for a living, we do.) your thoughts are not going to be taken seriously by any of the professional aviators on this board.

9-11 is not the reason you abandoned your airline aspirations. If you were really in love with flying, you would be finding a way, like the thousands of others that are toiling away, performing the grunt work of aviation and patiently waiting for their chance.

Well, I could lecture you some more, but you already made your choice. Good! One less bitter; "The world owes me" types that suck all joy out of the cockpit. By the way, this thread is about several hard-working, long suffering, non-complaining types who finally got THE call.

To those of you about to drag your shriveled, hypothermic carcasses out of the shallow end, CONGRATULATIONS! I hope to take your place in the water later next year.

 

[pipejockey]

Now I should really leave this alone but....

LJDRVR,
Their are close to 9000 pilots furloughed, I'm sure some of them do not choose to be out of work, but circumstances as they may be...they are. In addition to those 9000 pilots there are probably just as many that would like to get an airline career started but cant get interviews for whatever reason.

And I have taken action these past 2 years to better my qualifications and maybe in a year or two I'll make it. When I started my training in 2000, I could either take the expensive fast-track to a seniority # or the slower but safer CFI route...I chose the former and went in debt to my eyeballs to do it....hindsight is that I made the wrong decision so I have to work in the confines of my budget to build time. My point is, ones flight time should have no bearing on the value placed on his opinion. And I've perused this board long enough to gleen some wonderful insight from some of you. Most offer great perspective, but some of the statements made by some on this board have been an embarassment to the True professional aviators here. The ones who use this board to to say things they don't have the ba*ls to tell you to your face. Anything Ive ever written on this board I'd tell someone in person.

You say I'm bitter, well you oughta look at most of the posts around here, you'd think their wasnt a decent airline to work for and people would have to be crazy to even consider a carreer as a pilot. Thankfully, there are enough who give me encouragement that I will continue to my ultimate goal as best I can.

And bottom line, look at the post that caused all this. My statement, not even my opinion but a fact that the pilots and FA's are the ONLY 2 employee groups that dont get holiday pay. I was a little shocked since SWA has not posted a loss in over 10 years or so. And my other statement about the FA's pay. Kind of petty to warrant the personal insults of a couple previous posters.

 

[GEO]

PJ,

Why would you want to work at SWA since, as you say, they offer no holiday pay? Surely, all us pilots must be idiots for allowing this right? Or...could it be that during our contract negotiations we recieved something else that we wanted more in exchange for no holiday pay? hmmm Though you don't work here and never have (and probably never will thankfully) you portend to be very informed on all things SW soo...I can only conclude that yes we are all idiots and SWA is a meanie for giving us no holiday pay.
By the way as a 5.5 year f/o I've just past the $142,500 mark for the year and still have december paychecks to go (although regretably no holiday pay to help me out).

suffering SWA f/o

p.s Congrats to all new SWA soon-to-be f/os!

 

[OakRBust]

The pipejerky shows why so many people are unhappy in aviation. Many focus on the tiny things like this crap and tend to forget how good that we really do have it. There are certainly a few things that could change to make it even better but you gotta look at the big picture sometimes.

If the lack of holiday pay bothers you, you are never going to be happy in this profession. God I can only imagine how happy you will be as a flight instructor. Man your poor students.



Goooooo Poolies....

You will love it here!!


Now I gotta go find Righty in the Texas Holdem Room!


Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

 

[InHot]

Congratulations!

Congratulations to all on the 12 Jan class.

As a recent ex-poolie I, for one am VERY happy to hear about the next class. You guys should have your welcome aboard hard line in March and should push me off of reserve for April- for that I am extremenly grateful.

Had my Turkey dinner last night with my kids as I start a reserve block tomorrow (Thursday).

Notwithstanding the fact I'll be away for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year I consider my self extremely fortunate and I don't know how (professionally) my life could be any better.

Welcome aboard to the class of 12 January 04 - and I look forward to offering my congrats to the rest of the poolies this coming year. It is worth the wait guys - that coming from a guy who is working at his fourth airline.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless those protecting our freedom!

 

[Tripower455]

My statement, not even my opinion but a fact that the pilots and FA's are the ONLY 2 employee groups that dont get holiday pay.

Should I quit my pilot job and become a ramper? Then I can work for triple time AND holiday pay (at a fraction of the pay scale I currently "enjoy")!

No thanks, I'll just stay in the pointy end and complain about the lack of holiday pay!

FWIW, I just worked T-giving, and I will be working X-mas while several of my friends are home with their families. Every one of them would trade with me in a heartbeat, because they are furloughed from AA and UAL.


Congrats to the future new hires! I am looking forward to flying with you folks (and buying the adult beverages!).

 

[RightBettor]

No holiday pay...

Well now that seems to be the industry norm. Only one company I worked for paid holiday pay... SkyWest. You got 4.3 hours of pay for holidays plus whatever you happen to fly on that day. (There was a caveat: If you called in sick the day before, the day of, or the day after the holiday, then you lose the holiday pay.) Other than SkyWest, no other carrier I've worked for (ATA, UAL, & SWA) paid holiday pay. It seems to be the norm NOT to pay it.

On a strange note, I did work for a little company in Saipan (Pacific Island Aviation) that gave employees something like $50 on your birthday... yep, birthday pay! They'd actually cut you a separate check! Yeah, that's what we should fight for! Birthday pay... after all Pacific Island pays BIRTHDAY PAY!!! Dammmmmiiittt!!! We are getting so screwed by Southwest because they don't pay us Birthday Pay!!!!!

And if LL and the gals at the DAL People Dept. are reading this, then they should know that there's a big storm on the horizon... we are not going to stand for not getting our Birthday Pay!!!

*sigh*

Anyway, back the "Yahoo Hold 'em" tables. Where's Oak-R-Bust anyway... I need to get my money back.

 

[SmackYourPappy]

Just like the LUV commercials say....

"You are now free to Roam around the Country"

CONGRATS to the lucky one's drying off soon!

Tailwinds

 

[P3 Tweek]

Birthday Pay

`RightBettor',

A fight for holiday and birthday pay? This is a petty thing to fight about. You're joking, right? Gotta be. How did this thread get from the GOOD news about the 12Jan04 class to SWA's holiday/birthday pay policy? This is a long stretch. Perhaps this thread is about played out.
SWA has always shined because its people - both management and employees. All `try' to adhere to the `Golden Rule'. This is Southwest's GREATEST asset and makes it a wonderful place to work, I believe. Constant bickering and fighting can easily be found at many of the other major airlines.
SkyWest??? Is that an airline???

"You people think you're tired do you? Well, I've got news for you - we're going to practice to get tireder!" TSGT Moore USMC `The DI'

 

[RightBettor]

P3 Tweek,

Yes... a joke. Read my post again. You pick up on the sarcasm? It was a response to the notion that we are somehow getting the shaft at SWA because we don't get holiday pay.

 

[wnt2fly4swa]

What? No holiday pay? Thats it....

 

[P3 Tweek]

Gullible? Yep!

RightBettor & bigred,
WHEW!!!!!!!!! I am sooooooo relieved. `RightBettor' you had me worried though I had a hunch you were pulling my xxxxx.
About SkyWest? I'm sure we are on the same page there.
Nice comeback `wnt2fly4swa'.
LL, you may relax!
Adios!

"Nuts!" General McAuliffe, 101st Airborne `Screaming Eagles', December 24, 1944

 

[jimEJet]

PJ

I AM USUALLY JUST AN OBSERVER ON THESE BOARDS. I DO NOT LIKE TO GET INTO THESE PETTY RANTS THAT OTHER PEOPLE DO, HOWEVER.

LIKE YOU 9-11 AFFECTED ME AND I'M ABSOLUTELY POSITIVE EACH AND EVERY AVIATOR WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL IN THESE UNITED STATES WAS TOO.

NOW, I TOO READ THE ARTICLE YOU REFERENCED IN YOUR ORIGINAL POST. I TOO HAVE FOUGHT MY WAY THROUGH THIS CAREER WE CALL AVIATION. I TOO FEEL THE FLIGHT ATTENDANTS COULD "DO BETTER", HOWEVER. AS AN AVIATOR, I HAVE HAD MY SHARE OF STRUGGLES TO SURVIVE FINANCIALLY. I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT THE FA'S AT SW ARE GOING THROUGH AND I WISH THEM AND THEIRS ALL THE BEST. GOOD LUCK ALL OF YOU

SEEING AS THOUGH YOU SEEM NEW TO AVIATION AND HAVE A GREAT DEAL MORE STRUGGLING TO DO, MAY I OFFER SOME BASIC PILOT 101 TO YOU?

PICK YOUR BATTLES
AND SAVE YOUR ENERGY FOR THE REAL FIGHT

HOLIDAY PAY?? SINCE I HAVE BEEN FLYING MILITARY AND CIVI (ABOUT 15 YRS) I THINK I HAVE HAD JUST A HANDFUL OF HOLIDAYS OFF. THAT INCLUDES THE IMPORTANT ONES TO ME 4TH OF JULY, THANKSGIVING AND X-MAS. THAT'S LESS THAN FIVE OF THESE HOLIDAYS COMBINED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS. TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO WORK FOR AN AIRLINE THAT WOULD STAY IN BUSINESS LONG ENOUGH TO ACQUIRE ENOUGH SENIORITY TO BID THESE HOLIDAYS OFF, $CREW THE PAY BONUS.
LISTEN, I KNOW YOU JUST INTENDED TO SHOW THE DISCREPANCY OF PAY OF FA'S TO PROFITABILITY OF SW, HOWEVER. YOU REALLY DIDN'T SELL YOUR POINT WELL ENOUGH.

AS FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO FLY BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL ISSUES. WELCOME TO AVIATION BROTHER!!! BE SURE IT'S WHAT YOU WANT WHILE YOU DO NOT HAVE FIFTEEN YEARS AND TWO KIDS INVESTED. WE HAVE ALL STRUGGLED AND WILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE AS EACH AND EVERY EMPLOYEE GROUP WANTS TO GET A BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE. YOU SEE, MY FUTURE PROFESSIONAL PILOT FRIEND OF MINE, THE REASON, NOT THE ONLY REASON OF COURSE, A GREAT DEAL OF THE LEGACY CARRIERS ARE IN THE SHAPE THEY ARE TODAY IS BECAUSE THEY FORGOT THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THEIR BUSINESS WAS TO MAKE A PROFIT FOR THEIR SHAREHOLDERS. AND YEARS AND YEARS OF NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS HAVE TURNED PROFITABLE AIRLINES INTO BLEEDING CASH DEFICIENT COWS.

KUDOS TO THE PILOTS OF SWA!

PJ, YOU SEE THEY PICKED THEIR BATTLES, THEY DIDN'T FIGHT FOR PAID HOLIDAYS AND SETTLED FOR A TWENTY PERCENT PAY RAISE DURING THE WORST ECONOMIC CRISIS IN AVIATION.

ONE MORE THING PJ, AND I FEEL THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST TELLING POINT OF YOUR IMMATURITY AS A PROFESSIONAL.

YOU LEFT YOUR FLIGHT SCHOOL WITH FOUR TO SIX HUNDRED HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME TWO YEARS AGO AND YOU FEEL THAT YOU SHOULD BE A EMB CAPTAIN??

HA! I SAY

YOU WILL NOT GLEAN ANY SYMPATHY FROM ANYONE ON THIS WEBSITE WITH THOSE HOURS AND THAT STATEMENT IN YOUR PROFILE. HEY, I WAS WHERE YOU WERE JUST FIFTEEN YEARS AGO, HOWEVER. I NEVER STATED THAT I SHOULD BE CAPTAIN BEFORE I EARNED IT, AND THEN I KNEW THE TENURE WAS ONLY AS LASTING AS THE HEALTH OF MY AIRLINE.

I AM NOT PRETENDING TO BE ANYTHING BUT A PEER OF YOURS MY FRIEND. I AM DEFINITELY NOT THE PROFESSOR OF AVIATION CAREERS.

YOUR PILOT CAREER IS ONLY AS SURE AS...

1. A $HIT LOAD OF HARD WORK
2. KEEPING YOUR NOSE AS CLEAN AS A WHISTLE ( OR AT LEAST NOT GETTING BUSTED )
2. DUMB LUCK
3. WHO YOU KNOW (SOMEONE TO RECOMMEND YOU)
4. YOUR ABILITY TO WEATHER FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
5. YOUR EMPLOYERS ABILITY TO WEATHER FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES
6. AND NOT PI$$ING ANYONE OFF. REFER TO #3 ABOVE (SHOULD BE AN EMB CAPTAIN)

NOT IN ANY PARTICULAR ORDER OF COURSE!!

GOOD LUCK

QUIT BELLY ACHING, GO GET A CFI RATING, AND START BUILDING SOME TIME,

SERIOUSLY, START FIGHTING FOR WHAT YOU WANT, WE ALL HAD TO DO IT BROTHER

 

[LiveFreeorDie]

JimEJet-

Hey I am #87, but I hope there are a lot of ghosts between you and me in the pool, cause you sound like the kind of pilot I want to be partnered with in the 737 sims.

-LFD