New Southwest Domicile - ATL

[Tripower455]

INTL sucks? No, you couldn't handle it. It is the best flying around. Long legs, extra crew, sleep, good meals, nice hotels, better pay. You must not have had ANY of those. Have fun in OMA, STL, BNA, CHM, BWI, and ISP tomorrow! What a tool. You couldn't handle INTL flying. Just admit it. But, the great thing is, if someone actually doesn't like it at a legacy, they can always go back to domestic. You can't switch to INTL. Truth hurts.


Bye Bye---General Lee

Touched a nerve there, huh?

The ONLY reason guys do international for the last part of their careers is the money. There is no upside to it otherwise, and a lot of downsides, particularly health wise. Sure, it's fun for a year or so, but the downsides come quick. Given a choice, if they both paid the same, most guys would stay domestic. It's just as much better and healthier lifestyle. I hope I am never in the position where I have to fly long haul to max out pay or retirement.

I'm sorry (well, not really...) that you got turned down by SW and that you'll forever be tortured by it, but your lot in life at Delta isn't that bad. Certainly not bad enough to be obsessed by all things SW! Get over it!

 

[General Lee]

Touched a nerve there, huh?

The ONLY reason guys do international for the last part of their careers is the money. There is no upside to it otherwise, and a lot of downsides, particularly health wise. Sure, it's fun for a year or so, but the downsides come quick. Given a choice, if they both paid the same, most guys would stay domestic. It's just as much better and healthier lifestyle. I hope I am never in the position where I have to fly long haul to max out pay or retirement.

I'm sorry (well, not really...) that you got turned down by SW and that you'll forever be tortured by it, but your lot in life at Delta isn't that bad. Certainly not bad enough to be obsessed by all things SW! Get over it!

What? Where do you come up with this nonsense? Oh, you BELIEVE that is true..... Many pilots, NOT SWA PILOTS, like INTL because it allows for ONE flight over 12 hours (not 5 legs over 2 days), to a nice destination with a nice hotel (for security too), to a great meal, and multiple crew members which allows rest (crew rest, some have bunks) DURING the flights. Not you nodding to sleep on your 5th leg that day. It is funny watching you try to come up with reasons. Maybe you flew for some dirtbag operation that had very few of those. You aren't or weren't at a good legacy. Enjoy Amarillo and Little Rock today!


Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Tripower455]

What? Where do you come up with this nonsense? Oh, you BELIEVE that is true..... Many pilots, NOT SWA PILOTS, like INTL because it allows for ONE flight over 12 hours (not 5 legs over 2 days), to a nice destination with a nice hotel (for security too), to a great meal, and multiple crew members which allows rest (crew rest, some have bunks) DURING the flights. Not you nodding to sleep on your 5th leg that day. It is funny watching you try to come up with reasons. Maybe you flew for some dirtbag operation that had very few of those. You aren't or weren't at a good legacy. Enjoy Amarillo and Little Rock today!


Bye Bye---General Lee

LOL... Yup.... Keep telling yourself how great you have it, while years are being whittled off your life....

We've had this discussion before, and you know I have no desire to do international again, and I am hoping that I'll never have to. I've seen too many folks retire and die after a career of that nonsense.

Sorry we didn't hire you. For some reason, you seem to be obsessed with those little TX towns, and can't do layovers in them without incurring a pay cut. Honestly, they aren't that great, so you're really not missing anything!

 

[Flycatcher99]

Funny, but I can't remember the last time I overnighted in a small Texas town. More like SAN, BOS, FLL, ECP right on the beach, is what I see these days. Fly two or three legs usually, making a ton of money, and home way more days than not.

GL has little to no idea of what he speaks.

Oh, and count me in those who'd rather fly domestic for the same money. There are few people here at SWA who are itching to go int'l (besides the FA's that is). Someone else can have it. I'm getting too many premium pay deals here at time and a half. Time at home with the wife and kids, and a ton of money to put away.

Gosh, yeah, GL, life at SWA sucks. Keep telling yourself that.

 

[Lear70]

I'm so glad to hear you SWA folks saying that you don't like Int'l. Really, I am.

My schedule for next month:

I turned one week of vacation into 24 days off by bidding touching conflicts. My last flight is the 22nd of Dec and I don't go back to work until the 16th of Jan.

1 3-day trip double SJU layovers 16 hours each, 2 legs per day.

1 3-day CUN trip, one leg to CUN, 23 hr ovnt, two legs back to MCO and done.

1 3-day PUJ trip. Two legs MCO-ATL-PUJ, 24 hr ovnt, two legs back to MCO and done.

That's it for the month. 76 hours of pay, 22 days off. The beautiful part of it? The last trip touches one day into Feb, I'll bid a carry-in conflict for that trip with a 24-hr layover somewhere, they'll drop the first 3 days of Feb since they can't get me back on the trip, and I'll fly 9 or 10 days again.

I love international!

Yes, I know, with SWA expanding into the Caribbean it's unlikely the inefficient pairings will stay for good, but I really do like 1 or 2 legs somewhere nice (Int'l), explore and have fun, then 1 leg back home. A buddy of mine flying for CAL has been doing the same thing, but 24-36 hrs in Maui, Dublin, Paris, etc. Hoping SWA eventually makes it over the pond to Europe and Hawaii doing the same thing.

 

[HA25]

LOL... Yup.... Keep telling yourself how great you have it, while years are being whittled off your life....

We've had this discussion before, and you know I have no desire to do international again, and I am hoping that I'll never have to. I've seen too many folks retire and die after a career of that nonsense.

Sorry we didn't hire you. For some reason, you seem to be obsessed with those little TX towns, and can't do layovers in them without incurring a pay cut. Honestly, they aren't that great, so you're really not missing anything!

you do know that a DAL pilot has more options for domestic routes than he does for international. It's sort of like saying all FedEx pilots have to fly at night, when nearly 1/2 their flying is day time...

 

[Dan Roman]

You are all right. The General likes his Intl trips and well he should. Flycatcher likes his USA layovers in nice places and that can be just as fun. Trip brings up the point that Intl. flying can be taxing on the body. Good point, however I would say stay hydrated, don't drink to excess, eat healthy and get some exercise on an Intl trip and it's no where near as bad as having 4 or 5 beers and chicken wings and no exercise on a domestic layover.
If I had ended up at DAL I would certainly take advantage of seeing the world. If I had ended up at SWA I would enjoy the layovers Flycatcher has just as much.
But no matter were I worked I certainly don't think it's necessary to put down someone doing something different. It sounds like your trying to justify what your doing rather than enjoying it.

 

[Saluki Dawg]

Boy Lear are you in for a rude awakening soon. Enjoy those long overnights while they last, because they won't be anywhere near that long when SWA takes over the rest of the flying. Try 14 hours in CUN and 12 hours in SJU if your lucky.

 

[Dan Roman]

....and speaking of layovers. To the SWA folks how about that shooting across from the Monarch! Blew my mind when I saw the Clackamas Mall in the story. We used to stay there and I assume you guys still do.

 

[redflyer65]

You are all right. The General likes his Intl trips and well he should. Flycatcher likes his USA layovers in nice places and that can be just as fun. Trip brings up the point that Intl. flying can be taxing on the body. Good point, however I would say stay hydrated, don't drink to excess, eat healthy and get some exercise on an Intl trip and it's no where near as bad as having 4 or 5 beers and chicken wings and no exercise on a domestic layover.
If I had ended up at DAL I would certainly take advantage of seeing the world. If I had ended up at SWA I would enjoy the layovers Flycatcher has just as much.
But no matter were I worked I certainly don't think it's necessary to put down someone doing something different. It sounds like your trying to justify what your doing rather than enjoying it.

Nice post Dan.