Next years numbers at SWA

[nightstalker]

Hearing the word from one of our reservists at work that SWA is planning on 400-450 openings in 2003. Sounded like great news to me.

 

[AF757Pilot]

Source?

Wouldn’t that be nice! Who is your “friend’s” source? Or is it a friend of a friend of a friend?

 

[Wolf King]

I have heard similar numbers, but I suppose that might include the nearly 400 currently sitting in the pool.... anybody know?

 

[nightstalker]

Re: Source?

Wouldn’t that be nice! Who is your “friend’s” source? Or is it a friend of a friend of a friend?

Reservist works for SWA and drills with us- I am Active Duty

 

[RightBettor]

Anyone else care to comment on this one? Chase... R Beeks...???

While that number certainly would be great for poolies and potential interviewees, I'm wondering if it's just a bit too optimistic? Not that I am pessimistic... just pragmatic. I tend to keep a lot of "grains of salt" around these days.

Have a great evening everyone!!

RightBettor

 

[chase]

Haven't heard

I've only heard 250+ for this year, 600+ for '04. I was at one of the res centers this week & they said bookings for 1q'03 are looking stronger. Things are definitely looking up. But still haven't heard any numbers like 400 for '03.

 

[InHot]

Yup

Last week I spoke with LL. I asked about number of new hires for '03. For what it's worth LL said she had heard a rumor of 200.

Of course that was last week, and she told me things are always subject to change.

I guess we'll only know when it happens, but in the meantime it is nice to speculate about good news vs what we've had these past 7 months.

Happy Holidays (they started early this year).

 

[UGApilotDAWG]

Talked to LL yesterday -
She confirmed only the Jan classes announced for sure this year, but each following class will probably be announced about a month out. She confirmed the 200-250 guesstimate for this year and said I am on the bubble ( I am #149 on our pool ) so that should help with everyone's best guess on their month to start. Remember 03 is fiscal which means 04 hiring will start in Oct not Jan!

Keep dawgpaddlin!
Les

 

[Bake]

I could be wrong but SWA's fiscal year begins in Jan not Oct like the military's. All companies set their fiscal years differently. However, since SWA just announced their 3rd quarter earnings, this would currently be fiscal 4th Qtr 02.

Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Bake

 

[RightBettor]

Bake, I'm pretty sure you are correct. SWA uses the calendar year for fiscal purposes.

 

[cactuspilot]

SWA Classes

A friend just got out of grnd school. The word was 2 classes of 20 for the first 4 months of 03, then 600 in 04. Hope it's true!

 

[T45Flyer]

2003 Classes

Just finished some training in PHX with a dallas instructor. This guy pretty much runs the training show down there, so is probably pretty reliable....
He says first new hire class is Monday Jan 6th, planning for 20 but can go to 26 in pairs of two. Also, two classes every month for the first quarter is what they are planning for as long as nothing crazy happens in the world. Hope this helps.

T45Flyer

 

[kelbill]

From an objective standpoint, simply do the math. SWA hires 10 pilots per new plane, and in 2003 we are adding 12 or so planes to the fleet, above retiring a few. So 12 x 10 = 120 pilots just to fill the new jets. Add on 63 retiring Captains and we get 120+63=183 pilots minimum. Rarely do we go under our estimates. As for 600 in 2004, I'd say that was too high, maybe more like 400+ depending on how we take over the competitors routes. Remember, SWA doesn't want to jump in over its head and overextend itself, so things would have to be pretty incredible to go 600 in '04, but bet on more than 180 in '03. Flew with a Chief Pilot type recently and he told me about this site. There are 300+ guys in the pool and he said your rank order system is pretty close to on the money.

 

[rodeopilot]

Chief pilot said in the lounge the other day 180+ for 03' This is his most recent number, but is most consistent with what Ive heard. He says 04' is going to see more retirements, more growth, and Id believe it from him, hes a straight shooter.

 

[sfomarc]

Things change daily around here. I would not be surprised one bit if the hiring for 03 was much higher. I also would not be surprised if we take advantage of other carriers cancelling options or not taking delievery at all. If we can capitalize on others misfortune we will. if the planes are cheap enough I think we will pounce on them.

Good luck to all

 

[dogg]

At this point who cares. As long as they hire some of you SWA cult members so that the rest of you will have some actual stuff to talk about instead of the ridiculous rumors that fly around here........ May the Southwest God smile upon you all and suck you into the fuzzy warm collective soon.........

 

[thebluto]

Anyone have an idea of how many applications are on file with SWA, how many of those have the type rating, and the breakdown of mil vs civ? The People Dept told us 3600 a year ago, I'm sure it's more now.

 

[thebluto]

I just heard a piece of the answer to my 3 -part question: 500 apps on file with the type rating. No word on civ/mil breakdown or how many total apps. Supposedly the pre-11/1/02 apps with no type are to be grandfathered. However, they probably won't be interviewed until after the type-rated folks. And, the interviews won't be first come first serve. They'll now be taken in order of best qualified first. Interviews are supposed to start 4th quarter 2003. All this info from the People Department reps who visited NAS Corpus Christi, TX on Nov. 21st. (I wasn't at the mtg, but a couple of guys I know were).

 

[reepicheep]

Interviews are supposed to start 4th quarter 2003.

Wow. By that time my app. will have been on file for over a year-and-a-half. I've already sent a letter at the six-month mark reminding them I'm still interested, but at what point do I have to send in a new app? Or do I sight tight and assume I'm still in the system?

 

[chase]

Jan Class Date

I'm sorry to report the following. I spoke to responsible folks in DAL today who said right now the company has chosen to plan for only 1 class in Jan right now, 6 Jan '03. I don't have any other info than that. Of course things can change quickly but hopefully we'll be back to two classes a month before too long. Speculating on why is for others but that's the news I heard today.

 

[InHot]

OUCH!!

 

[Slug]

Other thoughts

CRAP! was more what I was thinking.

 

[RightBettor]

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Merry Christmas!

 

[HOUMAN]

Fellas,
This is just another sad dip in the SWA pool roller coaster ride. If you don't like todays rumors, then just wait until tomorrow.

 

[T1bubba]

I wouldn't get too bent out of shape about it, they added a class at the last minute last January. They can't keep buying planes without hiring someone to fly them. Anyway, here's some better news...

T1bubba


Southwest Airlines Adds Two Nonstop Flights Between Chicago Midway And Las Vegas


Fares for the New Flights Start at $89 Each Way

DALLAS, Dec. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) continues expanding its flight schedule with the addition of two more nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and Las Vegas beginning February 9, 2003. Fares for the new service start with a 14-day advance purchase fare of $89 each way and top-out with an unrestricted fare of $199 one-way.

"We've increased our service from Chicago Midway to West this year, and our Customers have responded with a resounding 'Bravo!'" said Joyce Rogge, Southwest's senior vice president of marketing. "Adding more nonstop flights is our way of giving our Customers an encore performance."

With the addition of these two flights, Southwest will offer a total of five daily nonstop flights between Chicago Midway and Las Vegas. Southwest will carry out the service by exercising its option to accelerate the delivery of an aircraft to 2003 , which was announced in the airline's third quarter earnings report.

Southwest's fare of $89 each way for its nonstop service between Chicago Midway and Las Vegas is on sale now through Feb. 3, 2003, for travel through the end of Southwest's published schedule (currently April 4, 2003.). Tickets must be purchased at least 14 days prior to departure and within one day of making reservations. Roundtrip purchase and an overnight stay are required. Seats are limited and will not be available on some flights that operate during peak travel times, such as Spring Break periods. Tickets are nonrefundable, but unused tickets may be applied toward the purchase of future travel on Southwest Airlines (except for tickets purchased through the Southwest Airlines Group Tickets program). Fares do not include a federal segment tax of $3 per takeoff and landing. These fares also do not include airport-assessed passenger facility charges of up to $9 roundtrip or federal September 11th Security Fees of up to $5 roundtrip per person. Fares are subject to change until ticketed, and any change in itinerary could result in an increase in the fare.

Customers can purchase tickets by visiting Southwest's Web site at www.southwest.com , by calling Southwest Airlines at 1-800-I-FLY-SWA, or by calling their local travel agent.

Southwest Airlines is the nation's fourth largest carrier in terms of Customer boardings. The airline serves 59 airports in 58 cities in 30 states. Las Vegas is Southwest's second busiest airport in terms of daily departures with 171 daily nonstop flights to 42 cities; Chicago Midway is fifth with 130 daily nonstop flights to 29 cities. The airline currently operates nearly 2,800 flights a day.

 

[RightBettor]

Oh, I know... if y'all read enough of my posts, then you'll see I tend to write with a bit of a tounge-in-cheek style. But seriously, Merry Christmas or Happy Hannukah everyone!!

Let's just hope the February classes hold firm... any more bad news and I might have to break out all those old Smiths albums just to get me in the right mindset!


"If you're wondering why
All the love that you long for eludes you
And people are rude and cruel to you
I'll tell you why
I'll tell you why
I'll tell you why
I'll tell you wha-hy-hy-hyyyy

You just haven't earned it yet baby!"

Anyway, you get the idea.


P.S. Hey T1Bubba... by the looks of your avatar, it seems when they repaint the airplanes in the new livery the airplanes get a little bigger. Is that an astute observation or what???

 

[Slug]

Avatar?

RB,

What the he!! is that avatar?

BTW, Crap was just my initial reaction. Until I'm sitting in Dallas my motto is "I'll get there when I get there".

Slug

 

[RightBettor]

Avatar...

I was wondering when I might have to 'splain that one. The poster from the movie "Devil's Advocate" has Al Pacino (Satan) standing behind Keanu Reeves (some young hot-shot lawyer). Well.... check out those "Bert is Evil" websites (search on google.) They're pretty funny. Some clever individual figured out to replace Bert for Al Pacino. Check out the original poster at www.imdb.com (search for Devil's Advocate).

There are others: Bert mugshot, Bert in the crowd at the JFK assassination, Bert and Ernie at a "gentlemen's" club. Some are in bad taste, and the humor is certainly not for everyone. Don't view any evil Bert websites at work!

 

[Falconjet]

Jan classes

I spoke with LL today and I asked her if there was any good news. She said that there was only the one class in Jan with 20 people but they of course were hoping for some more classes in Feb. Ouch is right.

 

[sfomarc]

If it's any consolation I was notified of a class date prior to Sept. 11 last year. I did not give notice to my previous employer becacuse I was going to take vacation while in ground school and then give my two weeks. On Sept 12 I got a call saying all new hire ground schools were cancelled. I said to myself oh well I guess it will be another 6 months to a year.

Then I got a call a week or so later saying class was back on. The difference between my original class date and the new class date was one week. My point is dont believe too much of what you hear, it changes by the hour.

Good luck.