Not good for the Southwest Poolies....

[On Your Six]

For those of you treading water in the pool for the foreseeable future: I hear Netjets is hiring. Roughly $60K to start and 100 pilot domiciles - see link:

http://airlinepilotcentral.com/airlines/fractional/netjets.html

I wonder where SWA falls for prospective, qualified pilots given the current circumstances and longer upgrade times? 3rd or 4th choice? No disrespect or flame meant - just wonder how this would impact people's application decisions...

 

[Whataburger]

This sux for the poolies, but I dont believe every pilot that has retired will be applying. Reserve, first year pay, commuting, having someone 1/2 their age asking them how the walkaround went will keep them away.
Plus the day they turned 60 started a 5 year clock on their new retirement.
Get/Keep your job during the wait and re-evaluate when our PD gives you the class date. Good luck.

 

[StopNTSing]

I wonder where SWA falls for prospective, qualified pilots given the current circumstances and longer upgrade times? 3rd or 4th choice? No disrespect or flame meant - just wonder how this would impact people's application decisions...

Probably still several places above Netjets. No disrespect or flame meant, either. Do you honestly expect to find an answer to your silly, rhetorical question here?

 

[skiandsurf]

Probably still several places above Netjets. No disrespect or flame meant, either. Do you honestly expect to find an answer to your silly, rhetorical question here?

We (NJs) have a couple of retired SWA guys that are under 63. I wonder if they will stay at NJs or go back to SWA.

I talked to one of them about 6 months ago, he was finishing up IOE, and he said he would have come to NJs years ago if the pay was better. Well the pay is better for newhires. No reserve. No commute. Full benefits from day 1. AND, no retirement age.

 

[pipe]

I can't imagine there will be many geezers who actually end up taking these slots. After so many years of relentless 20-min turns and El Paso overnights, why would someone want to leave the golf course for more pain????????

We'll see how many can really stomach not being in charge, the MUCH smaller paycheck, the crappy schedule, and not having any vacation or sick time. It might be just the thing for some of these a$$holes to see just what they handed the junior guys five more years of.

I'd say that after a few months most of them will be saying "this sucks".

PIPE

 

[SWA GUY]

Guys......

It only says we have to INTERVIEW them, not hire them!

I've got a whole bag of black balls to use.....you might do the same so we can get the poolies on board.

 

[General Lee]

And doing more LBB overnights might just KILL them.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Tanker Clown]

LBB overnights may kill them...but I don't notice any Delta retirees beating down the door to come back. But then again, you can make 12 year 777 FO money by year 3 at SWA. I'd go to SWA for the money alone if I were 60+.

 

[pipe]

Guys......

It only says we have to INTERVIEW them, not hire them!

I've got a whole bag of black balls to use.....you might do the same so we can get the poolies on board.

That is the greatest idea I have heard in quite some time. This wins Post of the Year (it's still early though). If you flew with a guy as Capt who was a douch*bag - the chickens have now come home to roost. Break out the big black ball!

PIPE

 

[TonkaF16]

Give them the same treatment as a new hire interview

While it has been a pleasure to write a rec online or letter for a great guy in hopes to sway PD and get him onboard, a negative online rec will work wonders to keep some of these guys that should have retired years ago from coming back.

Not every old guy on the left is dead weight, some are a lot of fun to fly with, treat the crew excellent, and have a wealth of knowledge to offer. Some are old grumpy, narcisists (sp) that tell me how much cash they have in the bank and then stiff the waitress. For them, I hope my fellow SWA employees will do the right thing and blackball the hell out of them.

Age 65 is NOT GOOD for us FO's or for those in the pool despite glorius celebration of victory on the SWAPA website. Give me a break.

rant complete...

Guys......

It only says we have to INTERVIEW them, not hire them!

I've got a whole bag of black balls to use.....you might do the same so we can get the poolies on board.