Not good for the Southwest Poolies....

[FCNelson]

Guys, when do think the last of the poolies will come onboard. End of '09?, 2010?

How many poolies are left?

On that line, when do you think SWA will start interviewing again?

FCN

 

[jke406]

On that line, when do you think SWA will start interviewing again?

are you for real?

 

[bmxandjets]

On a completely unrelated positive note: I have read that most airlines (SWA included) haven't seen a softening in 1st Quarter bookings. Maybe the sky isn't falling as much as first thought. From what I heard, SWA can turn on the hiring/training pretty quick. We'll see. I'm probably being naive.

maybe with all that cash laying around, they'll buy more tail's and spool things back up...but more likely, i'm just being naive too...

 

[LeonPhelps]

I am in the pool and I was hoping to have a class this year. If they have 2 classes with the retired "new hires", then my chances of seeing a class date in 2008 are very slim. So if anyone has a right to be upset, it's me. But I'm not. I don't know the people coming back. But I'm sure many of them have helped make this company the way it is today. If these people want to come back, let them, they deserve to. I am disappointed that I have to wait longer. But the support SW is giving it's former employee's is one of the many reasons I want to work there and one of the qualities that make them the company they are. I wish I didn't have to wait longer, but the retired pilots deserve this and I'm looking forward to working for a company that takes care of "their own".

I hope you get on soon dude...you sound like a good guy. We need more around here. Anyhow, I'm not so sure that EVERY SINGLE ONE will get picked up out of the interview...word around the water cooler is that some will not be welcomed back. Be interesting to see, nevertheless. Ironic, huh?

Oh, BTW...I suspect the policy of re-interviewing some of these guys came from Herb/Colleen, as some of the dudes literally helped build this company, and there is a HUGE loyalty to some of these fellas from the VERY TOP. It's just a shame that this law was passed right on the verge of a possible recession...that's the travesty.

 

[RogerMOSA]

How many poolies are left?
On that line, when do you think SWA will start interviewing again?

FCN

Let's take a swag.....350 poolies-33(Jan/Feb classes) + ~40 Retirees = ~360 give or take....

Using 120 folks/yr.... I'm betting the anchorman in the pool isn't gonna see a class until 2012. And we haven't even begun to figure out the ramifications if SWA buys/acquires Alsaka/AT/etc.

The combination of Age60/$100 oil/Economy/Retirees and a probable merger is a big sh!t sandwich. Your portion is proportional to your depth in the pool. Enjoy.

RM

 

[Tanker Clown]

That's assuming 350 poolies stick around. I already know 4 that have moved on and aren't coming back. That's out of the 6 guys I know in the pool. I bet by the time they get to the last guy they only get about 200 of the original 350 in the pool.

 

[bmxandjets]

i think you are probably right on that..

 

[Whataburger]

Let's take a swag.....350 poolies-33(Jan/Feb classes) + ~40 Retirees = ~360 give or take....

Using 120 folks/yr.... I'm betting the anchorman in the pool isn't gonna see a class until 2012. And we haven't even begun to figure out the ramifications if SWA buys/acquires Alsaka/AT/etc.

The combination of Age60/$100 oil/Economy/Retirees and a probable merger is a big sh!t sandwich. Your portion is proportional to your depth in the pool. Enjoy.

RM

I'll take another sWAG. We get all the planes we're supposed to next year plus more than the 7 this year = 300-400 new hires in the next year to 18mos. Pool empty by end of ought-nine. Optimistic I know, but none of us know what will happen. Good, bad, or indifferent.

 

[Wankel7]

lots of POed junior guys....

Yeah , I bet those jr. FedEx pilots are madddd....must be a pita working for Fedex anyways. I think Mesa is hiring

 

[zippy32]

That's assuming 350 poolies stick around. I already know 4 that have moved on and aren't coming back. That's out of the 6 guys I know in the pool. I bet by the time they get to the last guy they only get about 200 of the original 350 in the pool.

That is correct. I'm in the Feb class and we went through 20 names on the poolie list to get 13 in the class. I'm guessing that rate of 30% attrition rises over the coming months.

 

[jke406]

I'm guessing that rate of 30% attrition rises over the coming months.

How can that be? How can anyone turn down SWA?

 

[zippy32]

How can that be? How can anyone turn down SWA?

I don't think many of those in the pool would turn down SWA because they think it's a bad company. I don't think anyone would interview that believed that. But when you are in the pool for 10+ months at a minimum, your family/job situation changes and sometimes you have to move on to something else. I think it will be worth my long wait. I would have preferred to get in sooner, but it didn't work out.

Hopefully those remaining in the pool get called sooner rather than later.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Guys...it sucks floating in the pool. Many of us were swimming around for 24+ months. Many ups and downs. The best thing you can do is enjoy what you have now and walk away from the FI rumor mill!!! Things will change, but don't expect anything for at least 6 months.

 

[hyeflyin]

I don't know if these numbers are accurate, but on APC it states SWA expects to bring on 300 of the 400 in the pool this year. Has anyone heard of anything like this? That's alot of people for just 7 planes.

 

[zippy32]

I don't know if these numbers are accurate, but on APC it states SWA expects to bring on 300 of the 400 in the pool this year. Has anyone heard of anything like this? That's alot of people for just 7 planes.

Here is my uneducated guess:
7 planes added = 77 pilots
7 planes gained from added efficiency of MX (this was addressed in a previous SWA thread) = 77 pilots
Age 60 Rule Change = minus 40 pilots

77 + 77 - 40 = 114 from the pool in 2008.

Jan class = 20 poolies
Feb class = 13 poolies

For 2008, that would leave approximately 81 more poolies left to drain starting in April. I am not an expert. This is just what I've learned from various threads/friends. I hope my numbers are off and 150 get out of the pool.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

And doing more LBB overnights might just KILL them.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Hey...just ask around...I'm sure there are some Delta guys still flying that remember back when Delta flew into LBB.

Guess Delta management realized that they couldn't compete there...kinda like having a hub at DF'in W

 

[Caveman]

How can that be? How can anyone turn down SWA?

I know you are trying to be your usual sarcastic self, but for the sake of argument let's assume you're asking a legitimate question.

If I were offered a job with SWA today and a job today with my current employer (B6) I'd go with SWA. No brainer. More money, more security, easier commute. Easy choice. However, I'm already employed and even with only about 2 years seniority I doubt I would leave JetBlue for SWA. Blasphemy you say. Think about it. If I applied to SWA today, got invited to interview, was successful at the interview, went and got the type, and jumped in the pool I would not be on property for at least two years with things as they are now. Probably longer.

By then I would be at least a 190 CA at B6 and within 5 years of A320 CA. At SWA I would be a brand new FO looking at 10+ years to upgrade. Given that, why should I leave a good job to get a great job. It doesn't make sense for me to leave JetBlue unless I'm already in the pool at SWA.

This has nothing to do with how great a company SWA is. It's all about how much do I lose vs how much do I gain. In my case it appears to be better for me to stay at a good company instead of moving to a great company.

For the record, I think JetBlue is a very good company. It's not a great company yet. We're getting there, but it takes time. We aren't nearly as stable as LUV and we don't make as much money. We have the culture part down pretty well. I really enjoy working here and they treat me well. As our pay and long term viability improves JetBlue will join the great place to work category.

I'm betting that by staying put and keeping my seniority instead of looking at greener pastures I'll be here when we get to your level. If I were 10 years younger I might consider making the switch. Fact is though, I'm not. I'll be 50 in a few months so staying put makes more sense for me. In 10 years I'd rather be an A320 Captain with some seniority making decent money than a senior 737 FO still a couple of years away from an upgrade and the big bucks.

I still think that anyone already swimming at SWA is in a good spot. It's a much tougher decision for the rest of us. All of this presumes the status quo with a liberal dose of prognosticating. I'll let you know in a few years whether or not I made the right call. YMMV.

 

[Whataburger]

In 10 years I'd rather be an A320 Captain with some seniority making decent money than a senior 737 FO still a couple of years away from an upgrade and the big bucks.

IMV.

Staying at Jblu vs. going to Wn is a win/win regardless of choice. But just for giggles regarding the "big bucks" I did some math.

10 yr Capt at Jblue makes $137/hr.
70 hrs at straight pay plus 20 hours at 1.5 equals
$13,590/month.

10 yr FO at Wn makes $128/hr. times 100 is
$12,800 month.

Not much difference considering our avg. FO flys 115 "credits/hrs" a month.