Big Slick said:
I am from Dallas and didn't like having to commute. Also, I didn't like the idea of doing the Texas-Two-Step for the rest of my life out of Love Field. I got hired by American and, of course, got furloughed.
Before 9/11 no one really wanted to work at SWA. When I quit, I had several of my co-workers ask me to write them letters of recommendation to AA. Most of the folks in my class at SWA were there because no one else would hire them. I would say about 90% of my class-mates had interviewed with United and been turned down.
Here is my point - All of the SWA zealots on this forum haven't been around very long. They are so pumped full of the SWA koolaid that they honestly think everyone else in the world envies them. They are very full of themselves. I'm tired of hearing their bologna.
BigSlick, interesting story. We should all keep in mind that this is not a one size fits all world. By the time that you finish your military career, you will go directly back to AMR; they'll have recalled through your seniority. I'm finishing my active duty time in the reserves doing a desk job. I'll be recalled by United before the end of this year, but will take mil leave for as long as possible.
It's important to choose the job that will make you happy, not the one that pays the most. There are plenty of Southwest pilots who absolutely love it there, but it's not for everyone.
On active duty and in my Guard unit, there were several guys (pre 911) who wanted Southwest #1 and that's where they went. Whenever I've spoken to them, they've been very happy with their decision.
My personal feeling on flying is that I want to make my time at work as productive as possible; I lost the love of flying (where I'd fly for free) quite a while ago. My idea of how to do that is to fly large equipment on long legs ... I want to doze for dollars as a 777/400 bunkie. You don't get paid unless the plane's moving, so why not fly something that's going to keep moving for more than 10 hours at a clip? Some will say that I don't know if I'll enjoy that kind of flying. Two counterpoints: 1) If I don't like it, I can always bid onto smaller guage domestic equipment. 2) After flying the RC-135 on multiple double air refueling missions where my crew rest position (augmented on 16+ hr flights with a third pilot) was any open spot on the floor in the back with my inflatable mattress to shield me from the freezing floor, I think that I can rough it in one of those first class crew rest sleepers.
I have to laugh at the koolaid drinkers on this forum who think that their airline is the best/invincible/insert a superalative here. Anyone who fails to acknowledge that their employer is not perfect is, IMO, a koolaid drinker. You are correct that there are about a half a dozen Southwest (relatively newbies) who still have the company keychain, bumper sticker and personalized 'IFLYSWA' license plates. That will eventually wear off. Southwest isn't for everyone, just as United and American are not for everyone.
Right now, Southwest is the place to be because it is the most financially stable. It probably always will be the most financially stable; they have the strongest balance sheet in the industry. Their management is very smart about not overleveraging the balance sheet and they have a very talented management team (their talent is also very deep; it's not just the starting lineup). There are many great things about Southwest that other airlines don't have. But it isn't for everyone. Southwest isn't for me; I'd probably be miserable there. For other pilots, Southwest is the perfect fit. That's great; it isn't a one size fits all world.
Hmm. I guess that this post will reinforce to the Southwest koolaid drinkers that I'm nothing but a Southwest hater. Talk about living in a clueless bizarro world.
