Rumors of SWA classes...

[w8n4swa]

To all fellow swa poolies,

Heard there is a chance of two classes for May. If so, we will probably hear about calls for the first class sometime this week. Thought this might be worth sharing with you all.

Also, we have an update to the pool list that will hopefully be posted sometime today.

Current swa pool list stats:

11 poolies in the 21-Apr-03 class (from our list)

208 poolies waiting for class (including the 21-Apr-03 classmates)

63 poolies that have already been hired this year

Anyone know about Wrigley or Zeus? Have they been called to the 21-Apr-03 class or are they stop/loss?

Regards,

W8n4swa

 

[InHot]

May Class

Thinkin' positve thoughts for May classess.

w8n4swa, You've done a great job with the pool list. Thanks for your efforts.

I got a feelin' you're going to be in the "big D" soon. Have you got your relief picked out to manage the list once the rescue helo plucks you out of the pool?

 

[HarleyGuy]

I've heard pretty consistently that SWA likes to hire when the pool gets to about 100. If that's true, then at 2 classes per month they'd get to 100 in July. Which is earlier than the Fall '03 interview rumors that have persisted. Think they'll interview this soon? Chase?

 

[chazman]

They have not said they are hiring two classes a month for the rest of the year. They are still saying 140 total for the year. Subject to change of course.

But I like the way you are thinking and it would be more in line with their projections and needs due to aircraft orders in the future.

Chaz

 

[gnelson]

<<But I like the way you are thinking and it would be more in line with their projections and needs due to aircraft orders in the future.

Chaz>>

While doing a math lesson for a second grade class the teacher ask little Johnny if there are three birds on a wire and a hunter come along and shoots one how many are left? Little Johnny answered zero. No replied the teacher the answer is two. No said Johnny, the other two will fly away when the hunter shoots. The correct answer is two Johnny but I like the way you think.

Ok teacher heres one for you. Three girls are sitting on a porch. One is eating an orange, one an apple and one a banana. Which one isn't married? I guess the one eating the banana replies the teach. No said Johnny, the one without a wedding ring, but I like the way you think.

 

[w8n4swa]

looking for the next pool keeper...

The time is approaching to find the next pool keeper. If anyone is interested, PM me. Looking for someone in the deep end of the pool to keep the updates for awhile. Not much to it...just a little patience and knowledge with microsoft word.

Anyone interested????

Good luck InHot and those of you going to DAL on 20-Apr!!...Hope to be there soon!

 

[Yahtzee]

Re: looking for the next pool keeper...

The time is approaching to find the next pool keeper. If anyone is interested, PM me. Looking for someone in the deep end of the pool to keep the updates for awhile. Not much to it...just a little patience and knowledge with microsoft word.

w8n4swa,

I would like to nominate a friend, poolie, and fellow UGA grad...ladies & gentleman please give a warm welcome for my 2003-2004 nomination for Flightinfo's SWA Pool Keeper:

Aplus9.

Come on DHPope93 second that nomination for me.

Yahtz

P.S. Aplus9...just be glad I didn't put an add in the paper with your phone number for those girl scout cookies.

 

[chase]

Pool info

For some historical perspective, SWA hasn't really operated a "pool" in the past. The situation that has occurred this time with over 300 folks (to begin with) who were selected was not intentional on the part of SWA IMHO. Up untill 911 SWA was hiring at a fairly good clip that would've moved most of the folks who had been hired into classes within a 6 month period based upon the amount of hiring SWA was doing during the 6 months leading up to 911. Everything came to a screeching halt & the pool was formed.

While SWA has had folks "in the pipeline" awaiting for a class, SWA doesn't usually interview folks to just have a "pool" of bodies to choose from. While I can't speak for SWA or the PD it is apparant to many folks having large numbers of persons waiting around for classes that may or may not begin is rather difficult for everyone involved. For folks to have gone through the process, been selected & then have to wait for such long periods of time has taught everyone a steady process of interview, selection & new hire is the way to go. At some point SWA will return to that I would suspect & allow folks to lead more normal lives while awaiting for a class within a reasonable amount of time.

I say all of this but still couldn't predict a reasonable good guess on when interviews would start again. While I would hope they would begin some time later 4qtr, in reality it will probably be sometime 1st half of '04 but that is only a guess. Many variables could change all of this one way or the other.

Looking for a job these days includes throwing a net much wider than SWA. One still needs to put food on the table. There are many great airlines out there which provide reasonable wages & allow you to build valuable experience which makes one a more viable candidate for SWA or any other airline that you may wish to gravitate to. Staying current is #1. Achieving all the minimum requirements of your desired airline.

I've stated the variables facing the company in the past & they still exist when it comes to speeding up new classes. Calls to new hires won't occur much outside of 2-3 weeks from the start date so if there are May classes scheduled I wouldn't expect to hear any news on it for at least 10 days to 2 weeks (assuming a new class would start the first Monday in May).

Probably didn't add much light to the subject, just some worthless ramblings. Look for some interesting info at this week's quarterly announcements...we have announced early delivery of aircraft at these events in the past...if it happens again the signs would obviously be positive but that info is kept very close hold, for obvious reasons.

 

[No Name II]

"Pulled Out"

Just a note to help update the pool list. I did get the call last week for the 21 April class. I hope this the trend for the next months. Let's get everybody back to work. On a personel note, for those new to this crazy business. SWA will be the fourth major carrier I have flown for. (EAL, original Pan Am, USairways). I have also flown for 5 non scheds and 3 commuter airlines! This is the toughest time I have seen in 23 years of airline flying. Things can only get better with time. Persistence is the key. It still is a great job. Best of luck to all poolies and potential poolies. Hope to see you in DAL

 

[HarleyGuy]

Thanks, Chase

I was hoping to read more blindly optimistic stuff, but realistic is better. Obviously nobody knows, but you're probably right: they'll work toward a small pool. It seems to me that June will be tell-tale. If they're only training replacements for 85 call-ups, they'll have those trained in May. Hence, no need for June classes. Let us know if you hear more, though!