So how was the SWA open house?

[Sierrakilo]

I could not make it-any highlights worth mentioning??

 

[Prop Trash]

It went great. There were probably between 800 and 1,000 people there. Two large meeting rooms were filled with applicants. Eight attendees won interviews as door prizes.

Here are some of the figures that they threw out:

currently staffed with 10.98 pilots per airplane

500+ pilots will be hired in 2006

they want to expand more but don't have enough airplanes to do so

they're searching all over the world for used 737-700s to buy so they can expand

150-200 pilots are invited for interviews each month

about 20% of the candidates don't have types when they interview

they're running 3 classes per month through the summer

interview groups are comprised with 50% military, 50% civillian

600+ aircraft are palnned by 2011

5 1/2 to 6 1/2 year upgrade has been consistent for the last few decades

they want people who LUV to fly

 

[fugghedabowdit]

I thought only 4 won interviews. Did they give out more after the ice cream?

 

[Headfake14]

...yea, I thought 4 interviews were given out. 2 in each room.

It was a good time. Just makes you want it even more.

 

[Prop Trash]

I thought only 4 won interviews. Did they give out more after the ice cream?

Oh, I thought four in each room got interviews. My goof.

 

[radarlove]

5 1/2 to 6 1/2 year upgrade has been consistent for the last few decades

So this is where the rumor started. Some SWA guy on here just posted the most junior captain and it was over 6.5 years, what happened "decades" ago is not the current reality.

I have friends that are telling me a 7.5 year upgrade, longer if they don't want to move.

 

[TexaSWA]

So this is where the rumor started. Some SWA guy on here just posted the most junior captain and it was over 6.5 years, what happened "decades" ago is not the current reality.

I have friends that are telling me a 7.5 year upgrade, longer if they don't want to move.

Buddy of mine upgraded a few month ago at just over 6 yrs. From 2002-2004 hiring was stopped completely and there were very few upgrades. This factors into the 6+ years that people have been waiting. As long as there are no other reasons to stop expansion again, 5.5 to 6.5 should be accurate or even conservative.

No one is starting rumors.

 

[fugghedabowdit]

You will make over 100k a year in the right seat, who cares about the upgrade. When it happens, it happens. I forgot about the two rooms, 8 interviews is probably right.

 

[Old School 737]

I'm not slamming SWA and I like them a lot but people winning interviews as door prizes? Is this correct. I figured if you are qualified and meet their minimums you would get a call based on experience, flight hours, recommendations, etc. Not from some guy pulling your name from a hat. But then again mabe that is how they have been selecting people for interviews in the past?

 

[firstthird]

In the past, SWA said that if you met the minimums (1000 turbine PIC) they WOULD interview you. No guarantee on when that interview would occur.

Then they relaxed the type rating requirement from a B737 being required to interview to a B737 type being required to start class. At this point, they still said that if you met the minimums you would get an interview. But, if you had the type you'd get the interview sooner.

Then, we went to a 'competitive screen' and the People Dept. no longer said that everyone who meets the mins would get an interview.

The most recent change was upping the turbine PIC from 1000 to 1300. This was done to more closely reflect what the true competive mins were (not actually be but more closely reflect). (imo)

Also, SWA typically hires around 30% of the interviewees. That has been pretty constant and is starkly at odds with almost every other major/legacy/LCC out there. It is more expensive for sure and is a bummer for the people who interview unsuccessfully, but it is what it is. Apparently SWA still thinks it is worth the expense of time, money, and dashed hopes.

So, to the point, giving away 4 interviews (presumably to people who meet the mins, I wasn't there but I would think that would be a requirement to play, or maybe you would get an interview down the road once you did meet the mins?) isn't so much a jumping in line as a 3 in 10 shot (that if they are competitive they probably would've gotten within a year anyway??). And from the People dept's viewpoint, they used to interview EVERYONE just a few short years ago. And presumably SWA is having trouble getting enough of the applicants they want (or forsee trouble down the road) or they wouldn't be doing an open house.