Answer to Question
Here are the specifics from the contract on per diem.
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1. The Company will pay directly for any hotel room and local transportation required.
2. Per Diem will be calculated as follows:
a. Pilots on reserve will not be paid per diem unless they are called out to fly, in which event they will be paid under 2.b. below.
b. For a pairing from one (1) hour prior to scheduled departure time from domicile until one-half

30) hour after either the pairing arrives in domicile, or the scheduled deadhead flight arrives in the appropriate domicile.
c. A pilot who is called out to fly other than on a reserve day will be paid per diem as applicable in 2.b., above.
d. A pilot required to be out of domicile in the performance of that pilot's duty (i.e., Check Airmen on duty out of town, and pilots training out of town) will receive per diem at the rate of seventeen (17) hours per day.
3. Per diem will be paid at the following hourly rates:
$2.15 an hour as of 1 Sept '99
4. Each pilot will receive the amount of per diem as stated in Paragraph 2. above except during vacation, if terminated, suspended or on leave of absence of any kind during the month, in which case per diem will be reduced accordingly.
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We do not have crew meals. At most airports I have had sufficient time to get the required food I need to fly. For those who think we are worked too hard, yes we do work hard, I'm not ashamed of saying I do. It is a work ethic I hope my children immitate.
As for other comments, my thoughts,
Which philosophy would you want your child to be taught?
"Paid the most for working the least."
"An honest day's work for an honest day's pay."
I believe we can & will be paid more for our current contribution to SWA's profitability but bashing the company for not paying me enough when I knew what the contract was when I came here is a bit disingenious (but quite in line with normal aircrew whining). For my fellow aviators who advised me not to go to SWA but go to UAL, AA or DAL, I think I made the right decision but I won't criticize them for theirs. No pilot at SWA works "like farm animals", or any animals for that matter. We can all debate the level of "work" any commercial airline pilot does & I won't here.
I wish there was news on the horizon for all the poolies & folks waiting for interviews. My ancedotal evidence of full flights, the May results showing we filled the same number of seats in May '02 as we did in May '01 & other evidence is all good signs that hiring will begin later this summer IMHO. Thanks for your patience & loyalty to SWA.
Thanks also to the flightinfo.com folks for this web site!!!
cheers,