Southwest, pilots reach deal to boost "efficiency"

[relief tube]

Come on fellas, when you're airline's doing fine and kicking the crap out of everyone else, dont take the "opportunity" to give mgmt what they want and
make us all spend more time away from home. "Efficiency" makes it sound like its a good thing. Why dont we just maximize our "efficiency and all live at the airport and fly 99.9 hours a month.


From Usatoday's online forumn "Today in the sky"

Already known for its efficient operations, Southwest reached a deal with pilots to boost efficiency even more, The Dallas Morning News (free registration) reports. The Southwest Airlines Pilots Association agreed to have each of its pilots fly 1 ½ additional hours each month, a move the paper says will save Southwest about $4 million a year since it won’t need to hire as many pilots to accommodate expansion plans. Prior to the latest agreement, Southwest’s pilots averaged about 67 hours of flying time each month –- a number that the carrier eventually hopes to push closer to 70. In contrast, The Morning News says that the monthly hours averaged by pilots at crosstown rival American is in the mid-40s -- something the paper says is largely "a function of more pilot-friendly scheduling rules as well as inefficiencies from operating hubs, as opposed to point-to-point" routes used more commonly at Southwest.

 

[WickedPissa]

I agree. Airline management in general wants less pilots to staff and to squeeze all they can get out of what they have, probably leading to fewer days off.

Sort of like USAirways management allowing pilots to fly up to (80-85?) hours in some types. The problem there was some greedy a$$$$$$$$$-holes accepted it so management wasn't forced to recall some furloughed guys to re-staff the airline properly. Way to help out your fellow pilots.

 

[DoinTime]

Come on fellas, when you're airline's doing fine and kicking the crap out of everyone else, dont take the "opportunity" to give mgmt what they want and
make us all spend more time away from home. "Efficiency" makes it sound like its a good thing. Why dont we just maximize our "efficiency and all live at the airport and fly 99.9 hours a month.

After Delta pilots take their next schlacking in bankruptcy court Southwest pilots will be nearly the highest paid pilots in any type of aircraft, anywhere. Currently a top out SW 737 captain makes $13/hour more than a Northwest Airlines 747-400 captain. You think the SW guys are blind to the fact the world is crashing down around them? They are no doubt trying to maintain what they already have. Nobody lives in a vacuum.

 

[miles otoole]

In contrast, The Morning News says that the monthly hours averaged by pilots at crosstown rival American is in the mid-40s -- something the paper says is largely "a function of more pilot-friendly scheduling rules as well as inefficiencies from operating hubs, as opposed to point-to-point" routes used more commonly at Southwest.

The massive furloughs don't seem too pilot friendly to the furloughees, I am certain. Is there anything wrong with trying to maintain a competitive edge? We are no longer regulated. There's not a single industry in the world which doesn't have competitive forces constantly pressuring more productivity.

I think it's strange how some on here say that WN's time will come and it's only a matter of time before they are in a similar situation as AMR, UAL and DAL. You can bet management is losing sleep wondering how to become even more competitive. You better be constantly worrying about the competition as they are undoubtedly worrying about you.

 

[BoilerUP]

Some of you are forgetting that its entirely possible to fly an additional ONE AND A HALF extra hours per month and not spend a single extra minute on duty. If that's what it takes to keep the airline competitive while continuing to grow and hire, why not? If you've gotta be away from home for 72 hours on a four day trip (lets say a 12pm show and a 12pm release time on the 4th day) worth 27 hours, why wouldn't you want to fly an hour or two more? You are gone the same amount of time, make more cash, and the company stays lean - who loses?

SWA pilots flying an average of 1.5 hrs more per months is completely different than AA, NWA or Delta pilots flying 85-90 hours per month when they have colleagues out on furlough.

 

[DirkkDiggler]

I congradulate Southwest on this move. Rather than maintaining the status quo and only making changes once the company is in financial difficulty (ala American, United, US Air, Delta, Northwest......), they are taking a proactive role in ensuring the company's long term viablility. This helps the pilot group, and if you don't agree with me, ask any United, US Air, or Northwest pilot how they feel the last 4 years have gone for their pilot group. Southwest sees their competitive edge diminishing as the other carriers reel in their cost structure and they are doing something about it while they are still in the lead. They want to maintain that lead and the employees there will not regret it in the times to come. They aren't asking their pilots to work more for less pay either. As far as I know, they'll be getting paid for those extra hours they'll be flying. Can't really be that bad can it.

 

[zawillif]

Unlike most of the people that post on this site Southwest pilots are actually happy with their jobs and with their company. They go the extra mile to see their company succeed. I for one envy their work environment regardless of how many monthly hours they fly.