Southwest slam clicks- c'mon captains....

[Dash Power]

Oh, so now you want to be a parent, with a paddle.

Parents are most effective by being good examples, and don't wait until Christmas to be nice to people.

I have no idea why some folks slam click. It doesn't bother me. Maybe their wife is in the hospital. Maybe their child has brain cancer. Maybe they aren't in the mood to be happy and sociable, and need some private time to mourn. Its none of my business.

And I know some have problems with alcohol, food and bad experiences that have them called in to explain what happened for only being guilty by association.

These are different times my friends. Don't take it personally.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Haha
AND ... That's why The usair culture dominates instead of Piedmont and PSA.
Which were you? Bc those guys are freaking great.

Turtle's going to have plenty of "table for one" meals ahead of him for the remainder of his career. I can barely imagine someone choosing to spend time with someone who greenlighted the lawsuits against which they had to defend themselves, liquidating savings, college funds and in some cases marriages in the process (something reserved only for west pilots).

But back on topic, the nature of this career is time away from home and a crew can act as a temporary stand-in. You choose to make the best of the worst part of the job and make a few good memories at the same time. Otherwise after retirement when you're wearing false teeth and nylon ballcaps, you're grandkids will ask what the best part of being an airline pilot was and you oughta have a better answer than, "Well, those Sprinter hotel vans were pretty nice."

 

[slaquer5]

At SWA??

I can't remember my last 12 hour overnight

Sounds like some of you are really defensive.

And PCL sounds as depressed as I imagine.
Entertaining yourself by yourself.
You did say that.

Don't be afraid pcl- it's not too late to actually connect with the people you work with

We must work at different airlines.

 

[slaquer5]

Zzzzzz---

 

[Ty Webb]

Well, I can only speak for myself (still an AT 737CA) but I'm still getting decent layovers . . . for the time being, at least.

 

[waveflyer]

We must work at different airlines.

VEGAS PMer
Schedules are pretty much unchanged by 117 so far

 

[LearLove]

"Well, those Sprinter hotel vans were pretty nice."

Yeah I don't care for them. Always feel like I'm part of a wedding party about to be chauffeured around when the hotel shows up with one of those things. A little too Euro for my tastes as well.

 

[FlyinGuy]

So you are saying that a captain who has a moral objection to alcohol should throw out what he believes in just so you can have a free drink? Wave, culture has nothing to do with sitting around a bar watching married dudes try and score with the fa's.

Maybe he chooses to chat over a "free" Starbucks.

 

[B6Driver]

Too much thought into this conversation. The thought is basically do the right thing with your crew and nothing more.

 

[Bringupthebird]

So you are saying that a captain who has a moral objection to alcohol should throw out what he believes in just so you can have a free drink? Wave, culture has nothing to do with sitting around a bar watching married dudes try and score with the fa's.

Maybe he chooses to chat over a "free" Starbucks.

Yeah when I was on probation the captain took the whole crew out for Chinese food. Prolly set him back $20. It was a while ago, you understand.

 

[Turtle21]

Yeah when I was on probation the captain took the whole crew out for Chinese food. Prolly set him back $20. It was a while ago, you understand.

Are you poking fun at him that it cost far less than a bar tab would have, or are you genuinely grateful that he treated you to dinner?

 

[scoreboardII]

Schedules have changed dramatically in last five months. Pushing envelope on duty and flight time as scheduled, put in any delays and you end up with 10 hrs in hotel and 12-14 hour duty days. Sorry, I have not been down more than three times in last few months due solely to schedule, don't take it personal.

 

[densoo]

With the awesome new "rest" rules, my average overnight has been reduced to around 12 hours or less, often getting to the hotel long after the bar is closed. Going down for debrief has become a rare occurrence.

Don't know whether it's FAR 117 or a new contract, but it's worse than just 12-hour layovers, it's the placement of them, squeezing in an extra duty period just because they can. Day one am fly west, day one late pm redeye, day two fly late, day three fly mid into min rest, day four fly early. Five duty periods in 4 days. Legal rest, yes, but where's the layover? Not a lot fun to go grab a beer at 7am or 2am. Slam click collapse.

 

[waveflyer]

So you are saying that a captain who has a moral objection to alcohol should throw out what he believes in just so you can have a free drink? Wave, culture has nothing to do with sitting around a bar watching married dudes try and score with the fa's.

Maybe he chooses to chat over a "free" Starbucks.

Good lord.
This has to be flame ^^^
Good try

You know they sell food and non alcoholic drinks at hotels.

If you don't believe in alcohol, praise Allah, and don't drink or buy alcohol. The simple answer is "sure" coffee works. But then again I know people who have a religious problem with caffeine too. Vegetarians don't have to buy wings either.

Do you understand the part where we said to "be you".?

Now if you're super judge mental you should be like that Facebook post and change that. Otherwise, do you.

How about we make this simple, re-read b6's and Ty Webb's posts and be your version of them. Give. decide we will be generous with each other, try to connect, have fun, and get to know the people we work with? Think that would be ok? Maybe try not to be dou<he-bags in the process?: , whether it's the try too hard to get laid types, drink too much types, or the judge mental religious or political types.

Think that could be easy enough?

I've had two co-workers commit suicide in my career. Obviously there is more to it, but there are far too many unhappy crew doing the job-
The road, can be a lonely life and take it's toll if you don't take charge of it.
Just refuse to think it has to be like that

And with that, I think I've said all that I can on this

Good night and good luck

 

[waveflyer]

Schedules have changed dramatically in last five months. Pushing envelope on duty and flight time as scheduled, put in any delays and you end up with 10 hrs in hotel and 12-14 hour duty days. Sorry, I have not been down more than three times in last few months due solely to schedule, don't take it personal.

Nobody would take that personal.
That's crazy by the way. Guess I've just been lucky.
I've just seen a handful of probies come down to the bar solo on their 17 hour layover.

This is FI, so it is what it is- in real life, this isn't hard

 

[Mach 80]

I occasionally buy a round for the crew but there is little doubt in my mind that when the F/A's ask me if I am coming down, they are usually just looking for someone to buy them drinks and nothing more so don't feel flattered when they ask. You are often just being used but if you want to think they want YOU to join them for your sparkling personality enjoy the deception. If I spend $25/night two nights a week on drinks or help pay for food that's $50 a week or over $2000 a year I would much rather put into my kid's college fund.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Wave, maybe it is you that has the problem. I have never had a second thought when any crewmember "slam-clicks". Maybe they were tired or maybe they did not like hanging out with me. I could care less. The fact that you started a thread about this shows that you are the one with the issues. Why does the "culture" have to be about the cappy buying you a drink? If you want to go hang out at the bar, by all means go ahead and quit disparaging those that choose not to.

 

[PCL_128]

wave, it's a job, not a social club.

 

[slaquer5]

wave, it's a job, not a social club.

Unlike the AT union

 

[densoo]

I just wish everyone, and I mean everyone didn't eat so fast. Middle of a trip, end up on Columbus Ave SFO 3p on a gorgeous day. We park ourselves at a sidewalk table about six Italian restaurants up the street (I had been working my way up one by one) to enjoy an unrushed afternoon of wine, food, and scenery walking by. Have barely touched my order and my flying partner has drained his wine and scarfed down the meal. Now what. Sit there while he watches me eat? Finish quickly, pay the bill, back to hotel, see ya tomorrow, go back out and enjoy the day. Probably says more about me than him I guess.

 

[densoo]

Sorry, but I've never seen the appeal of hanging out with the people I've just been locked in an aluminum tube with for 8 hours. If that's considered mandatory at SWA, just one more reason I'm glad to get out.

A lot of folks feel this way not because they're jerks but often because things are so hectic at home sometimes we just need a breather. As an FO I once a captain was pretty insistent he buy me a beer. I ended up being a captive audience for opinions and personal problems. I don't force the issue now. If it's not clear beforehand that we're going to meet I offer once after checkin and then let it go.

 

[DCAA320]

I occasionally buy a round for the crew but there is little doubt in my mind that when the F/A's ask me if I am coming down, they are usually just looking for someone to buy them drinks and nothing more so don't feel flattered when they ask. You are often just being used but if you want to think they want YOU to join them for your sparkling personality enjoy the deception. If I spend $25/night two nights a week on drinks or help pay for food that's $50 a week or over $2000 a year I would much rather put into my kid's college fund.

Wow, FA's buy me drinks, I really try to buy them drinks but they insist. Don't be so hard on yourself, maybe they really want to hang out with you.


Wave, you are kinda old school (me too) back in the 90's and early 2000's we (the crew) always went out for a drink domestically, we still do internationally sometimes.

So you are saying that a captain who has a moral objection to alcohol should throw out what he believes in just so you can have a free drink?

I wouldn't trust that captain.

Yeah when I was on probation the captain took the whole crew out for Chinese food. Prolly set him back $20. It was a while ago, you understand.

Had a captain pick up $400 tab in Athens (Greece not GA).

 

[dragontamer]

Wave,

Could it maybe be that guys who who have spent years worth of deployments in the Middle East flying combat missions don't want to hear how superior the training you received in the civilian world is?

Maybe they don't want to sit there and hear about how vile Foxnews is and how enlightened you are.

The culture is up to us to maintain--I agree with you on that. If folks aren't coming down to hang with me, it means they either have other pressing issues or they don't want to hang out with ME. Or I could just blame it on them.

 

[waveflyer]

Wave, maybe it is you that has the problem. I have never had a second thought when any crewmember "slam-clicks". Maybe they were tired or maybe they did not like hanging out with me. I could care less. The fact that you started a thread about this shows that you are the one with the issues. Why does the "culture" have to be about the cappy buying you a drink? If you want to go hang out at the bar, by all means go ahead and quit disparaging those that choose not to.

Are you slow?

At SWA PROBATIONARY crew don't pay for things.
EVERY SINGLE CAPTAIN AND SENIOR FO had drinks and meals picked up when they were ON PROBATION. After year 1, we're all adults.

I'm not talking about me getting anything. I'm talking about a few captains who are seem to think this 40 year tradition at southwest doesn't apply to them as me or my capts end up buying for the probie some other guy flew with.
It's my opinion that's really bad form.

 

[waveflyer]

wave, it's a job, not a social club.

You keep trying to convince people of this.
Truly making the worst of things aren't you pcl?

 

[PCL_128]

You keep trying to convince people of this.
Truly making the worst of things aren't you pcl?

No, I just think it's a bit sad that you so desperately need the validation of the crew hanging out with you.

 

[HowardBorden]

I'm with Wave on this one. Socializing and camaraderie are part of the formula that makes SWA a fun place to work!

It is especially important to keep the tradition alive by introducing new employees to the small pieces of the puzzle that when assembled become greater than the sum of the parts.

Of course, not everyone can make an appearance on every overnight. There is certainly no obligation to do so, but that activity does certainly bring us together as a team. To lose the desire to hang out and connect with crew members would fundamentally change a portion of SWA that is a large positive.

If this is part of the "CULT" in CULTure, then mark me down as a strong CULT follower.

 

[FlyinGuy]

Wave, I hate to bust your image of the tradition, but it was hit and miss for me when I was a probie. Guess what, it never hurt my feelings or made me think differently of pilots or the company.

 

[ECAM Action]

You keep trying to convince people of this.
Truly making the worst of things aren't you pcl?

I believe this is a byproduct of zero-to-hero pilots. They have never had any fun in it. Ever. From the moment they were student pilots, it was strictly business. They achieved all of their ratings under the safety blanket of a 141 school and immediately went to their next "job."

No joyriding. No hundred dollar hamburgers. No enthusiam for the spectacle of aviation. To them the fomula is simple: Fly the plane. Go to hotel. Post about it on Facebook. Repeat.

It's sad really. There are great stories to be made in this industry.

 

[Dash Power]

Wave, I hate to bust your image of the tradition, but it was hit and miss for me when I was a probie. Guess what, it never hurt my feelings or made me think differently of pilots or the company.

Yeah me too. I was hired in the early nineties and probably bought for others as much as what was bought for me when I was on probation. No matter the tradition, partially fueled by folklore, I never expected anyone to buy anything for me.

Today as when I was first hired I buy when I can and when I find it to be especially worth the effort. What is mistaken I believe Wave, is this company wasn't built on buying someones affections, it was built on mutual respect. You know, the golden rule. That is what makes this place special.

This awesome culture is alive and well. Its just a bit different as time has a way of always changing things.