Southwest to ‘trim headcount’ after growth in costs

[Lear70]

That all sounds good for the junior, but probably wouldn't float due to not being voted nor seeked by the union, very senior oriented. Put another way, having a reserve pilot available is one less premium pay opportunity for a senior bubba. Especially PLCR or LCR.

What percentage of each of those different reserve slots are available? Like I said, we have run as low as 4%, contractually 6-8, and now running about 10%. I can't see the company agreeing to a more flexable reserve, we can't get them to agree to keeping AM and PM's split (you have a PM reserve and they can make it an AM second day or keep an AM pilot late last day into a PM line).

Man, if they made uncommutable reserve lines (turned an AM guy to a PM at the end of his trip and he couldn't get home), well, let's just say that you don't take away people's days off. Being that a LOT of people are going to be on reserve for a LONG time (we're talking going on a decade combined total time from before the acquisition, during integration, and afterwards)... yeah, not a smart idea to make it even WORSE for people. It wouldn't go over well and I'll leave it at that.

That aside, the PRLC and LCR are about 10% of the regular SCR lines each, so if you had 10 SCR lines, you'd have one PRLC and one LCR line (which is about how MCO runs), 12 total reserve lines, 13 hard lines.

ATL is a similar percentage.

Reserve staffing is going to be close to 20% on the F/O side or 15% CA/FO if they upgrade people to keep the split even on 1/1/15. They'll have the reserves to go to a system like ours, and you can kiss premium time goodbye anyway for a while. There's just too many reserves to spread the flying around to for 2-3 years until attrition thins the ranks down to 8-10% again.

 

[njcapt]

I was going to chime in here with a pithy quip about how SWA was going to reduce headcount by utilizing .8 rampers per arrival, but it seems that this thread has evolved into a base seniority discussion.

Jumping on the bandwagon, would a Oct 2006 AirTran hire be able to hold MDW if they transitioned over in the next few months? I get asked all the time where I would be if I hadn't bailed to go back to corporate and if I regret the decision.

• I don't know.

• Absolutely not.

 

[Lear70]

Jumping on the bandwagon, would a Oct 2006 AirTran hire be able to hold MDW if they transitioned over in the next few months?

No. I can't hold MDW except about 10 from the bottom of the reserve pile and I'm an April '06 hire.

I get asked all the time where I would be if I hadn't bailed to go back to corporate and if I regret the decision.

• I don't know.

• Absolutely not.

Then what are you worried about?

 

[scoreboardII]

FYI, SC was just voted out.

 

[orangebellyav8r]

No. I can't hold MDW except about 10 from the bottom of the reserve pile and I'm an April '06 hire.

Sorry dude....but you are not a '06 hire

 

[Just thinking]

April 03, 2006 to be exact-------- As an AirTran pilot

 

[Lear70]

Can you feel the LUV yet?

 

[Phlintstone]

Sorry dude....but you are not a '06 hire

Well orange you just a ray of sunshine.

Go cry to SC who's mantra of "no RSW will be harmed" was unattainable from day 1. He set us all on a path of division and frustration. You can let that fool manipulate you and your expectations or you can move on. Life is full of twists and turns which we have no control over...get used to it.

Phred

 

[njcapt]

No. I can't hold MDW except about 10 from the bottom of the reserve pile and I'm an April '06 hire.


Then what are you worried about?

Thanks. Not worried at all - I'm based at MDW now.

 

[Lear70]

Thanks. Not worried at all - I'm based at MDW now.

No worries, I was just ribbin' ya a little.

I was thinking about that the other day. If I'd have stayed at Flexjet, '98 hire, I'd have hit my 13 years for a 38% lifetime pension last year, would be week-on week-off flying a CL or Global making $140k and would have been under 40 and able to go anywhere at 1st year pay with my Flexjet pension added on.

I guess we'll know whether we made good career decisions when we retire.