Using the same rational that SWA-bashers provide in their insults, everybody in this industry has also "paid for training." All you guys here. Every...Single...Pilot.
The chief complaint (or rationalization, that is) in calling Southwest "PFT," is said to be that we "shouldn't have to have our own type rating, because the company should provide it," or "it's not required by the FAA for the job." Okay, fine, let's look at that...
When you apply at any major airline that you want to work for, you look at their minimums page, and ensure you have them met. You do what you need to do. Southwest just required higher standards for entry. And until just recently, every airline required more ratings than the FAA did. You only needed a commercial license to be a new-hire FO flying for a major-- no ATP, and no type rating required. However, you had to get whatever your prospective employer said was his minimums, in ratings, hours, and education. And damn near every one of them required you to buy your own ATP, on your own dime, when it wasn't required by the FAA for the job you got hired for. So you guys all did the exact same thing.
Personally, I came out of the military, so I bought an ATP rating and a type rating in order to satisfy Southwest's requirements. If I wanted to work for USAir or Northwest, or whatever, I would have only had to have bought the ATP rating. So, tell me guys, seriously--what's the difference? The answer is, not a damn thing. Well, the same reason the other airlines didn't just give you an ATP along with your type rating when you upgraded and actually needed it. I'm guessing it was individual airlines' ideas for minimum competency and motivation.
So when all you guys say that Southwest is "PFT," you're really saying that you're PFT as well,... just not quite as much. That's like a homophobe deriding someone for taking it in the a$$, and then when it's pointed out that he does the same thing, his response is, "well, -I- don't let him put it in as far." Yeah, that's a great argument.
Trust me, there's a world of difference between actually paying your employer for the right to fly his airplane for him, and your chosen airline requiring one more (not-legally-required) rating than the other airlines requirements for (not-legally-required) pilot ratings.
But I'm sure pointing out you other PFT-er's raging hypocrisy won't stop anyone here on FI. But hell, seriously, if that's the worst insult you can come up with for me as a Southwest pilot, then I must be doing alright.
Bubba