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Spirit or SWA
- Thread starter love2flyman
- Start date
- Watchers 25
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After 7 yrs at AWA (two in the left seat) I went to SWA two yrs ago. My only regret is that I did not reapply to SWA two yrs after they turned me down in 95.
Nothing in this career is certain, but my family and I know that this was the right decision for us. I hope this helps and if you do join up welcome aboard.
BTW I flew the bus and 37 at AWA.
Nothing in this career is certain, but my family and I know that this was the right decision for us. I hope this helps and if you do join up welcome aboard.
BTW I flew the bus and 37 at AWA.
ThreeGreens
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2002
- Posts
- 101
Go to SWA !!! I am currently behind you in seniority.
Just kidding. If you made it at SWA, you must be a good guy and i would hate to see you leave.
You're still young and picking the right horse at this time in the race is a tough call. We saw that there is nothing sure in this industry.
SWA has a proven records of success and it would certainly be a good choice. Spirit is starting an expansion in the Carribean and i must say this is a little risky. But if they succeed they could be a major player in this market, where so far the competition is not as intense as the domestic one.
The money aspect probably also calls for SWA in the long run, but that's also a gamble. Who knows what will happen when the fuel hedging expires ? Will they be able to stay at these level.
One big plus for you at Spirit is that you are logging PIC time. If you ever find yourself looking for another job, that will make a huge difference in getting interviews. Look at it as your unemployment insurance.
It's a tough decision, but don't forget that you're lucky to have this decision to make. Once you make up your mind, don't look back.
Just kidding. If you made it at SWA, you must be a good guy and i would hate to see you leave.
You're still young and picking the right horse at this time in the race is a tough call. We saw that there is nothing sure in this industry.
SWA has a proven records of success and it would certainly be a good choice. Spirit is starting an expansion in the Carribean and i must say this is a little risky. But if they succeed they could be a major player in this market, where so far the competition is not as intense as the domestic one.
The money aspect probably also calls for SWA in the long run, but that's also a gamble. Who knows what will happen when the fuel hedging expires ? Will they be able to stay at these level.
One big plus for you at Spirit is that you are logging PIC time. If you ever find yourself looking for another job, that will make a huge difference in getting interviews. Look at it as your unemployment insurance.
It's a tough decision, but don't forget that you're lucky to have this decision to make. Once you make up your mind, don't look back.
You have almost a quarter of a century flying left in your career (and perhaps more with the age 60 rule).
On that last leg when you retire as you sit quietly in cruise - you will look back at all the great times you had in this unique profession, grateful to a company that treats its employees with respect, grateful for the caliber of co-workers it has employed to work with you, grateful for all the laughs and challenges, grateful for the money that has paid for your kids education and your retirement.
And in that leg of contemplation as you walk away from your last flight you will turn and look at that aircraft as the sun sets, pause and thank God that you made that decision 24 years ago.
Then go home and tell your wife and kids how much you luv them.
Respectfully,
fareview
On that last leg when you retire as you sit quietly in cruise - you will look back at all the great times you had in this unique profession, grateful to a company that treats its employees with respect, grateful for the caliber of co-workers it has employed to work with you, grateful for all the laughs and challenges, grateful for the money that has paid for your kids education and your retirement.
And in that leg of contemplation as you walk away from your last flight you will turn and look at that aircraft as the sun sets, pause and thank God that you made that decision 24 years ago.
Then go home and tell your wife and kids how much you luv them.
Respectfully,
fareview
bubbers44
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 4, 2005
- Posts
- 468
SWA will be there forever. Spirit may go either way. My neighbor just resigned from United to stay at Spirit but he is not sure they will make it. He was more sure United wouldn't make it. Their plan to recover is 50.00 per barrel oil. I thought my career was finished when Braniff didn't hire me. Thank God for unanswered prayers. Now I feel very lucky to be retired and mostly by luck had a wonderful career. You will love SWA.
BenderGonzales
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 3, 2005
- Posts
- 859
Bubbers said, "SWA will be there forever."
There was a time when the same were said of Eastern, Braniff, Pan-Am, and TWA.
This is not flame-bait. Much of what is written in this thread talks of stability, payrates of $190/hr, pay exceeding $200,000/yr, "never furloughed".
In the late 90's many of us looked at similar attributes before interviewing with the legacy airlines. United, Delta, Northwest -- all looked like the brass ring.
At Spirit, this gentleman HAS job security. The airline would have to dramatically downsize or completely disappear for him to lose his job. Is that impossible? Of course not. But Bubber's statement is every BIT as unlikely.
Will Southwest be there forever? They have an impressive history, no doubt. Today, however, they employ the highest paid 737 pilots in the hemisphere. Although Southwest's employees have not felt the pain that the rest of the industry has, they may find themselves doing so in the future.
It is unfortunate, but we must ask ourself if Southwest can be competitive with payrates that exceed those at every other airline? (despite their legendary productivity) I would take an educated guess that they too will be faced with concessions in the not-to-distant future. Fuel prices are the wild card we all deal with.
Regardless of how stable a company is, there is risk associated with being at the bottom of that company's seniority list. How far up the list can be considered "safe"? Who knows? At US Airways over 20% of the pilots were furloughed. United and Delta had similarly disturbing numbers.
Can Southwest continue to weather the storm? I'm not sure i'd be willing to bet my family's long-term financial security on it.
Frankly, i'd probably stay at Spirit. I might regret that decision in ten years. But if after going to SWA I took a paycut or was subsequently furloughed, i'd regret being out-of-work much, much more.
Best of luck whatever decision you make -- it's never as cut and dry as those on this board might make it seem.
There was a time when the same were said of Eastern, Braniff, Pan-Am, and TWA.
This is not flame-bait. Much of what is written in this thread talks of stability, payrates of $190/hr, pay exceeding $200,000/yr, "never furloughed".
In the late 90's many of us looked at similar attributes before interviewing with the legacy airlines. United, Delta, Northwest -- all looked like the brass ring.
At Spirit, this gentleman HAS job security. The airline would have to dramatically downsize or completely disappear for him to lose his job. Is that impossible? Of course not. But Bubber's statement is every BIT as unlikely.
Will Southwest be there forever? They have an impressive history, no doubt. Today, however, they employ the highest paid 737 pilots in the hemisphere. Although Southwest's employees have not felt the pain that the rest of the industry has, they may find themselves doing so in the future.
It is unfortunate, but we must ask ourself if Southwest can be competitive with payrates that exceed those at every other airline? (despite their legendary productivity) I would take an educated guess that they too will be faced with concessions in the not-to-distant future. Fuel prices are the wild card we all deal with.
Regardless of how stable a company is, there is risk associated with being at the bottom of that company's seniority list. How far up the list can be considered "safe"? Who knows? At US Airways over 20% of the pilots were furloughed. United and Delta had similarly disturbing numbers.
Can Southwest continue to weather the storm? I'm not sure i'd be willing to bet my family's long-term financial security on it.
Frankly, i'd probably stay at Spirit. I might regret that decision in ten years. But if after going to SWA I took a paycut or was subsequently furloughed, i'd regret being out-of-work much, much more.
Best of luck whatever decision you make -- it's never as cut and dry as those on this board might make it seem.
Networ-King
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 11, 2003
- Posts
- 625
love2flyman said:
Why would you even bother applying and networ-King
, getting the monkey suit ready to interview, study, prepare, go interview and stress for a couple of month and then finally get the call for a job at SWA and then ponder this question? Obviously you've answered your own question by starting this whole process and you were motivated enough to do a great job at the interview..... so cut bait and get your new life at your new airline started. EVERY seniority number counts. Good luck....and remember... only on that last flight to your retirement will you look back and KNOW where and when you made the right choices. Nothing is for sure in this industry. Please just become a koolaid drinking butthead like SWAFO
.... I kid I kid.johnsonrod
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2006
- Posts
- 4,218
love2flyman
New member
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Posts
- 3
C77MD80
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2002
- Posts
- 128
Avi8tor2000
Big Papa
- Joined
- May 10, 2002
- Posts
- 190
Phaedrus
Well-known member
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
- Posts
- 932
I have huge respect for Southwest. But I have to agree with a couple of the contributors here, in that nothing, not even SWA is a "sure thing". I read an article today while waiting for a shave and a haircut: "Delta retires 767 that employees bought". Told how in 1982 Delta was taking heat from investors because they increased employee pay, this after the first time in 36 years that they didn't post an annual profit. To help out the company a few employees got together and started a volunteer drive to buy a $30M 767 for the company. Well over %80 contributed.
My point here is that it sounds very SWA-like; family atmosphere, strong balance sheet, etc. Past performance, of course, is not indicative of future potential. It is a lesson worth noting however.
My point here is that it sounds very SWA-like; family atmosphere, strong balance sheet, etc. Past performance, of course, is not indicative of future potential. It is a lesson worth noting however.
Go to Southwest. They have a very strong balance sheet and can endure quite a few stormy days. They also have a very good management team that has a very deep bench. While they could hit a bad streak, they are more likely to survive it unscathed than any other carrier out there.
And whatever you do, don't look back on this decision until the day that you retire.
And whatever you do, don't look back on this decision until the day that you retire.
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