SWA and Age65... lets get this straight.

[Widow's Son]

>>Guess I touched a nerve with the "demonstratively superior" comment.<<

No, a nerve gets touched when a comment stikes home because of its veracity. What you touched was a funny bone.

>>Let's not discuss the safety/regualtory stuff.<<

Even though it is a huge part of the actual "service" provided to the customer, I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk about that.

 

[Flopgut]

I am so ready for this legislation to pass so we can move on. I think it is going to be great when it does and 10 yrs from now no one will care. Who on this site remembers what it was like 40 yrs ago before the age 60 rule came into effect?

Don't worry be happy you will all get your shot at that extra 1 mil.

I'm so ready for SWAPA to grow up and start acting like a union. You've correctly identified that this about money. But to term it an "extra 1 mil" is where you goof. It costs everyone who wants to retire at 60 about a .30 cents on the dollar to get you that money. That's BS! You want an extra 1 mil.? then you tell SWA that's what you want through your CBA! SWA is making all the money right now that others once did, you get some of it. Get some extra going away money for retirement at 60 and leave the rule alone. How does that not make sense to you?

 

[Flopgut]

>>Guess I touched a nerve with the "demonstratively superior" comment.<<

No, a nerve gets touched when a comment stikes home because of its veracity. What you touched was a funny bone.

>>Let's not discuss the safety/regualtory stuff.<<

Even though it is a huge part of the actual "service" provided to the customer, I can understand why you wouldn't want to talk about that.

I don't want to discuss the safety/regulatory stuff as a favor to you. If we scale the scope/complexity of SWA to any other operation you won't fare too well.

Look, you've got a great product, but it in no way compares to a full service airline. And that's fine! As I have written before, in a previous career I was a member of Rapid Rewards and I like it very much. I earned a free ticket quicker than my coworkers. But I was disappointed when I saw my coworker, who participated in another program and who had waited longer, head off to Octoberfest in Germany. I didn't save enough flying SWA to buy that ticket. Keep it real on service, you SWA folks get carried away.

 

[Mach 80]

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Ours run hot meals to every seat through two galleys and do a real good job.
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I can't remember the last time I got a hot meal on a domestic flight on a legacy airline.

 

[slaquer5]

I do a lot more than gripe on here.

I am disapointed with ALPA on this. Results of a comprehensive study are clear, yet hundreds of ALPA pilots show up on Washington recently and lobby en mass and ALPA doesn't try to shut em down? Not happy, they've heard from me.

There is an imbalance of favor in the airline world right now, it will correct itself. There was a time when you were pretty close to becoming an ALPA carrier.

Brother you are wacked , tell me when we where close to being ALPA. ALPA sucks and I think just about everone knows that. We at SWA never even had a vote for ALPA. I am not a big fan of our SWAPA but we are cleaning house.

 

[Flopgut]

Brother you are wacked , tell me when we where close to being ALPA. ALPA sucks and I think just about everone knows that. We at SWA never even had a vote for ALPA. I am not a big fan of our SWAPA but we are cleaning house.

When ALPA was lobbying CAL, around the same time FDX joined. The ALPA team, which included Duane Woerth, said the next group they wanted on board was SWA. They indicated that there was a bit of dialog going on. You were close to getting the ALPA pitch. At that time, you might have gone for it.

 

[Flopgut]

I think Flopgut was turned down either from an interview or after an interview from SWA. I've only been on here for a couple years, but he continually bashes SWA and never lets on who he works for. Just a hunch...

I never applied at SWA. If I did, they would turn me down. I know I'm not SWA material.

I work for CAL. Foremost however, I'm a fan of this business. I don't like to do any company specific chest beating and I have a hard time tolerating it from others. That's why I rag on SWA, they are the most overt chest beaters on here.

 

[AA767AV8TOR]

I'm so ready for SWAPA to grow up and start acting like a union. You've correctly identified that this about money. But to term it an "extra 1 mil" is where you goof. It costs everyone who wants to retire at 60 about a .30 cents on the dollar to get you that money. That's BS! You want an extra 1 mil.? then you tell SWA that's what you want through your CBA! SWA is making all the money right now that others once did, you get some of it. Get some extra going away money for retirement at 60 and leave the rule alone. How does that not make sense to you?

Flopgut,

That’s exactly what I have been talking about. Not one Southwest pilot has been able to articulate exactly why there are taking political action to change the rule. Why are they being this selfish and self centered with thousand of pilots still furloughed? Though individual pilots from the legacy carriers can go to Washington, the official positions of both APA and ALPA is NO to any increase in retirement age. SWAPA is the only major union pushing for the rule change and has been for a long time.

1) Is it a money issue?? I was told the average SW pilot is retiring with close to $3 mil.
2) Is it a flying issue?? If they want to fly so badly, why not just rent a 182 or fly overseas?
3) Is it a discrimination issue?? Explain to me why age discrimination at age 65 is any different than age 60?

We keep getting told how great everything is over at Southwest. Fine, I’m happy for them, but if it’s that great, then why do they feel the need to have to fly to age 65. If they want an extra million $$ then they should negotiate it in their own collective bargaining agreement.

Go ahead and keep telling me how awesome everything is over at Southwest, but something is terribly messed up when they have to go through political channels to fly into their retirement years. That alone tells me Southwest is not paying their pilots an adequate retirement plan. Talk about being in denial.

What is probably happening at Southwest, just as the 37 year UAL pilot mentioned in the article, pilots are pissing away their normal pay and then finding out they don’t have enough for retirement. That’s why Southwest needs some form and/or combination of A & B plans. I know their management has got them scared about different types of pension plans, so if they don’t like DB or DC plans, they should increase their 401K match. 7.3% is just not enough. It should be up around 10% – 15%. Furthermore, they just can’t keep counting on profit sharing especially with the bulk of their fuel hedges running out in less than 18 months.

Southwest is just starting their own contract negotiations – retirement should be at the top of their list.

AA767AV8TOR

 

[AA767AV8TOR]

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Ours run hot meals to every seat through two galleys and do a real good job.
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I can't remember the last time I got a hot meal on a domestic flight on a legacy airline.

When's the last time you flew first class?

AA767AV8TOR

 

[Flopgut]

When the rule gets changed, each pilot group ( depending on the level of each group's collective unity) will be free to negotiate whatever the will is of each individual group is, when they get to the amendable date of their contract.

ALPA doesn't wave a majic wand....each group negotiates for themselves.

Tejas

Each group negotiates for themselves?! Why make this a negotiating item? I'd like to work on other things. Instead of changing this rule, and send every other pilot group reeling, you guys take care of yourselves. Take some money and buy retirees a top-hat bond for extra dough in retirement. Then buy some Cessnas and form a flying club. Although that would mean a second aircraft type...could screw everything up.