SWA and Age65... lets get this straight.

[Widow's Son]

I wouldn't be so sure that a new vote would be any different. Most of the guys that I have talked to who are hardover for age 60 change aren't particularly senior. They tend to be older yes, but a lot of them have come to SWA after leaving somewhere else where their dreams crashed, and they are getting a second or even third start.

These guys feel that they are finally somewhere that isn't going to fall out from under them and they realize that the more years of service they put in, the better off they will be. In a sense they want to make up for the lost years spent somewhere else. We have hired a ton of these types of guys since the last time a vote was taken and they are enthusiastic supporters of changing age 60 even though they are junior. The really senior first or second pagers don't tend to really care one way or the other. They will have had very full careers and are set financially. They will vote to change purely on moral grounds (righting a previous wrong), but they aren't that hardover about it and very few of them are planning on sticking around past age 60. Watch the stock make a nice spike and those types will be bailing out left and right regardless of age or age 60 rules.

 

[SWA GUY]

I wouldn't be so sure that a new vote would be any different. Most of the guys that I have talked to who are hardover for age 60 change aren't particularly senior. They tend to be older yes, but a lot of them have come to SWA after leaving somewhere else where their dreams crashed.

Like the Air Force?

 

[SWA GUY]

"Air Force", "Crashed"......it's a joke Kernal.

 

[Aplus9]

My guess is that a new vote on the age 60 issue would be right down the middle 50/50. Alot of new guys have come on board since 2003 (myself included). Personally/financially, I am not for raising the age to 65. Like everyone else, I would like to upgrade to Captain sooner rather than later. As far as as the choices I made before coming to Southwest, I have to live with them, I knew the ROE's about this career well in advance. And no, I don't
want it to change after I upgrade either. I'm no hypocrite.
:smash:

 

[TexaSWA]

My guess is that a new vote on the age 60 issue would be right down the middle 50/50. Alot of new guys have come on board since 2003 (myself included). Personally/financially, I am not for raising the age to 65. Like everyone else, I would like to upgrade to Captain sooner rather than later. As far as as the choices I made before coming to Southwest, I have to live with them, I knew the ROE's about this career well in advance. And no, I don't
want it to change after I upgrade either. I'm no hypocrite.
:smash:

Ive met more captains against the change than I have F.O.s for change. You can probably take that statistic to the bank.

Dane was right on.

 

[Falconjet]

Can any of you SW folks tell me what seniority out of those 5000+ would be if they were hired in May 2004?

Thanks.

FJ

 

[TexaSWA]

Can any of you SW folks tell me what seniority out of those 5000+ would be if they were hired in May 2004?

Thanks.

FJ

You'd have a little over 1000 under you.

 

[Andy]

I think everyone knows most guys are perfectly capable of flying commercial airliners until age 65. The rule was financially driven when it was created, and after 50+ years of medical advances and lifestyle improvements it now clearly does not pass the common sense test. But...and this is a big BUT...changing the rule will have very negative initial impact on junior pilots and future airline pilots,as well. Until the entire system operates under a higher retirement age for at least 30 years, there will be varying degrees of negative impact.

Dane, I disagree with you on the ability to fly to 65. Medical advances have not turned back the time on aging; they have merely prolonged life at a low quality of life.
I'm sure that there will be people who point out how there are less smokers today than 50 years ago. True. However, take a look at the obesity rate in the US. Over the last 40 years, the percentage of obese Americans has gone from the 13% range to 30% range; I could pull up that exact statistics, but that's close enough. I'd consider the obesity problem to more than offset the fact that we smoke less.
Also, keep in mind that the number of hours that we work has increased over the last 50 years; this is a negative lifestyle change.

Yes, we (Americans) live longer than we did 50 years ago. Hooked up to tubes and getting quadruple bypasses. There hasn't been an increase in the quality of life.

 

[elcid]

Personally I think these guys will cut several years off of their life by working from 60-65. It's a hard enough life style when you're a young'n. Pushing it hard for five more years when you're already a senior citizen has got to take a major toll. They'll make a few more bucks and check into the big ranch in the sky about 3-5 years after retirement. For them and for me, I do not want to see this happen.

 

[Widow's Son]

I disagree. I have been doing this job for 20 years and it is an incredibly easy job. Commuters add a lot of stress on themselves, but that is voluntary. Today I am on day four of four but I'm doing fine. I've got a couple of good magazines and a sudoku. It is a mental job, not a physical one. We are paid not for what we do, but what we are capable of doing. That is where experience counts.
Yes life is hectic when you are young and have a family. When you approach retirement, your life is different. For some guys working is quality of life. I know one guy who ten years ago was a burnout, but today his kids are all grown and his wife travels with him two or three trips a month and they have a great time seeing and doing things they always talked about doing. I know several other guys who live for the overnights and taking the crews out for a good time. It is all about attitude.
People who keep working actually live longer than those who don't.
Granted every person is different, but don't disparage those who enjoy this incredibly easy job. Those who don't like it or want to leave early are welcome to. Life changes. Flexibility is good. A lot of guys will tell you that they enjoyed the job much more in their 50's then they did in their 40's.