Has anyone got any good news about additional classes after the 19th May?? LL indicated no more. Any SWA guys with some input..... Where is Chase when you need info! He alway has good Poop!
You didn't shame me out of hibernation but I only just got some interesting news that as always is caveated with, "I'm just an FO with no inside knowledge".
I have heard of "some" discussion about a possible June, July & maybeeeeeee an Aug class. I wouldn't quit anything based upon my word but as we march through May here we should be seeing something happening maybe in a few weeks about an announcement. My best guess would be if there are going to be classes they wouldn't be until the later part of each of these months only to give the company more time to evaluate how the revenue stream is doing, how guys are flowing back from the war situation but again, only a guess. The PD dept won't confirm anything I've said because I just talked to them recently & they only knew of the class that started this past Monday. They are working off of the standard info that has been published.
Two other tidbits that I found interesting & encouraging. We've not seen any but just one or two Capt upgrade classes this year (much earlier). Normally when new hires are going, capt upgrade classes are going too. Beginning in July I've heard a class of 20 Capts will be going through with a class "penciled" in for each month after that throughout the year. Again nothing is confirmed but for planning purposes. We are taking 17 the remaining number of our jets (2 per month I believe beginning in July) for the rest of the year so that matches up with the new routes that were announced at the qtrly meeting.
The last note & one I didn't get from a line pilot but someone who was briefed by the senior SWA officials was this (I haven't heard it anywhere else) was that beginning on all aircraft delivered after Sept '03, the '700s will have winglets on them!! I'll wait to see them but you heard it here first, flightinfo.com!!! Haven't had time to validate it but fuel savings being big here, it would make sense the issue has been raised. You don't add $1M (I heard that was what it cost but don't know for sure) per airplane if you don't think it will help save dollars down the road.
Not sure if that will cheer many faces but hang in there. The pool is draining slowly & my loads were a mid week texas 2 step were higher than normal, 70% loads on all but 2 loads & that is when the normal load might be only 50%. Good luck & hang in there.
Ive been flying up and down the coast and have seen a number of flight attendants being flown to BWI for fingerprinting..
My guess is that you dont need to get fingerprinted unless you are going to have a class of FAs..
In way of adding to Roys post..
I too have heard that the training Dept has classes penciled in thru August..
A CPT buddy just got back from big D and said classes in both July as well as August were "discussed"..
These things combined with Mr Parkers statment of being profitable for the year at the beggining of only the 5th month of the year PLUS increases in service out of and to Vegas would lead me to believe that we aint done yet for the year..
My loads up and down the east coast have been very good as well...
We may be giving the tickets away but the planes are pretty much running full where ive been..
As always the last folks to know are those in the PD..So its not surprising that they can only confirm what has been released to them...Great folks with a tough job to do and they do it well...
As always these are just rumors and insider tidbits that cant be relied on for any indication of classes or hiring..
But to me..Things are looking up and IMHO the possibility of a few extra planes near the end of the year might be possible as we continue to grow this year..
We appreciate the insight. We understandably don't get that from LL, and it is good to hear positives like that. Just knowing that there are tenative classes penciled in is good news. I don't post alot, but frequently read the postings. Thanks for taking the time to let us know what you have heard. I look forward to getting on property some time soon. I can't wait to fly for the best!
Thanks for the news Chase and MLB. Since I know you guys are way too busy to moonlight for the New York Times, I take a lot of stock in the truthfulness of your reporting of the news here.
Thanks for taking the time in your busy schedules to keep us all up to date.
This has certainly brought a little sunshine into my otherwise cloudy day. (literally, it's been like Seattle in here in NC).
I was passing through PHX the other day and while the mechanic was working on a MEL for us, he was giving us the latest and greatest. He said the winglets are a done deal and all existing 700's would get the retrofit. He also mentioned plan about a 3 to 4 percent fuel savings with these installed. They figured it out 700 fleet wide and it was a small price to pay. Plus, Im sure they are getting a killer deal on em too.
I had an Aerospace Structures Professor who said the real reason for winglets was when the wings folded up from massive g-loading, the winglets would meet up on top to create a new little wing to get you the rest of the way home.......Guess you had to be there.
(If you knew Prof. Howard Smith from KU (RIP, Howard), you'd laugh)
In talking to some folks it would appear that SWA may only have one more class penciled in for the remaining part of the year. While Jun/Jul may still happen, confusion in passing along info resulted in misinterpreting the classes for Jun/Jul. My apologies.
Concerns for returning reservists, continuing to conserve money & overall desires to stay lean is the reason for the pace. Remember SWA is about at what they projected they would be for hiring for the year. Anything more will be gravy & hopefully it will happen.
Word has it that the 200's will be gone by end of '04, sooner than forecasted by company in 10-K posting in Jan '03. Higher costs & upgrade modes that make keeping them around not financially sound. We'll see if more airplanes get added to fill in the gap.
Well it's been 'a great first week of the rest of our last career'. It started with a welcome party (thanks to the 5 May class), a LUV Spirit Party, and a Fri Deck party to finish the week.
We have an awesome class with 9 military and 11 civilians. 3 of the military guys did some civilian work while in the pool. 14 out of 20 were in the Pool list (9/9 military) so the stats guys can start working out the new Poolie factor.
As for new classes, we did not get any new news. Maybe a class in July or Aug. Everything else as Chase said in his last post. We are hoping, just as bad as you are, that more Poolies get the call, but it is well worth the wait none the less.
I better get back to the Spurs/Mavs game...I mean studying;o) Good luck to all the poolies, and especially my bro Stinger!
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