Swa April Class!!!

[LearAv8r]

Figured that I would start the thread early.........Any news on IF it is gonna happen?....

I would imagine that the phone calls would have to go out soon. If there is going to be two classes which may be "likely" there would have to be some time (Three weeks) in order to get the paper work started and everyone Whiz Quized.....


Still keeping my fingers crossed......

I think that I read here that there were about 65 or so guys who went over to finish the Iraq thing.......Also a lot of JA going on, too much open time too......


Things gotta give soon.....


LearAv8r-

 

[chase]

SWA Info

Yes it is true SWA has sent approximately 70 of our best to oust Hussein. That is more than all the new hires trained so far. JA rates for FOs are up & not likely decrease. Ops has sent out a request to pick up extra flying based upon these shortages. Hard to tell if this is a finger in the dike until the April classes (unofficially 2 scheduled but no callouts for awhile) begin or whether these shortages will cause SWA to re-think getting folks into the pipeline sooner. Summer months are coming & normally JA rates increase during that time but with the Iraq thing, it is happening earlier. Just in case, don't stray from those phones too far, you never know.

Some other info.

As previously announced, $71M placed into profit sharing account to be distributed in Sept '03 to all employees who were with the company for all of 2002 & are on the property in Sept '03. This equates to a 5% of one's gross salary. This money will be put into a retirement account that includes 3 options, SWA stock, a bond fund, a money market fund. Employee chooses where it goes & can move it around throughout the year. One is vested in it after 5 years (you can take it with you somewhere else). If you leave early, money is redistributed to all other employees.

Visited a reservation center this week, bookings look strong for March & near term, better than expected considering all the negatives out there. Feb numbers were encouraging. Expect a profit for 1st qtr assuming nothing unexpected occurs. A war may dent March but if my loads today were any indication spring break is filling the airplanes nicely.

Boeing announced 4 new -700 purchased but refused to identify the buyer. Hmmm, makes one wonder who might have enough cash in these times to buy new airplanes. Wonder who flies -700s? Just a passing thought. This was reported in the Seattle Times over the last few days. It was included with a report on 2 other aircraft sold with that company being identified.

Plans are ready in case UAL falls... opportunities to expand will be taken advantage of. I have friends at UAL & will mourn their loss & hope they don't for the sake of my friends. Lots of uncertainities but SWA is poised to move in many different directions IMHO. Hang in there poolies, your time is nearing. Take care & God Bless,

cheers,

 

[SiouxFlyer]

Good News!

Glad to hear about possible April classes!

As of Monday I will be one less "active" poolie. I'm heading to the sand box this Monday. Time to give the Herk a good workout again.

Best of luck to all you poolies!

For all the others on their way over take care and fly safe.

Siouxflyer

 

[CoopDog]

Yo quero 737's

Chase,

Found this blurb on the Boeing website:

"In the other contract, AeroMexico will take four additional 737-700s directly from ILFC for a total of 15 737-700s."

Looks like our friends south of the border are getting the phantom four. Luxair was taking the other 2 from the 6 mentioned.

It does seem strange though that Boeing didn't mention the buyer of the 4 airplanes on the newswires. Could be that the reporter didn't have all his facts together. No, who am I kidding....that would NEVER happen.

Thanks for the speculation on SWA possibly taking them though. At least that's what I read into it.....wishful thinking on my part I guess. It's good to think positive in these times.

I wish all the best for the SWA poolies and seniority number holders going over to the Mid-East. You and your families are in my prayers. Come back safe. Looking forward to seeing you all out on the line someday.

Coop

 

[Cosmo007]

Go home little Dutch boy

From Chase: "Yes it is true SWA has sent approximately 70 of our best to oust Hussein. That is more than all the new hires trained so far."

- Very true, and it was a very rapid callout at that.

"JA rates for FOs are up & not likely decrease."

- Watching the open time assignments, as I do on reserve, that is very true for the commuter bases (OAK, MDW). Part, but not all, of the JA'ing systemwide can be blamed on the ridiculous weather that screwed up our point-to-point route system last month.

"Ops has sent out a request to pick up extra flying based upon these shortages."

- They also added an extra day to all FO reserve lines in April (8% of all bid lines). This makes sense since most recalled reservists are FO's.

"Hard to tell if this is a finger in the dike until the April classes (unofficially 2 scheduled but no callouts for awhile) begin or whether these shortages will cause SWA to re-think getting folks into the pipeline sooner. Summer months are coming & normally JA rates increase during that time but with the Iraq thing, it is happening earlier."

- Somebody needs to tell that little Dutch boy to get his finger out of the dike, 'cause it's really stuck in the bottom drain of the POOL!

- My opinion is that this is all a stop gap measure. In the short run, it is probably more economical to pay some JA and extra reserve days than to add the full employee costs of a new class. "Wait and see" is the recurring theme this month. It seems like we certainly will need more folks for the summer months (i.e. April classes at least). As always, our conservative company is doing what it takes to ensure profitability, which we all can appreciate.

May the LUV boat send the poolies a rescue raft soon.

Cosmo

 

[ivauir]

SWA vs Santa

Thanks for the update Chase and Cosmo. Whatever they do it looks like it'll be after MOAWP* has kicked off. At that point who knows what the economy will do or how much people will fly ... It seems to me that this is the thinking in DAL otherwise 20 more would have left the pool in March.

As it currently stands I am starting to feel the same way about SWA as I do about Santa: I used to believe he was real, I want to belive he was real, but everyday there is less and less evidence. Don't worry. I'm not cancelling Christmas or anything, but if you do see the big guy in red, could you tell him I need a job?


*mother of all wars part deux

 

[gnelson]

ivauir

Don't worry, its real and your gonna love it. Hang in there.

 

[Take_off_Thrust]

Still on!

A Check Airman said yesterday that both April classes are still on!

Hang tough.

See you in training.

TOT