SWA DB- DING You suck!

[KCSO780]

Gimme a break! Come down off your holier-than thou tower! I fart in your general direction.

Let the GREEN smoke fly brotha............

 

[Widow's Son]

The work environment and overall job is pretty much the same at most carriers. SWA is very different. Not better, not worse, just different. Certain people will thrive there and others won't. It is better for both the carrier and the pilot that the right kind of people get hired. It is easier for SWA to hire when everybody else is hiring as well, especially if the "pay du jour" is higher elsewhere as well. They have to work much harder to find the right chemistry when they are one of the top draws that everyone is applying to.

If you doubt you can fullfill your childhood dream of being a pilot without flying a widebody to farflung destinations than SWA is obviously not for you. That doesn't make you or SWA bad.
If you would rather fly than sit around airports and see more to compensation than hourly rate then you understand some of the unique things about SWA. Ditto if you value the freedom to work as much or as little as you want.
If you see variable compensation as opportunity you are a SWA candidate, if you see it as risk, you are not.

The SWA interviewers use time honed methods to determine who understands and appreciates the uniqueness of SWA vs those just saying what they think wants to be heard or are only there interviewing because the other "real" airlines aren't hiring. None of this has anything at all to do with background and SWA hires more variety of pilots than anyone else.
The process isn't perfect, but overall, works very well. The reason that re-applicants have a higher success rate is because it shows SWA that the person truly understands what SWA is all about and wants to be a part of it.

 

[sf260pilot]

Did you know what you were getting yourself involved with.....knowing that they are only going to hire 20% of the applicants for the month and not choose you on the first try. Have you ever been interviewed at delta, fedex or alaska? Those places put you through the ringer and at delta if you do not get hired....see ya...do not think about re-applying in a year. I have friend who has been turned down at SWA twice and all he talks about is what he can do to improve his chances next time. The interview process at SWA is one of the most positive in the industry...it is also the most successful airlines in the industry...Good luck with whatever you choose to do in life.

 

[ForgedBlade]

The work environment and overall job is pretty much the same at most carriers. SWA is very different. Not better, not worse, just different. Certain people will thrive there and others won't. It is better for both the carrier and the pilot that the right kind of people get hired. It is easier for SWA to hire when everybody else is hiring as well, especially if the "pay du jour" is higher elsewhere as well. They have to work much harder to find the right chemistry when they are one of the top draws that everyone is applying to.

If you doubt you can fullfill your childhood dream of being a pilot without flying a widebody to farflung destinations than SWA is obviously not for you. That doesn't make you or SWA bad.
If you would rather fly than sit around airports and see more to compensation than hourly rate then you understand some of the unique things about SWA. Ditto if you value the freedom to work as much or as little as you want.
If you see variable compensation as opportunity you are a SWA candidate, if you see it as risk, you are not.

The SWA interviewers use time honed methods to determine who understands and appreciates the uniqueness of SWA vs those just saying what they think wants to be heard or are only there interviewing because the other "real" airlines aren't hiring. None of this has anything at all to do with background and SWA hires more variety of pilots than anyone else.
The process isn't perfect, but overall, works very well. The reason that re-applicants have a higher success rate is because it shows SWA that the person truly understands what SWA is all about and wants to be a part of it.

That is pretty much it!

As an ATA furloughee, they have interviewed a bunch of us and hired only a very few. We all know SWA is a great company, but we all sure loved the flying we got at ATA. Our interview process was extremely similar to theirs - the bulk of us could fit in well - but SWA probably sees that there are only two types of pilots in the world:

1. Those that have ALWAYS wanted to only work for SWA, &
2. Everyone else.

They obviously have some magic formula, and we may never know what it is, but it seems to work. There were a lot of great guys (and a gal!) in the interview group I was in early in July and we are waiting patiently. If I don't get hired, I won't see it as the end of the world, but it was a pleasant experience and I will move on - I hope! If SWA is what you want, then the best of luck.

 

[SWA/FO]

SWA will pick the right people regardless of their background.

We don't just give someone a job just because they went out and got a type. That my friend seems to be what your beeeeeouching about.

Hey Capt. Megadeath, why would you not want to work for SWA? Great people, great pay, great benefits and a great schedule. Lines vary from 15 (reserve) - 20 days off a month. Don't want any of that?
People here actually like going to work.

I'd say re-apply buddy, unless you have had enough, then don't apply. We are going to be hiring 4500 more pilots in the next 7-8 years.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Hey Capt. Megadeath, why would you not want to work for SWA? Great people, great pay, great benefits and a great schedule. Lines vary from 15 (reserve) - 20 days off a month. Don't want any of that?
People here actually like going to work.

I really hope for all my friend's sake that it stays that way. You are right. I would love work there to if it wasn't for all those people in the back.
You can put a lot more revenue on a cargo plane. Aw, $hit, it's a long story but I used to really want to work there.

 

[Chuck Yogourt]

The work environment and overall job is pretty much the same at most carriers. SWA is very different. Not better, not worse, just different. Certain people will thrive there and others won't. It is better for both the carrier and the pilot that the right kind of people get hired. It is easier for SWA to hire when everybody else is hiring as well, especially if the "pay du jour" is higher elsewhere as well. They have to work much harder to find the right chemistry when they are one of the top draws that everyone is applying to.

This statement is not entirely true. I know of at least two different people who have gotten hired at SWA that are nothing but aviation trash. One has the personality of a rock, the other is a egomaniac that we celebrate the day he left. On the other hand, I know of some extremely good people with types who have not gotten hired by SWA. Sad but true.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

First, War Eagle! No attitude here. Honestly. I'm just making an observation and at the same time asking why SWA would spend so much money and time. Someone answered that it doesn't affect that much. cool. That's enough for me.
I've had beers with SWA old timers that have been there a lot longer than any of us in this industry, and they ask the same question that I'm asking. They've recommended great candidates, but no luck. The fact is that the system is not flawless. You gotta at least admit that. If SWA is wasting so much money, wouldn't you be concerned? I would. But, apparently, it's not. That's great. I guess that rumor is not accurate.
It's hard to convey a tone through these posts, but don't judge so quickly.
War Eagle!

You got me, I won't judge. I'm glad you don't fall into the category I thought you were in.

Yes, I do admit the hiring process is not perfect. I thought I made that clear, but I was mistaken. I have friends who are more qualified than me get the thumbs down. I am not happy about it, am thankful I got something precious that I don't deserve and I don't really understand the reason why. I just guess what the reasons are for their failure and my success. Whatever the reason I don't pretend its fair, just is.

Same thing about the PFT. I don't think about it being right or wrong, just is.

In another thread we were talking about folks with interviews scheduled before 9/11 for September at SWA. I had friends in that situation go get types in Oct, Nov and Dec 2001. They then got interviews rescheduled for Jan and Feb 2002. Other friends who didn't or couldn't get the type didn't get an interview in 2002 and had to wait until 2004 for their next shot at interview. Is it fair? No. But I had the advantage of seeing what was going on and hurriedly got my type at the earliest opportunity and skipped ahead of non-typed buds.

Is Southwest wasting money? Good question. FedEx is wasting their ACPs' time meeting/interviewing candidates for interview and running a monthly pre-interview board to feed the hiring department interviewees. Maybe this saves FedEx money by reducing the workload on human resources. What would the ACP's do with all their free time anyway? Golf?

But...FedEx has a ton of ACP's in different airframes in Memphis to do this. Southwest does not have so many. ACP's make more than people department employees. So who is spending more money?

It's good to be making tons of money. Go FedEx.

 

[SWA/FO]

50 bucks per applicant can help offset some costs too.

 

[Newf Dog]

I'm told these are the stats for June interviews:

180 people interviewed

62 people "selected to continue"

It's an imperfect process. Great people get hired. Great people don't. Not so great people also get hired (unfortunately). It's the same at every carrier.