SWA Done Hiring For Now

[mhermann596]

From a copy of a letter that was sent to me.

Dear Pilot:

We are honored by your interest in Southwest Airlines and especially our Pilot Open House! We know you were looking forward to this event, as were we. Unfortunately, we had to cancel the Open House for this year based on recent changes in our hiring numbers. Gary Kelly, our CEO, announced plans to reduce our growth from eight to six percent to ensure continued stability for current and future Employees. With this change, our current pool of Candidates, selected from completed interviews, will sufficiently accommodate our Pilot hiring needs for the foreseeable future.

Though we are humbly asking for your flexibility and don’t mean to discourage you in any way, you deserve an honest, accurate picture of our hiring outlook. And, we wanted you to know this information as soon as possible. Please know that you are encouraged and welcome to update your application online at southwest.com on a monthly basis. Our sincere hope is that you will continue to consider Southwest for future employment as we believe Southwest is truly the best place to work.

Sincerely,
Flight Operations Recruiting
People & Leadership Development
​

 

[citabriapilot]

I got it too... Very encouraging, no?

 

[Flyarcticcat]

From a copy of a letter that was sent to me.

Wow that is a deep pool. 500 aircraft and 539 by the end of 2008. That is having at least 450-550 people swimimng in the current pool or soon to be after the AUG DB.

Got Life Jacket?

 

[Volasl]

I got the email also. Better job on hold once again

 

[Pocono Pilot]

That really sucks.

I guess I am going to have to settle for UPS or FedEx now. LOL

 

[RedDogC130]

guess you should not have turned down CAL.....right

 

[GuppyWN]

What a cool letter. I thought it was very well written and it was nice of the company to send it out.

Hopefully the pool will empty sooner rather than later.

Gup

 

[PTinbound]

I still think all the poolies should have to swim for two years and two months like I did, back in my day...

 

[klr1395]

Nice attitude there.. I can see you truly do know what LUV is.

 

[SkiFishFly]

I have the worst timing...

All this just 3 weeks after I updated my application trying to get a second chance...

 

[Kharma Police]

All this just 3 weeks after I updated my application trying to get a second chance...

Why would you want to leave 'da Tranny?

 

[SkiFishFly]

Why would you want to leave 'da Tranny?

How about pay, benefits, stability and the fact that management at AAI doesn't care about the pilots and will continue to refuse to pay us what we are worth.

 

[Kharma Police]

How about pay, benefits, stability and the fact that management at AAI doesn't care about the pilots and will continue to refuse to pay us what we are worth.

Is that all?!?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

How about pay, benefits, stability and the fact that management at AAI doesn't care about the pilots and will continue to refuse to pay us what we are worth.

You need a Caring value like JB.

 

[AlbieF15]

Ptinbound....

My bet is some of those poolies will beat your record. Age 60 changes are going to be a bear for a lot of folks...

 

[CHQ Pilot]

I still think all the poolies should have to swim for two years and two months like I did, back in my day...

I really hope you're being sarcastic (hard to tell around here sometimes). You would remind me of some of the Captains I flew with years ago. I remember one of them was ragging on some of us in the crew room because we were new FOs that were under a fairly new contract. He remarked "You guys have no idea what it is like to be on $14,000 a year salary." A senior Captain from the background remarked "You don't know what it is like to be on a $25,000 a year salary as a Captain either!". Ironically enough I flew with the Captain from the background. Probably the biggest and lasting thing he told me was "If it wasn't for knowing where you've been and hoping for the next guy after you to do better, all because you've already been there, then what is the point in ever wanting more."

I hope for the best and that the poolies get into class sooner than later. I also agree with Albie....things are going to change (not just SWA, but industry wide) and it may not be for the better.

 

[AV80R]

What a cool letter. I thought it was very well written and it was nice of the company to send it out.

Hopefully the pool will empty sooner rather than later.

Gup

I agree, the letter was very professional. I also think (and hope for the sake of the poolies) that this might be a knee-jerk reaction to the slower growth announcement.

 

[klr1395]

Also maybe precautionary measure for age 65 to make minimal impact on current employees?!? Sep can't get here soon enough! Cheers, klr

 

[firstthird]

I doubt it will be anywhere near 2 years for the guys currently in the pool. We have announced slowing deliveries from 35 to 19 for next year (approx) which drives hiring for the most part. Age 65 will slow down some on top of that when/if it passes, but nothing like it will at airlines that are currently static (i.e. no growth).

I was in class with PTinbound (I think) and if he is who I think he is, one of the nicest guys you'll meet. I think there was sarcasm in that post. That being said, those of us that waited over 2 years might not be super-sympathetic with guys that were whining about 4 month waits (as they were on here a while back). This current delay might be more substantial than that and I empathize with your plight (having lived it myself).

I'm glad that the people department has stopped interviewing since sitting in a pool is no one's idea of fun. They like to keep a 3-6 month supply ready (or so I've observed/heard) but sometimes they get ahead of themselves or the situation changes (slowed deliveries).

I'm sure they'd like to keep the pool smaller but since we interview/hire guys w/o the type, there is an inherent possible delay (6 months to get the type) between hire/able to start that most companies don't have.

If you are in the pool, some of us definitely feel your pain. Keep your current job and know that SWA will treat you right. Some companies do things like 'reinterview' or 'you're welcome to reapply,' after a prolonged gap in hiring. SWA didn't do that to us last time and I suspect they won't this time.

Like the People Department is always careful to say, you are 'continuing the process,' i.e. you do not have a job or even a job offer while you are in the pool. But that is mainly the lawyers talking and if you are in the pool with your background check done, enjoy the time.

the good thing about being in the pool is that you are not losing seniority. You are losing longevity but seniority determines QOL. For instance, I had a friend hired almost a year before me and he bid the line above me in Orlando. His pay was year 2 while mine was year 1 but our skeds/vacations/etc were the same. It also means that if he is a 6 year captain I should be a 5 year, or 7/6, etc. not a lot to hold onto, but better than nothing.

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

Who needs a life jacket?.........

Wow that is a deep pool. 500 aircraft and 539 by the end of 2008. That is having at least 450-550 people swimimng in the current pool or soon to be after the AUG DB.

Got Life Jacket?

......just use those flotation devices in your avatar!!!

 

[satpak77]

Ptinbound....

My bet is some of those poolies will beat your record. Age 60 changes are going to be a bear for a lot of folks...

Unfortunately I agree. I had a buddy (two of them, both good guys) get turned down for whatever reason recently.

My predictions

1. Age 60 rule changes will impact the current FO's airline wide in a large way. Can you say "we just picked up an additional XXXX pilot bodies overnight?"

2. 2009 to 2011 (two years from now, its coming around the corner) SWA will see signifiganct cost increases due to fuel hedges decreasing, and oil prices rising from today's levels of $70-75 a barrell

http://www.247wallst.com/2007/04/southwest_airli.html

3. Kelleher and Barrett (close ally to Herb) will not be around forever and ever and like any organization (IBM, etc) when the pioneers leave, the organization takes on a new identity.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/070719/southwest_kelleher.html?.v=3

4. Southwest is now and prob always will be a good place to be.

5. On a opposite note from #4, "the time" to get hired at SWA was arguably a few years ago.