SWA Feb Decision Board...

[FR8dognit]

This thread has 8636 views by the same 7 people.

 

[FR8dognit]

BTW...talked to a friend who is a flight attendant and she thinks the Corp offices are closed tomorrow...can anyone confirm this and if so do you think it will affect when folks are called? THANKS

PULLING MY LAST THREE HAIRS OUT
FR8

 

[canyonblue737]

Calls have begun as of today, Sunday 2/19. HOU chief made some today.

 

[AimPoint]

Stop...too much pressure

Wow….I am not even on this DB and I am nervous as heck for you folks….I hope you all get calls. I suppose I will be worse when my DB meets. My Best.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

They (SWA) grew to greatness on the backs of pilots who were hired during times that allowed most of the "top guns" of the world to go to what we now call legacy carriers. I know of very few pilots who put SWA on top of their list during the 80's and 90's. Most of the "best" wanted to be able to fly whales international (insert any of a number of cool/high paying types of flying) at some point in their career and considered SWA nothing more than a commuter that flew narrowbodies.

But now that those who wouldn't give SWA the time of day ten years ago are knocking their door down....

You are not entirely correct. You know very few pilots who put SWA on top of the list because you don't work at SWA. I have worked elsewhere and now at SWA and it has opened my eyes. In the '90s SWA was a secret. Very few understood their compensation in terms of profit sharing and stock options. They just looked at the ALPA standard, hourly rate.

There are many, many former fighter, military trainer, corporate and others that applied and interviewed nowhere else. Usually from Texas and Arizona. And they are very good pilots. "Top Guns" if you will.

Some pilots, often older retired military, don't want the chance to fly international in 5-10 years. They will be in their late 40's or 50's by then. They want to stay in the same time zone. They prefer 2 and 3 day trips instead of 5-10 day trips.

And then there is efficiency. Most lines are built well over rig. 3 days usally pay 18-22 hrs and 4 days pay 24-28.5 hours. Lots of days off for the SWA guys who are accused of working too hard.

No thanks, you can keep your less efficient flying to yourself. I'd rather have more days off.

And please...How about the 250-400 hour wonders hired at UAL. Southwest always had 1000 PIC as a minimum (as far as I can remember). SWA always had more experience as a requirement.

Don't get me wrong. Those that chose other carriers are not less intelligent, they just wanted a certain domicile, something different or just did not have all the facts. But saying those who wanted SWA in the '90s were lesser is not quite the whole story.

Calculating which carrier would make you $4.5 million (UAL and Delta) vs. $2 million (SWA) over a career with the FAPA or Air Inc income estimator did not make UAL/DAL oriented guys interviewing in the '90s any smarter than the SWA minded crowd. Many soon to be SWA guys just realized the SWA pay was more of a sure thing.


I almost forgot. SWA was a small irritant to the majors back then. It was much more probably that a pilot would be hired by the majors and not by a 200 jet operation out of Texas.....

 

[Pseuodopod]

Calls have begun as of today, Sunday 2/19. HOU chief made some today.

Canyon, how do you know this? What's your source?

 

[canyonblue737]

Canyon, how do you know this? What's your source?

a friend got the call yesterday by the HOU chief. he was told to call the PD today to setup the drug test. i am sure the majority will begin today or tommorow. this used to be easier when the PD made the calls because they would do all of them in a single day, but sometime last year the chiefs began to do it (i assume because it is nice to get "the" call from a fellow pilot) and due to their busy schedules the calls spread over 2-4 days and give everyone a rolaids moment.

 

[chase]

Good luck to all on the Feb DB....hope to see you in Dallas...don't give up regardless of what happens, even if the postman delivers the news. You've heard it all before but there are those meeting this board who were on this forum a year ago & got bad news....some of them will find they have great news coming (I'm not privy to names..it simply happens every DB as a matter of course) this week....they stuck with it despite the pain of "thanks for no thanks"...their lives will not be the same ever again once they're called.

Good luck to first, 2nd, 3rd & 4th timers....we're fortunate you all applied & hope to see you at SWA sooner rather than later but later ain't bad either when one weighs it against never. Cheers & hang in there....here's some info on SWA from last year's financials to pass the time while waiting

• • ’05 profit, $548 million, 75.1% increase over ’04 of $313 profit
  • Set load factor records for 4 of 12 months
  • #1 in customer service for 2005 (just released today, not in the 10k)
  • Record 70.7% load factor in ‘05
  • Yield increase of 2.8% in ’05 over ’04 due to modest fare increases
  • Unit revenue increased 4.7% compared to 2004 due to higher LF & higher RPM yields
  • Fuel hedging reduced costs in ’05 by $892 million
  • Gains from fuel hedging added $110 million to the bottom line
  • Reduced non-fuel costs by 1.5% in ’05 compared to 2004
  • Headcount decreased from 74 in ’04 to 71 in ’05; since 2003 headcount has decreased 16.5%
  • MDW increased capacity by 60% since 3Q04
  • Codesharing revenue is projected to add $10 million in revenue in 1Q06
  • 8% growth in ASM is projected for ’06 based upon 33 aircraft arriving
  • 70% of increase in passenger revenue was due to the 10.8 increase in ASMs
  • Average fares increased 5.8% compared to ‘04
  • Current trends project higher revenues for Jan ’06 than ’05 timeframe
  • Freight revenues increased 13.7%; 65% came from higher freight & cargo revenues due to rate increases, remaining 35% due to higher mail revenues
  • Other revenues increased 29.3% to $39 million; of that amount, 35% from commissions earned from programs SWA sponsors with business partners; another 35% of total due to increases in excess baggage charges now used by SWA; increases are projected for 2006 but at lower rates than 2005
  • CASM increased 2.2 percent to 7.94 for the year, due primarily to jet fuel increases; other expenses were flat or were reduced, these costs were 1.5% lower
  • Salary, wages, benefits per ASM decreased .3 percent compared to ’04 due to productivity & lower headcount
  • 1Q06 salary, wages, benefits expected to increase by $20 million over same time last year due to new accounting rules requiring the expensing of stock options; expect an increase of approximately $65 million for the year
  • Company saved approximately $70 million in fuel costs due winglets & other implemented efficiencies
  • Maintenance materials & repairs per ASM decreased 13.6% compared to ’04; trend continues 1Q06
  • Aircraft rentals decreased 17.4% compared to ’04
  • SWA increased aircraft owned or on capital lease to 81% from 79% in ’04; all 33 aircraft purchased in ‘05 are owned, not leased; aircraft rental expense expected to continue to decline year over year
  • “Other” operating expenses increased 2.9% due primarily to increase in security fees in the form of a retroactive $24 million, this is being contested; these increases are expected to continue in 1Q06
  • Profit margin in ’05 was 7.23%; operating margin was 10.81%; return on equity 8.98%
  • Southwest total revenue in ’05 $7.58 billion; total debt $2.0 billion; Jetblue total revenue $1.7 billion; total debt $2.19 billion (gleaned from Wall Street financials)
  • SWA has firm orders for 33 aircraft in ‘06
  • SWA has firm orders for in ’07 for 29 firm aircraft, options for 7 more, plus purchase rights for 20 for a total possible purchase of 56 aircraft
  • SWA has firm orders in ’08 for 6 firm aircraft, options for 25 more, plus purchase rights for 20 for a total possible purchase of 51 aircraft
  • SWA has purchase rights from ’09-’12 averaging approximately 44 aircraft per year, totally 177
  • SWA will received fixed rate abatements for a total of 25 years on the 8 gates it built in Islip in return for turning over the ownership of the property to the Town of Islip
  • Major component maintenance consisting of airframes and engines is done by third party companies, this comprises the majority of maintenance costs
  * Profit sharing for 2005 will be distributed in Sept 05, 7.5% of salary to all 31,000 + employees who qualified (yours to do with as you wish, you invest it as you wish, acts as retirement, you don't have access to the money until you leave the company, must remain for at least 5 years to receive the money....several mutual funds you can buy along with LUV stock....for the last 20 years it has averaged approximately 10% a year)

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

Baldy Jefferson says...

Ahhh....MarineGunner. Worry? I personally find it hard to believe you would do such a thing. I cannot believe you're not already planning the next stage of worrying. Breathe. If I were you, I would start worrying about the drinks...me likey the Jacks and Diets...

PS: If you can't pass on news via phone have computer with. Don't forget us small guys down the road...

 

[Catfishin']

Anyone receive a call today or know if calls began? I am chewing my fingers off staring at my phone. I think I am going to be sick! uke:

 

[Swerpipe]

Someone on my interview group

Hi,
I know how you feel... One person in my interview group got called today, Jan 20 by the PHX CP

 

[canyonblue737]

Anyone receive a call today or know if calls began? I am chewing my fingers off staring at my phone. I think I am going to be sick! uke:

a few calls went out both sunday and today. hou chief and phx chief.

 

[highspeedgirl]

Swerpipe,

When did your friend interview? I haven't heard anything today...

 

[Catfishin']

Anyone hear anything today yet?

 

[airmasn]

No Letter Today....thank You Mr. Mailperson