SWA hiring and international growth. From Gary

[vixin]

yeah, but what does airtran bring to the merger?

Nothing we couldn’t do without them! Except good old ATL. Does it make it easier? Yes. Are there other reasons? I am sure. But hey, what does SWA bring. Not much in the eyes of the trannies I guess. We should be graced with their presents on our seniority list.

Besides those 40 FO's will get their pay and then some when they get on our list. I mean seriously.

 

[Lear70]

I guess it would be more accurate to say SOME of your hiring is for our planes that you're getting instead of us. Such is life.

Nothing we couldnt do without them! Except good old ATL. But hey what does SWA bring. Not much in the eyes of the trannies I guess.

And oh yeah, that whole pesky international flying thing.

As for what Southwest brings for AirTran pilots? Depends where you're at in the seniority order of things and how the SLI pans out. For me, it means a likely half-decade delay in upgrade, but a better pay scale as an F/O in the interim. Likely I will lose about $100k in the grand scheme of things over the next half-decade, but if I get a good quality of life as well similar to what I'd enjoy here bidding in the top 15% of the F/O list and upgrade sometime before I hit mandatory retirement (that's a joke, btw), I'll simply enjoy my line, enjoy my coworkers, have a good time, take care of our passengers, and go home to my family, just like the rest of us.

It's all good, my friend, no stress, no worries, can't do anything about it anyway.

 

[GuppyWN]

For me, it means a likely half-decade delay in upgrade, but a better pay scale as an F/O in the interim. Likely I will lose about $100k in the grand scheme of things over the next half-decade.

Lear,

What longevity are you at Airtran? I'm assuming you're talking about a delayed upgrade causing the cash shortage? If you're on our payscale you'll get your upgrade money either way.

Gup

 

[Lear70]

6th year F/O pay, looking at a 30% minimum pay raise on our new contract (which I have absolutely ZERO doubt was/is more than 6 months away), and a delayed upgrade (which was about 18-24 months away, but now will be 6-7 years IF the SLI is "relative" - longer if it's worse than that), and our CA rates which will likely be 15%+ (and that's taking a LARGE percentage off the union-proposed rates to the company).

So yes, I'm speaking from a career expectations vantage point. I'll lose money. That's life. Obviously the upgrade there, when it comes, will offset the short-term loss, but that's a lot of "ifs", just like everything else in life. Everything's a gamble. Nothing's a certainty. Best we can do is enjoy the now and try to plan for the future as best we can.

 

[ATLplt]

But hey, what does SWA bring. Not much in the eyes of the trannies I guess. We should be graced with their presents on our seniority list.

Excellent, you're finally starting to get the big picture.

 

[TZtoSWA]

If it was me, I would think twice before I jumped onto the bottom of SWA or AirTran's list right now. Unless of course you are out of work...

 

[ableone]

what does that do to the Volaris codeshare? Fades like the Westjet?

Codeshares with Mexican airlines are no longer allowed due to the FAA downgrade of Mexico's safety status.

 

[amF16]

6th year F/O pay, looking at a 30% minimum pay raise on our new contract (which I have absolutely ZERO doubt was/is more than 6 months away), and a delayed upgrade (which was about 18-24 months away, but now will be 6-7 years IF the SLI is "relative" - longer if it's worse than that), and our CA rates which will likely be 15%+ (and that's taking a LARGE percentage off the union-proposed rates to the company).

So yes, I'm speaking from a career expectations vantage point. I'll lose money. That's life. Obviously the upgrade there, when it comes, will offset the short-term loss, but that's a lot of "ifs", just like everything else in life. Everything's a gamble. Nothing's a certainty. Best we can do is enjoy the now and try to plan for the future as best we can.

30 percent increase was going to be before or after the strike?

 

[bugchaser]

For me, it means a likely half-decade delay in upgrade,

Six year AirTran guy.....gonna be a lot more than half a decade to the left seat.

 

[spciii]

Six year AirTran guy.....gonna be a lot more than half a decade to the left seat.

Can't you guys just say '5 years'?