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SWA pilot base seniority

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dhampton

Just another number
Joined
Nov 26, 2001
Posts
130
A recurring question on this board is which bases are most senior or junior at SWA. Recently the order has changed, so folks in the school house now or those who will me coming to us as soon as school starts up again may be surprised. This is the current order as near as I can tell, from senior to junior, with the months it currently takes to land in the desired base.

DAL 15 months
MCO 8
BWI 6
MDW 3
HOU 3
PHX 1-2
OAK 0

Happy Trails!
 
Doug,

Thanks for the information. Always glad to see what you guys know from the inside.

Looks like OAK for a base is a must the first time around.

Hope to be in Dallas sometime this year,

W8n4swa
 
I am surprised to see the above numbers. From what I've been told in the past, the most junior base has historically alternated between OAK, MDW and BWI.

Does anyone know if the change is most likely a temporary anomaly, or does there seem to have been a permanent shift?

In other words, why the change?
 
MCO is becoming senior...there is one month left for the "paid Company move". Lots of guys are making the jump.

BWI seems hard to get into these days...

OAK is where every newhire has been going for starters.
 
KC-10

It's probably only temporary. More than any other factor it reflects the desire of last year's new hires to be based in MCO, DAL and BWI. As and example of BWI's growing popularity, 30% (7) of my class wants to be based in BWI.
 
BWI to expand big-time

Two of my Southwest buddies have both been saying that BWI is in for a huge expansion within the next year or so. Junior, senior, it won't matter. I listened to the live share-holders web-cast this morning and the SWA spokesman (didn't get his name) said that they still are going ahead with the 436 options from Boeing thru 2012. Let me repeat, FOUR HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX. That's about 4800 new hires in the next ten years, excluding age 60 retirements and -200 retirements.

So by 2004-05, take your pick of any base you might want. There will probably 2 or 3 new crew bases by then too.

"East coast, west coast, it don't matter. Southwest fly you there....." Sorry, I just listened to that Delta spoof, and I'm still laughing.
 
Commuting east coast to OAK

Does anyone currently commute from the east coast to Oakland? If so, from where and what is the crashpad availability out there?

Great posts on here!! Many thanks to those that are keeping us poolies in the know!!
 
No crashpads in OAK.. Most stay at the Ramada, Hampton or Days Inn. Ramada was 44.00 a night, Hampton was 54.00 (I think) and not sure about the Days Inn.

Not bad, money wise if your staying only 4 days a month. But if your on reserve..... bad new$

I use to commute offline from DTW - LAX on NWA then ride SWA up to OAK. Sometimes I rode AWA to Phoenix then SWA. SWA has some 1 stops from BWI to OAK. Its always nice to ride on your own airline... I think the stress factor is lower. However, all the airlines I used were great/ super nice.

SWA / FO
 
Commuting from the East coast is a pain, they tell me. My east coast classmates are extremely happy to be in Houston and MDW for June. SWA is offering an increasing number of non-stops to Oakland from back east now, so the commuting situation may be getting easier. The only problem is the flights are also EXTREMELY popular with our customers.


Re the OAK crashpad situation:

When on reserve, guys from my class try to split a room three or four ways at the aforementioned hotels and the Best Western. Some of the rooms have a fridge and micro. $15 to 20 a night isn't so bad if you can save some dough on food.

I've been toying with the idea of putting a boat/crashpad in one of the many nearby marinas. It won't be cheaper, but you can bet it will be more fun!
 

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