SWA pilots cleaning the cabin???

[capt. megadeth]

My first job out of college was Third Mate on a merchant ship that was designed to be run by a crew of 45....we ran it with about 25. BELIEVE me, I know about teamwork and have no problem doing the grunt work.....I posted the observation simply because I was curious about something I had never seen before.

My personal thoughts on the matter are this: If a pilot wants to help clean the cabin because out of his or her own free will because they feel it is the right thing to do and they want to support the company I see no problem with that.....now if the company expects the pilots to do that sort of thing so that they can make more money for themselves and the shareholders at the expense of the employees......I think that sucks.

I agree 100%

 

[b747dogg]

It's unfortunate that you feel that helping clean the cabin and helping fellow co-workers is beneath you. Do you have a maid come to your house and clean up after you too? Sad sad, so pathetically sad.

YES, I do!

 

[AutoBus]

Yeah, except the captain was standing at the jetway BS'ing with the gate agent while the FO was the one cleaning the cabin......RHIP I guess.

Maybe he should wash the airplane, like some geeky corporate pilot.

 

[SWAInflt]

Incidentally the fa's at swa get paid ground time for cleaning.

Uh, No we don't. Once the A/C blocks in we are 'off the clock' except for our $2.15/hr per diem.

 

[scoreboard]

Uh, No we don't. Once the A/C blocks in we are 'off the clock' except for our $2.15/hr per diem.

Uh, yes you do, look at the contract, even if your not "paid" for the ground time, it's in the contract as a package deal rigged to your flight time, so in fact, you get paid for it, just like the van ride that is 45 minutes late, you get paid for 30 minutes. Just like the FO gets paid to do the preflight and post flight, it's rigged and part of the whole package. Like buying a car with wheels.

And yes, us lowly FO's once we "turn the ship around" do try to help out in back.

 

[1031Guy]

What a stupid thread!:smash:

 

[learflyer]

Better make sure the fridge is full, mine is. I keep sending my wife to get me another one, after all, fetching beer is not my job!

meanwhile, your looking over your shoulder as you type this.......She wears the pants!

 

[walkthasky]

.....

 

[walkthasky]

What a stupid thread!:smash:

Thank you!

 

[Bavarian Chef]

meanwhile, your looking over your shoulder as you type this.......She wears the pants!

Funny. I used to think I had trained my dog to do stuff and then I realized that she trained me to give her treats.

 

[Skybus]

Great attitude. BTW SWA F/As DO NOT get paid for ground time anymore than you do.

 

[Sporto]

Cleaning Aircraft

If I wanted to clean cabins and wash airplanes I would go back to my corporate flying job. A couple of the many reasons why I left for the majors.

This profession is truly swirling in the bowl.

 

[RedTailSwinger]

" Besides, I would love to know which airlines executives clean their headquarters building.

um...Southwest's executives. My friend used to work there (late 90s) and drove up one Saturday morning when Herb was trimming the hedges.

 

[Chest Rockwell]

If I wanted to clean cabins and wash airplanes I would go back to my corporate flying job. A couple of the many reasons why I left for the majors.

This profession is truly swirling in the bowl.

You just don't get it, and that is okay.

I spoke with one of Southwest's top level attorneys on Thanksgiving Day. He was helping out and pushing wheelchairs at BWI.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Two reasons come to mind right off the bat....

One is the "it's not my job mentality" which is a sad sad epidemic taking over in this country. People just have no work ethic anymore.

The other is the "I am a Skygod and too good to do lowly things such as cleaning the cabin" mentality. Unfortunately people think that once they reach a certain level in their career, now other more "lowly" individuals should cater to them. It's really pathetic actually.

I don't see anything wrong with helping out your fellow co-workers.

Very true Mega...

Some people try to get away with as much haughtiness as they can. Really sad and I don't like to talk to those type of people.

My theory---that is why employee groups start "hating" each other at some companies.

 

[swa737-700]

um...Southwest's executives. My friend used to work there (late 90s) and drove up one Saturday morning when Herb was trimming the hedges.

Folks who do not work at SWA will never "get it", but the odd twist is that "it" is not a hard concept. Most of the SWA folks do "get it" and that is why they were hired and why SWA has made money for decades, never furloughed anyone, and has been hiring and acquiring jets while the rest of the industry...you know the sad story. Perhaps those on this board who are too good to help their teammates ought to take a second look at themselves and their company. I hope you keep your attitudes at your company because it is only making SWA look better and even more successful. WWSWAD?

 

[Mr Hat]

Are there really that many weiners about that helping out in the cabin warrents a multi page thread of BS?

 

[northstar]

I recall a letter to the editor in Professional Pilot magazine written by a Delta pilot saying that the SWA pilots who helped clean the cabins were very un-professional because they should be spending that time "looking over the weather, route of flight, and release and by not doing that they were jeopordizing the safety of the flight."

Yessir, I know it certainly takes me 20 or 25 minutes to study my weather and release.

We have dispatchers at SWA. They review the route, weather, and even jeopardy. This has nothing to do with being a pilot, flight attendant, or whatever. It's all about ethics. I noticed that most of the guys (and girls) that help clean are former legacy pilots that got their new start at SWA and are so grateful to be there. What's wrong with crossing a few seatebelts? Oh sorry, how dare you be seen doing that. They never did that at the squadron. Get over yourselves already.

 

[737ski]

Wow, I must be a real chump. I helped tighten things up in the cabin while on a must ride pass after pre-boarding, not getting paid for a second of it.

Oh, I forgot, I do get paid for going the extra mile for my company--It's called profit sharing. Any of you, looking down your nose at this attitude, have that at your company? Didn't think so...

 

[SWAdude]

Uh, yes you do, look at the contract, even if your not "paid" for the ground time, it's in the contract as a package deal rigged to your flight time, so in fact, you get paid for it, just like the van ride that is 45 minutes late, you get paid for 30 minutes. Just like the FO gets paid to do the preflight and post flight, it's rigged and part of the whole package. Like buying a car with wheels.

Dude, Rigs are for pay protection. So you don't get used for twelve hours and get paid for one.

We DO NOT get payed for ground time.

How do you get paid 30 minutes for a late van?

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

A few years ago our CEO (at the time), Richard Anderson, made all of the VP's schlep bags and assist passengers at the main ticket counters in MSP and DTW on the day before Thanksgiving (aka: "The Evacuation of Saigon III"). He did it without fanfare. I stumbled across them in action, and was pretty stunned.

I thought it was good leadership, a rare commodity in the industry right now, especially in RedTailLAnd. It's the kind of thing we did automatically when I was with my Marine infantry battalion: The officers ate last, and the leaders did any job to accomplish the mission. When we were fragged for an "get there now!" mission while in Japan, the C.O. was in the bucket-brigade line with the rest of us, loading seabags. He didn't do it all the time...only when it was a good idea.

I've helped pick-up the cabin several times, and made P.A.'s at the podium to help the agents inform passengers about delays. I fetch wheelchairs, and deliver fuel slips on the ramp. Not all the time...only when it's a good idea. I do it to help my fellow employees, because it's our company. If the leadership-averse turds running this operation refuse to help us, then we're gonna have to help each other. We'll still be here long after those nimrods are screwing-up some other company.

(But I can still bust the balls of JetBlue guys for doing it, right?)

IOW it all comes down to leadership. Good followership requires it. In order to inspire followership, a leader must humbly earn trust and repsect. What alot of "so called" leaders think they can do is demand or even pretend that their follwership respects and/or trust them.

A big problem in the legacy carriers and thier regionals is the "leadership" will take advantage of the employees. As soon as an employee feels taken for granted all bets are off. Again, the employee gets to decide if s/he is trusted or repsected.

SWA doesn't have to mandate that thier employees help each other out, whether it is cleaning the cabin or any other job......

Leaders such as Capts. and FO's know that in order to get the best out of your crew, you help them do thier jobs.. in turn they will help you.

Egalitarianism and holism are key to maximizing effectiveness....

It takes true character to ascend the self defeating ways of caste and the "blame game" of the legacy carriers and ensure Egalitariansim and holism on board the jet.....

 

[learflyer]

You just don't get it, and that is okay.

I spoke with one of Southwest's top level attorneys on Thanksgiving Day. He was helping out and pushing wheelchairs at BWI.

That is so gay! I'm sure his wife was pleased he wasn't pushing a lawnmower at home instead.

 

[learflyer]

Folks who do not work at SWA will never "get it", but the odd twist is that "it" is not a hard concept. Most of the SWA folks do "get it" and that is why they were hired and why SWA has made money for decades, never furloughed anyone, and has been hiring and acquiring jets while the rest of the industry...you know the sad story. Perhaps those on this board who are too good to help their teammates ought to take a second look at themselves and their company. I hope you keep your attitudes at your company because it is only making SWA look better and even more successful. WWSWAD?

There's that "folks" word again. Your such good folks. Yes I want to work there.

 

[Fins Up]

That is so gay! I'm sure his wife was pleased he wasn't pushing a lawnmower at home instead.

Yeah helping out an old laldy in wheelchair is a really terrible thing to do. What was he thinking?

 

[Chest Rockwell]

That is so gay! I'm sure his wife was pleased he wasn't pushing a lawnmower at home instead.

Great attitude.

 

[CaptAntoineMack]

That is so gay! I'm sure his wife was pleased he wasn't pushing a lawnmower at home instead.

No...being a Giants Fan is gay.

 

[scoreboard]

That is so gay! I'm sure his wife was pleased he wasn't pushing a lawnmower at home instead.

Lear flyer, lets see, flys lears, yeah, you never helped any of those high priced pax in the back. Riiiiiiiiiight.........

 

[scoreboard]

Dude, Rigs are for pay protection. So you don't get used for twelve hours and get paid for one.

We DO NOT get payed for ground time.

How do you get paid 30 minutes for a late van?

I guess I wasn't clear, you get paid to do the job. Flight time is our compensation convention, we do get paid for ground time if rigs are triggered. I should have said in fact "F/A's do get paid to clean the cabin", and I get "paid to preflight the jet", even though we are not flying at the time. It's part of the deal, just like checking notams, OPC, etc. To say your not getting paid to do these things is illogical.

Regarding the van ride, you get paid for 30 minutes, if it takes 45 minutes, you get paid for 30, if it takes 15, you get paid for 30. In essence, your getting paid for the van ride, not how much time it takes to ride the van.

 

[murano]

Are we at 15 pages yet so we can officially kill this thread?

 

[ponder]

Yeah let's kill it. The lawyer dude was
pushing wheelchairs because not
every household has pleasant
Thanksgivings!