SWA Poolies

[maxblast72]

Have you ever noticed that the best place to work today, is not necessarily the best place to work tomorrow? Hopefully Southwest does not become part of this list.

1) Braniff
2) PanAm
3) Eastern
4) TWA
5) United
6) Southwest

Rise and Fall of the Greats.

Every airline, industry, or business has their innovative, growth, and maturity phases. It is obviously much better to get in the ground floor as a pilot and to benefit from the growth phase as relative seniority increases quickly. It seems like the Low Cost Airline Business model has hit their maturity phase with airlines like Southwest, Jetblue, and Airtran growing only a fraction of what they were doing just 5 years ago. Southwest is still a well run profitable airline but the opportunities for those hired in the 2000's is not going to be as good for those hired in the 1980's or 1990's.

 

[ableone]

My thoughts are in blue.



Good info SOCAL. Hopefully we start growing soon.

You are forgetting that some of those lances will lose their lance status and they will not be dropping any of their FO trips. In order to make up for the loss of income they will be picking up from daily and monthly open time.

Ask yourself this question: "Have you picked up open time in the last month?" If you have ask yourself where it comes from and what it is going to be like when it is no longer available.

 

[vixin]

Its obvious another flaimer that does not know what he is talking about.

 

[Whataburger]

You are forgetting that some of those lances will lose their lance status and they will not be dropping any of their FO trips. In order to make up for the loss of income they will be picking up from daily and monthly open time.

Ask yourself this question: "Have you picked up open time in the last month?" If you have ask yourself where it comes from and what it is going to be like when it is no longer available.

In the airlines ONE thing is guaranteed: NOTHING. Doesn't matter what seat or airline.

 

[RedDogC130]

You are forgetting that some of those lances will lose their lance status and they will not be dropping any of their FO trips. In order to make up for the loss of income they will be picking up from daily and monthly open time.

Ask yourself this question: "Have you picked up open time in the last month?" If you have ask yourself where it comes from and what it is going to be like when it is no longer available.

The same number of FOs will be at the same base so that will make no difference. The fact that I may be able to pick up a daily trip over the LAnce that might have been off b/c they gave their trip away...means they now will be working and be 1 less senior guy to fight against for the trip...so now I win. FOs will not suffer. We will actually make out in my mind. Time will tell.

 

[slaquer5]

Have you ever noticed that the best place to work today, is not necessarily the best place to work tomorrow? Hopefully Southwest does not become part of this list.

1) Braniff
2) PanAm
3) Eastern
4) TWA
5) United
6) Southwest

Rise and Fall of the Greats.

I was at Eastern and am flattered that you put SWA with the above, but I think SWA is a far cry from # 2-4, thanks for looking at it that way.

 

[mt2]

For what it is worth just got back from training and spoke with the girls in the PD and they said that there is a good chance of classes at the end of the year. They are going to be doing the re-interview again to make sure there is no DUI's failed checkrides and that the poolies are current. This information is one week old. Good luck!

Thanks for the positive news. Things seem to be looking up in traffic, load factor, and revenue numbers. Hopefully that'll translate to better news for those of us treading water.

 

[SELFloadingCRGO]

Thanks for the positive news. Things seem to be looking up in traffic, load factor, and revenue numbers. Hopefully that'll translate to better news for those of us treading water.

One thing I'm sure you're aware of or anyone treading water for that matter is to not put too much weight into some of the experts here. Info out of the PD is where I'd be putting my focus on. If they say possible hiring by years end then there is a fairly good chance it's gonna happen. All the chicken littles whose buddy of a buddy of a buddy that says no hiring till 2012 or later is IMO full of it. When I got hired we were told only 100-150'ish and they wound up hiring over 500 that year. Simple fact of the matter is..only the gods know. After 6 pages of doom and gloom it's nice to hear good news though so keep your floaties aired up and know that some day the towels are gonna start flying in!


SLC

 

[BigDave]

One thing I'm sure you're aware of or anyone treading water for that matter is to not put too much weight into some of the experts here. Info out of the PD is where I'd be putting my focus on. If they say possible hiring by years end then there is a fairly good chance it's gonna happen. All the chicken littles whose buddy of a buddy of a buddy that says no hiring till 2012 or later is IMO full of it. When I got hired we were told only 100-150'ish and they wound up hiring over 500 that year. Simple fact of the matter is..only the gods know. After 6 pages of doom and gloom it's nice to hear good news though so keep your floaties aired up and know that some day the towels are gonna start flying in!


SLC

Good post and advice, thanks! Looking forward to getting dry soon.

 

[waveflyer]

And even then- the PD will be VERY conservative in their estimates. They do their best, but generally won't say "end of the year" unless it'll happen then or sooner.