SWA Poolies

[vixin]

......................

 

[ableone]

It is third person hearsay but he did get his leave approved with an open ended start date.

 

[vixin]

Why would he go to China? Unless he likes it there. He can as a senior FO make darn near make CA pay playing the game.

 

[ableone]

He was a full time CA. At the moment he is a lance but the next phase of the contract (which goes into effect in May) will severely restrict the amount of CA time he can pick up. (This is also going to have an impact on the senior FOs when lancers stop dumping their FO trips)

He figures that furloughs in the fall, with all of the attendant cutbacks, will pretty much end his lance days.

No matter how much time he picks up he can not match his former full time CA pay. As these are his prime earning years he does not want to take the hit. ( I actually agree with him here and if I face a downgrade I too intend to go fly a Chinese bus. )

 

[Flying the Line]

If I called my coworkers scabs, I'd probably go to China too. (this is an "inside" reference...IOW if you don't work there you won't understand the reference).

 

[waveflyer]

"Perspective: use it or lose it."
- r Bach

 

[Moon-dog]

I just talked to a guy who said that there would be mass hiring starting next week and they were gonna make the clown CP!!

Silly rumors abound, SWA is making money and very well could see this as an opportunity to expand and be ready for the economic turn. Or they could continue in the conservative way they have over the last few years. Who knows? I am not sure Gary Kelly knows what tomorrow will bring, literally, tomorrow.

 

[Captzaahlie]

I just got off the phone with the pope, he and oboma are having lunch with tanker clown on monday....

 

[Quiet Flight]

This message is hidden because Tanker Clown is on your ignore list.

The monthly guarantee "truing(?)" ended in February. Someone is giving you old info. Line gaurantees are back to almost normal now. I'm in the camp that does NOT think we will hire here, but I have heard the re-interview scenario floating around in recent weeks. Just curious. And for the record, my understanding is it is not a full interview, but rather just a quick catching up session to make sure the candidates don't have any fresh DUI's, failed check rides, etc...

 

[Cruncher]

ableone, your friend may be just a "little" upset with what is going on and is speaking with a bit of emotion. I can't say I blame him per se.
I would not necessarily call him a fool to leave SWA to go fly for a Chinese airline (even as a bus CA), but it's close. A 10 year FO makes a decent salary and has the days off he needs / wants. He will probably bid 3 weeks of vacation this year (if he has not already done so). He gets the best premium time (for the most part IS CA pay). Gets the best Open Time (the CA side has had almost no OT, ELITT exists almost as an acronym only). I doubt a chinese carrier can beat the quality of life he now enjoys. Now, unless he wants to go to China, I would ignore his insight.

 

[RedDogC130]

He was a full time CA. At the moment he is a lance but the next phase of the contract (which goes into effect in May) will severely restrict the amount of CA time he can pick up. (This is also going to have an impact on the senior FOs when lancers stop dumping their FO trips)

)

Well at the same time I can't say I feel bad for him...he wants the best of both worlds....pick up CA trips and sit at the top of the VJA list of FOs...

Tough crap...I wish the whole lance program will go away fast. I want my chance of open time...vja...better scheds....maybe he will bid a line that he would not mind flying since he may not want to give it all away anymore... As for the furloughs....I can't see that happening any time soon.....loads are way up march was close to 5% higher than same time last year....we are not hurting for people in the seats...SWA did it right...get rid of the slack in the system so they are ready if and when something needs to be attacked.

We can't be too overmanned when they tried to junior assign me from HOME last week.

 

[MILPILOT17]

Well at the same time I can't say I feel bad for him...he wants the best of both worlds....pick up CA trips and sit at the top of the VJA list of FOs...

Tough crap...I wish the whole lance program will go away fast. I want my chance of open time...vja...better scheds....maybe he will bid a line that he would not mind flying since he may not want to give it all away anymore... As for the furloughs....I can't see that happening any time soon.....loads are way up march was close to 5% higher than same time last year....we are not hurting for people in the seats...SWA did it right...get rid of the slack in the system so they are ready if and when something needs to be attacked.

We can't be too overmanned when they tried to junior assign me from HOME last week.

I've been called at home no less than 10 times in the last three weeks for JA. Just the facts? Furlough, HA!

 

[Tripower455]

Mid level Capt, and they called me at home on Sat for JA. We are not furloughing any time soon.....

 

[jonjuan]

Mid level Capt, and they called me at home on Sat for JA. We are not furloughing any time soon.....

Doesn't mean squat. Just wait....

 

[maxblast72]

The monthly guarantee "truing(?)" ended in February. Someone is giving you old info. Line gaurantees are back to almost normal now. I'm in the camp that does NOT think we will hire here, but I have heard the re-interview scenario floating around in recent weeks. Just curious. And for the record, my understanding is it is not a full interview, but rather just a quick catching up session to make sure the candidates don't have any fresh DUI's, failed check rides, etc...

Just curious, Southwest just announced their March and Q1 traffic numbers and capacity measured in term of ASMs was down 6.4% in Q1 2010 versus Q1 2009. Doesn't that mean everyone is flying a little less than you guys used to?

Does that mean Southwest will have to increase flying (in terms of ASMs) 5 or 6 percent before additional pilots would be required (assuming Southwest management would like to crank back up employee utilization to pre-schedule optimization levels)? Is Gary Kelly still telling Wall St. or employees that Southwest capacity will still be flat for 2010?