SWAPA Comments about 717

[Flyer1015]

Know one will get laid off.

So who is the one unlucky cat that you know will get laid off?

 

[PropPiedmont]

Maybe he meant that he "Gnu one that got laid off."

 

[humveedriver]

Man Lear is it that bad or just a few hot heads?

Generally speaking, I think the pilots are disgusted with the outcome of being bought by the airline that for years has been a role model of financial and worker relations success. Alot of expectations are not going to be met. It at least appears to us that the lions share of sacrifice is on our side of the partion (seniority, 717 and eventually the flying). Some are trying to see what the upside is going to be and not finding it. And going to work somewhere else isn't as easy alot people make it sound. Comparing our situation to the Morris guys, those guys were able to take advantage of the rapid growth SWA enjoyed and got back to the left seat in about 5 years. Many of our guys will be permanent FO's, all because SWA couldn't raise it's ticket prices without getting rid of us first. I know it just business. But there is a human element too and we were hoping the "one luv" theme was more than just a catch phrase of the hour.

 

[texman]

I understand and can see the frustration on the other side of the fence.

 

[texman]

So who is the one unlucky cat that you know will get laid off?

?????? Do you know?????

 

[madjack]

Its a merger, they suck for the labor groups....for all the angst on the AAI side remember we have former AAI Pilots here that will be junior to their former coworkers (former AAI CPs too), we have many FOs who will be displaced from MCO, BWI, DAL, HOU etc...and will have their upgrades delayed because they have former AAI pilots (who are younger) in front of them forever, we have pilots who bought type ratings ($8-10K, peanut butter sandwiches for a long time)...it sucks for everyone so man up, its a merger...

 

[texman]

Trying to through some humor in Thanks for the catch. I NO nothing. or is it throw?

 

[humveedriver]

Its a merger, they suck for the labor groups....for all the angst on the AAI side remember we have former AAI Pilots here that will be junior to their former coworkers (former AAI CPs too), we have many FOs who will be displaced from MCO, BWI, DAL, HOU etc...and will have their upgrades delayed because they have former AAI pilots (who are younger) in front of them forever, we have pilots who bought type ratings ($8-10K, peanut butter sandwiches for a long time)...it sucks for everyone so man up, its a merger...

Have you upgraded yet? I know you were close.

 

[madjack]

HVD,

Yes, at 10.5 years, I am lucky, but plan on being a reserve Cappy for years and possibly downgraded to FO again in 2015 (as a result of the 717's going away...less airframes)...I fly with a lot of 80-90K SWA FOs...they have some real issues on SL10 and the fallout of AAI pilots getting on the list ahead of them...

 

[fletch717]

Its a merger, they suck for the labor groups....for all the angst on the AAI side remember we have former AAI Pilots here that will be junior to their former coworkers (former AAI CPs too), we have many FOs who will be displaced from MCO, BWI, DAL, HOU etc...and will have their upgrades delayed because they have former AAI pilots (who are younger) in front of them forever, we have pilots who bought type ratings ($8-10K, peanut butter sandwiches for a long time)...it sucks for everyone so man up, its a merger...

Well so many. fo's wouldn't be displaced if SWA hadn't taken every capt seat, as for upgrading over an older SWA pilot, After a 30+ percent seniority loss. That argument doesn't really work. Remember we brought all of our seats with us. You didn't add 1700 pilots who needed a plane to fly.

 

[madjack]

so many. fo's wouldn't be displaced if SWA hadn't taken every capt seat,

Not sure of your logic here, but I am not that smart and will assume you are right...but if we are going down memory lane, let's not forget SL-9 with 10 year seat locks for AAI CPs and SWA pay for everyone...not good enough for the MEC...the bed has been made, sleep in it!!

 

[fletch717]

so many. fo's wouldn't be displaced if SWA hadn't taken every capt seat,

Not sure of your logic here, but I am not that smart and will assume you are right...but if we are going down memory lane, let's not forget SL-9 with 10 year seat locks for AAI CPs and SWA pay for everyone...not good enough for the MEC...the bed has been made, sleep in it!!

Don't forget the 35 percent seniority loss with the first deal. And no AirTran FO upgraded until every SWA pilot on the seniority list upgraded. Yeah how stupid of us to pass on that one.

 

[scoreboardII]

Dude, we get it it sucks, everything sucks, sorry, we (pilots) didn't get a vote.

 

[fletch717]

Dude, we get it it sucks, everything sucks, sorry, we (pilots) didn't get a vote.

I wouldn't say anything if SWA pilots would stop telling us how bad they are getting screwed in this deal.

 

[boeing717]

I wouldn't say anything if SWA pilots would stop telling us how bad they are getting screwed in this deal.

Get over it. It is getting old listening to guys complain. You voted for it now live with it. It won't make a difference 50 years from now anyway. If you really do not like it quit. Most people do not really care how you feel. If you die today the first question people ask is what was their seniority number. Does that tell you what really matters?

 

[fletch717]

Get over it. It is getting old listening to guys complain. You voted for it now live with it. It won't make a difference 50 years from now anyway. If you really do not like it quit. Most people do not really care how you feel. If you die today the first question people ask is what was their seniority number. Does that tell you what really matters?

I'm not the one complaining, and believe me I am over it. I really don't care anymore, about anything.

 

[PCL_128]

Know one will get laid off. This is one thing you guys should see. The company takes pride in no furloughs.

I tend to agree, and this is what I've been telling people who are worried about furloughs. But some of them respond with "yeah, but SWA doesn't really see us as their employees." And frankly, that's a valid argument. We've consistently been treated as outsiders, not as SWA employees. So, would SWA have as much hesitation in getting rid of us as they would a "real" SWA pilot? I don't know.

 

[dicko]

Southwest Management has added a "handling grief" module to our recurrent training and has asked ALPA to activate our CIRP team (Critical Incident Response), paid them for trip pulls to put them in crew rooms to help handle the stress,

Not quite.

SWA management asked our MEC to be in the crew room for the announcement of the event that they claimed was merely a rumor. The MEC declined and offered the CIRP team instead.

 

[dicko]

the bed has been made, sleep in it!!

An AirTran CA made that bed for you Jack, just before 'Papi' kicked him out of it for you. With a metaphorical gun to his head.

 

[Just thinking]

Does any of this really matter.... it all sucks
He will do whatever he wants with no regard for anyone. Just wait until he comes for his pound of flesh SWAPA.
Nobody will tell gk how to run his company. Nobody in the hierarchy will tell the emperor he has no clothes.
Single engine taxi will save millions.... Not how WE do it (yeah I know they have finally adopted this procedure.) Put extra seats in the aircraft and then have to block them out because they can't get the weight and balance accomplished for months..... Operate the engines this way with supporting date from Boeing to show the millions of dollars to be saved.... that is not how WE do it. Dispatch an aircraft past "herb" time to keep utilization rate high earning millions..... We don't do that.

SWA may have purchased lowly AirTran but in doing so they have pulled back the curtain and many have seen the money that is wasted and it is disgusting. Maybe gk bought AirTran to drag SWA into the 1990's. Unfortunately they are not poised to succeed and they playing catch up at best.