How many 8 year Cpts are at SWA? None. Almost everyone at AAI who is an 8 year pilot is a Cpt. Im trying to compare apples to apples as best as possible. If you compare guys who have been on property for 6-10 years at AAI, and guys who have been on property for 6-9 years at SWA, the pay gap that many at SWA are trying to claim just isn't there. Sure, the hourly rate of an 8 year FO at SWA is much better, but there isn't many 8 year FO's at AAI, so you need to compare actual apples to apples. If it wasn't for the SWA merger, Id already be on SWA pay because I could hold the left seat, but im still in the right seat because of this merger, and AAI has stopped hiring and for the most part, stopped upgrades.. For 10 year guys and later, sure, the SWA guys are making more money. But for a large portion of the AAI pilots, this isn't the huge windfall many at SWA think it is. In the long run it "might" be, but then we would just be speculating. 10 years ago SWA wasn't exactly the most desirable airline to work for. They were still young and didn't have nearly the hold they do today. They made money because their wages were lower then everyone elses, and they scrapped for market share. Sound familier?