SWAPA NO voters

[mokitty]

450 guys/gals will be under you. Plus the SW pilots hired after the announcement.

Well someone's gotta fly the 717 on the Airtran side till 2015. My bet is it will be those on the junior side. Thus, Islanddriver has a point. Those coming over to be 737 FOs will most likely be senior to him. Making his short term life status quo at best, and backwards moving to the west coast reserve system at worst.

I'm a 2006 hire and can see a scenario where my life could get worse in domicile. SWA pilots may be seeing global seniority percentage increases, but in the micro world of seat and domicile backwards movement could happen depending on the Airtran reshuffle bid. Especially east coast bases.

 

[fam62c]

Well someone's gotta fly the 717 on the Airtran side till 2015. My bet is it will be those on the junior side. Thus, Islanddriver has a point. Those coming over to be 737 FOs will most likely be senior to him. Making his short term life status quo at best, and backwards moving to the west coast reserve system at worst.

I'm a 2006 hire and can see a scenario where my life could get worse in domicile. SWA pilots may be seeing global seniority percentage increases, but in the micro world of seat and domicile backwards movement could happen depending on the Airtran reshuffle bid. Especially east coast bases.

It's tough to know what will happen because there just isn't that much information. As the AT 737 pilots come over AT 737's are going to come over as well so the ratio of pilots to airframes shouldn't change. A lot depends on where they put the AT 737's, they have to go somewhere so there will have to be more pilots in some bases than there are now. The whole dynamic could also change if a new SW 737 crew base is opened depending on whether or not it's a place people want to go to or an unpopular place. Fifty+ 737's and their crews need to go somewhere. It does look like the AT pilots who will be flying 737 FO on the SW side will not be junior people. They will be a mix of senior FO's from both planes, junior CA's from both planes and probably a few more senior CA's from both planes for base/QOL reasons. However, in the case of the AT senior FO's and junior CA's once their DOH is adjusted they won't be as senior at SW and will be below many SW pilots with later hire dates. It's by no means a perfect situation for many pilots on both sides but that's the way these things go. Time, retirements and hopefully growth will fix most things eventually.

I try to think a few years down the road and hope that the company has some nice growth opportunities once the integration, fleet and route system gets optimized. International can be expanded, the Wright Amendment will go away, retirements will resume, the networks will be joined and some competitors may have to pull back creating some potential opportunities in several cities. The combined company should have a lot of competitive horsepower once things are firing on all cylinders. I like to think that five years from now most of us (there will always be some who will never accept reality and will be miserable to work with) will have largely forgotten about the bumps in the road during the integration.

 

[carl p]

I try to think a few years down the road and hope that the company has some nice growth opportunities once the integration, fleet and route system gets optimized. International can be expanded, the Wright Amendment will go away, retirements will resume, the networks will be joined and some competitors may have to pull back creating some potential opportunities in several cities. The combined company should have a lot of competitive horsepower once things are firing on all cylinders. I like to think that five years from now most of us (there will always be some who will never accept reality and will be miserable to work with) will have largely forgotten about the bumps in the road during the integration.

That would be nice.

 

[GuppyWN]

+1

Gup

 

[JT12345]

What I like about the new deal.

Less loopholes and less bullsh!t down the road. Most of the stuff I found insulting and divisive is gone. Most of the grievances i saw in the possible future, gone.

For small segments it is better, and for some small segements it is worst. Waiting for the pay sucks for all AT.

 

[waveflyer]

No it doesn't- you got an improved contract w/o striking and will get the money-
Those are good things- don't spin it to Suck bc you won't get it as quick as you thought

 

[JT12345]

I was not spinning anything. I don't get how u read that? Please explain?

 

[waveflyer]

. Waiting for the pay sucks for all AT.

That part--^^ not a big deal- just a perspective thing.
I fielded a dozen calls today when we announced hiring- some from people who really need a job-
It was a humbling day,in this economy, hearing some of the stories- and I just got another raise

 

[JT12345]

Yeah well it is good to have a job and it looks like you guys are as happy as I am the fences are gone.

As for the economy it is sad and the kids are pissed off in New York about it.

Me, I think I will end up in China in ten years for work. The jobs are not coming back in this country. Being high skilled helps.

The average yearly salaries:

US 40k
EUR 35k
MEX 8k

and

China 3k/year

for doing the same jobs. There is not a stimulus or tax break or politician that can stop the jobs going there when you get the workers for 12 times less than here.

Either they come up or we come down. Something has to give. (Same thing in the airlines here) Like the Arab spring and rebellions we have to hope they rebel and demand more in China; that they come up a lot, so we don't have to come down so much.

The poverty level here at 100 million is not a joke but nothing compared to overthere. Here they still have a roof and their DVDs and MTVs. Over there in China 700 million are poor [half the population], and when I mean poor they are living in shacks in the hills with no electric. The kids will do anything to get out of that. They work 18 hour days, and get maybe one day off every 2-3 weeks because the human body needs sun and it will affect productivity if they don't get some.

 

[JT12345]

And you know. I don't like the excuses I am hearing about why we have to pull out of some of the markets AAI serves. Cause the costs are to high because of union contracts and scope. That we can't have contract workers, so SWA can't afford to operate in there.

I have been talking about competitive problems at SWA, and here they are. The labor over there forcing management to pull out of markets that can be profitable at AAI, but not at SWA. I am not saying our seasonal work has to be done by contract rampers and gate agents, but you can't TDY or give some relief.

Not a good sign of times ahead if things don't change. Culture check maybe?