To SWA or not to SWA...

[Wolf King]

I have heard something in the neighborhood of 20% of the SWA poolies have turned down class offers.... other than Jblue & FEDEX, where are these people going (staying)?

 

[B1900DFO]

well i understand that Mesa is hiring somewhere in the neighborhood of 600 pilots in 04, even some street captains. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those poolies are jumping over to mesa to build some quick seniority!

 

[chazman]

Two years in the pool is a long time. Things change people change, careers change. I imagine the people that turned it down just scattered into new careers or other opportunites.

Chaz

 

[SWA/FO]

Some might have gone back into the military? Don't folks sometime rejoin?

 

[Shav'r]

Former poolies...

Ya gotta imagine, there are "10 million stories" out there. Each poolie's situation is very different than the rest. Yes, many have rejoined the military for (again) a number of reasons, and others have excercised options to work elsewhere in the industry (or out of it). Though we won't have an opportunity to ask many of those who turned down class face-to-face, we WILL have opportunities to hear everyone else's version of "How I survived the pool of '02-'03-'04."

Looking forward to hearing from "the survivors."
Shav'r

 

[Dennis Miller]

I think I just saw one of them on "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé" That man had 2 years of poolie written all over him. That guy looks like Sylvia Plath with writers block. If he's spent 2 years doing anything remotely prolific it would probably be along the lines of living in a cave with D.B. Cooper doing circle jerks.

 

[skykid]

My guess is accepting military committments. Question for SWA guys - when did the last contract get voted in? I don't know what your pay rates are exactly, but It seems you guys are getting PAID over there and I wonder how many people made the decision before that contract. Also, did you guys see the article about a week ago now in the WSJ on fuel hedging. Can't link to it because I only read the leftover ones left on planes. Of the biggest 6 carriers, the ones who are hedged at all are running out shortly. Apparently SWA is hedged at $24/barrel for 80% of fuel through most of 2005. If this is correct, it means huge advantages if the price stays in the $30s or goes up. I would still never buy airline stock, but for the people who do, you would think this is the stuff papers would put in the business section, but they don't.

 

[moneyshooter]

I wonder how many FDX poolies will also decline.

 

[chase]

Summary

Several folks have hit on the head, many reasons:

1. Job offers from FEDEX, JB, Airtran. Hard to walk away from 2 yr+ seniority or less for some folks & I understand completely. These guys are here for the long haul & deciding to leave & start over is traumatic to say the least.

2. Military committments. Folks had to decide to go unemployed or continue receiving a paycheck. Not a great dilemma either. Guard/reserve golden parachutes weren't always available to everyone & that required active duty folks to decide which way to go.

3. Change of careers. Some folks as stated decided to get on with things & re-evaluated this type of lifestyle. Completely understandable.

No one knows for sure how many folks have turned down slots but probably it took 25-26 phone calls to get a full class of 24 new hires. We wish them all well.

SWA never wanted the pool to be as large as it was & certainly no one wanted anyone to be waiting for so long so the fact we went through the expensive process of interviewing & hiring these folk & to then have to sit by as folks had to make these difficult decisions was frustrating for flight ops, PD & all pilots. It took so much to get to this point & then to have circumstances change so dramatically it was hard.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

I think I just saw one of them on "My Big Fat Obnoxious Fiancé" That man had 2 years of poolie written all over him. That guy looks like Sylvia Plath with writers block. If he's spent 2 years doing anything remotely prolific it would probably be along the lines of living in a cave with D.B. Cooper doing circle jerks.

Dennis don't ever change!

 

[B-atch]

I second the motion.... This man makes me laugh to the point of passing out.... "KEEP E'M COMING BABY" (Scar Face)