W2 and Quality of life at Southwest

[Fly-diver]

Can any SWA pilots please provide some up to date information for the following questions. Thank you.

What do SWA pilots typically make per year (W2), particularly First Officers? I've seen the pay tables but understand that hourly pay rates are not always an accurate indicator of W2 pay.

If you fly your 1st year line only you should gross about 45-50K. Working a little harder you can gross 60-75K. It's possible to make quite a bit more, depending on how hard you want to work and how much uncovered flying the company has.

Also, I have heard that 1st year FO's can make 2nd year pay by picking up trips. Is this true? If so, how likely is it?

Second year pay is paid for picking up open flying from the company. It's fairly easy to get one or two days a month at second year pay. The real trick is to trade away your first year trips which opens up your schedule for picking up open flying. Easier said than done, but sometimes you can trade/give away trips.

What are the junior bases (as of Sept. 2008)?

New hires are getting OAK right out of training. LAS is probably next junior base.

How likely is it for a new hire/reserve to be able to pick up/trade for out of base trips?

You can try anything. If you're legal you can pick up flying in any domicile, but you only get 2nd year pay for uncovered company flying (not for trips traded with another pilot).

How long are most trips (2,3,4 days)?

Most are 3 days, but 4 days are not uncommon. 2 day trips and turns (1 day) are also in the schedule. Most reserves lines will have one or more 4 days per month.

How long does it take to get called for an interview (once application has been submitted)?

Depends on how fast we are hiring. You compete with all the other applicants against the criteria the company is looking for (very few people know what that criteria is). Having a type rating helps, but is no guarantee of an early interview. Keep your app updated monthly - shows the People Dept you are active and interested.

Do SWA pilots have their own website forums?

Our union, SWAPA, hosts a website with a forum (members only).

Any other information about the quality of life and compensation of SWA pilots is much appreciated.

QOL is pretty decentk, especially if you live in domicile. Expect to work 15-16 days a month. Growth determines your line quality as an FO. As you get more senior you bidding power increases fast on the FO side.

Growth has been very good for several years, but may slow to a crawl next year (we heard the same prediction for 2008, but we ended up hiring 500+/-).

Compensation is good, but could be better. No defined benefit plan for retirement, each pilot must contribute to his/her retirement (401(k) match is 7.3%, and we have profit sharing and employee stock purchase program). Medical/dental are good also, and inexpensive, comparatively.

One more question. How do vacation privileges work? At one of my old airlines if your vacation touched any of your trips then the trip was dropped. You could turn 7 days into 21 days and still maintain min. guarantee.

About the same as your old company. You can drop any flying that touches your vacation at no pay. The company will pull (with pay) some days outside your vacation week if they can't get you home to start your vacation. Same concept for trips touching the end of your vacation week.

 

[TriStar_drvr]

Thank you. Is it possible to drop most of your trips and fly out of base (i.e. HOU)? How does flying out of base while on reserve work?

Thanks again.

Is it possible? Yes. Probable? Not likely. You can drop only the trips someone else is willing to pick up. Doesn't happen very much at the junior bases.

As for flying out of base while on reserve, yes you can. If you commute to sit reserve and then fly a trip on your days off, you won't have much time at home. Also legalities come into play. A 4 day block of reserve is considered 20 hours of flying while a block of 3 or less is considered 6 hours of flying per day. 30 hours of block in 7 day limits reserve pickup.

Yes, SWA is a good place to work. One can make some money here, but you earn it. I feel for any new guy coming on now who doesn't live out west or isn't willing to move there. If you spend your off days commuting and/or working extra trips, you'll burn yourself out soon. IMHO if you have a family you care about, it's not worth it.

 

[HHH]

Wow! Thank you all for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate the answers. Another question - how senior is HOU?

FYI My priority is to spend as much time with my family as I can. My question about pay and out of base pick up may have been misleading. If I am to be based (out west for example) but allowed to fly from home (HOU) it was make life that much better! I understand I have to do my time and I am not asking about ways to circumvent the system. I am simply trying to find out what the impact will be on my family.

Don't take this the wrong way - but I just want to make sure that this move is worth it for my family (in the short term and long run).

 

[328dude]

As a HOU slug myself, I think you can hold it after about 6-7 months. Seems to fluctuate with the system wide bid month to month.

80% of the pilots live in Clearlake. The rest seem to live in places ending in "wood".

 

[Alcatraz]

Yes, SWA is a good place to work. One can make some money here, but you earn it. I feel for any new guy coming on now who doesn't live out west or isn't willing to move there. If you spend your off days commuting and/or working extra trips, you'll burn yourself out soon. IMHO if you have a family you care about, it's not worth it.

I feel for the new guys, too... I've done the whole commute halfway across the country for another airline, and know that kills any schedule. But I think SWA is worth it even if you live on the east coast... if you can accept the fact that you'll commute for 8 months or more and won't have time to pick up extra flying (so will only make $40k or $50k the first year). I don't think there will be much open time to pick up after Nov or Dec, so while first year guys might be able to give away they won't be able to pick up much. However, if you have patience for the long term, it's a great investment.

Ya just gotta remember this industry sucks right now, and this may even include some junior people at SWA. I feel for ya... I've been there, done that.

 

[Quimby]

Sorry Red Dog,

If you pull your head out of the sand, maybe this will sound better: Hiring should pick up so guys can be out on the line when 190 flight/day are cancelled and the WestJet code share goes into effect. The contract will be signed by then with a 30% pay increase for junior FOs. SWA will get oil hedged at $23/bbl though 2059 while oil hits a super spike of $200/bbl. In other news, hell will also freeze over.

When's your interview again? Go fetch the Col. some coffee.....

 

[Widow's Son]

$234,996.59 for 2007

max 12 yr. rate, average line flier

 

[Tanker Clown]

When's your interview again? Go fetch the Col. some coffee.....

Why do you ask? You going to put in an online rec for me?

 

[RedDogC130]

Why do you ask? You going to put in an online rec for me?

It is not a recomendation people will put in but the other letter.

 

[Tanker Clown]

I'll be fine Red Dog. Besides, how are you going to blackball me? Are you going to put in an unflattering rec on every person on the interview list? You CP may want to chat with you and ask why you are trashing 50 guys a month.

 

[sfomarc]

One more question. How do vacation privileges work? At one of my old airlines if your vacation touched any of your trips then the trip was dropped. You could turn 7 days into 21 days and still maintain min. guarantee.

Maybe that method is why its "your old airline." I am on vacation and got 22 days off in a row all paid but that is not the norm. When I bid for time off I go max days off for pay or not. You can drop all that touches, some with pay some without.

 

[BlueandWhite]

HHH,
HOU is getting a bit easier to get to. I started on the line in June, and am able to hold a reserve line in HOU in Oct. I chose to stay in LAS so I can hold a regular line. Like others have said, commuting to a reserve line sucks.

Another advantage of holding a regular line is being able to do what is called ELITT (electronic line improvement trip trade). Basically it allows you to trade your trips for others the company needs to have filled. You can only trade w/in your domicile, but it gives you the ability to move trips to get more days off. I started with a schedule with 3 and 4 day breaks, and now have one with a 9 day and 5 day break. Now I commute only 3 times this month and have more opportunities to pick up trips at BWI where I live.

Wow! Thank you all for taking the time to respond! I really appreciate the answers. Another question - how senior is HOU?

FYI My priority is to spend as much time with my family as I can. My question about pay and out of base pick up may have been misleading. If I am to be based (out west for example) but allowed to fly from home (HOU) it was make life that much better! I understand I have to do my time and I am not asking about ways to circumvent the system. I am simply trying to find out what the impact will be on my family.

Don't take this the wrong way - but I just want to make sure that this move is worth it for my family (in the short term and long run).

 

[Quimby]

Why do you ask? You going to put in an online rec for me?

:laugh: :laugh:

 

[HHH]

Thank you all for the great replies and advice. I live in Houston and would be commuting (hopefully for a short period of time).

That's down the road though as my priority now is to obviously get the interview (and then get hired).

 

[1080P]

HHH, good luck it's a great company to work for, or at least that's everyone I know that works there tells me.
Still waiting for my phone to ring.