Why do you (want to / like to) work for SWA?

[SuperDavi8ator]

Current SWA guys. What do you like most and least about working there.

Hopefuls, why do you want to work there?

Please no "they are about the only ones hiring" type comments, that's a given.


Thanks

 

[vetteracer]

After reading Hard Landing and Nuts, it seems they are one of the only airlines to have fiscal responsibly and a business model that is framed with good management.

The amount of effort and Luv put into SWA from its inception to today is evidence that that they will be around for some time. They have persevered through insurmountable red tape to become what they are today. A passage from Hard Landing recounts Herb experiencing a set back due to a judge ruling against him. The judge was incorrect and Herb knew it. Herb was so peed off that he clenched his jaw so tight he cracked a couple of molars.

Someone with that much Drive and determination can accomplish just about anything and the proof is in the pudding. SWA IMO tries to hire people with the same qualities of drive and determination. From my personal experiences in life, I think I fit that mold and would fit in well. And I believe that SWA has been successful for that reason. Everyone is an owner, it is their airline, and there job.

Mark

 

[LearLove]

My MAIN reason for wanting to work for SWA is the type of flying they do. I prefer 4 to 5 legs per day of about an hour each. Must be my commuter roots, I could fly ABE-PHL in a Dash8 all day. Yes I know SWA does longer flights and so forth but 1 to 2 hour legs seem to be a bulk of thier flying.

Actually the flying I'm doing right now at MidAtlantic is the exact type of flying I want to do the rest of my career. Although it has been fun doing the Texas runs and flying to the midwest but I prefer 1 to 2 hour legs up and down the east coast from Philly.

I prefer 3 and 4 day trips with 3 or 4 days off between. My prefered sked would be a 3 day from tue to thur with fri to mon off or a 4 day starting late on tue and finishing by noon on fri with sat to mon off. About 85-90 hours per month or 1000 hours per year. Call me crazy but I enjoy working (A local airport bum/friend told me has something to do with my German/Pennsylvania Dutch family history) and I'm past the point of "building time".

Also the whole job security thing and bla bla bla......

 

[Beer&Brauts]

"Hopefuls, why do you want to work there?"

The 1-2-3 rule.

 

[Rez O. Lewshun]

"Hopefuls, why do you want to work there?"

The 1-2-3 rule.

Use the 1-2-3 rule...even if you don't fly for SWA..... YEAH!!!

This is SWA contribution to the industry!!!

 

[SWA/FO]

You guys have listed somethings that most people don't pick up on here at SWA. The QOL.

 

[singlespeed]

Family.

 

[328dude]

Exactly what singlespeed just said.

 

[NEDude]

Quite simple for me, its the people I have come across who work there. For two years SWA was my ride to and from work. I have never been treated so well by pilots, flight attendants and gate agents as I was with them. I have been treated better as a free loader on SWA than I have been as a paying customer on most other airlines. I once had a gate agent go out of her way to get me on a flight that was overbooked by 45 (due to an earlier cancellation) on a hectic bad weather day. And she did it with a smile despite the crap she had been dealing with all day.

There are a few other reasons as well.

My first exposure to SWA came when I was working as a fueler in SLC about seven years ago. Their paperwork was simpler than every other airline, and their operation seemed far more efficient than all of the other airlines we dealt with. Everybody went out of their way to get the 20 minute turn done. At other airlines, three or four people would slowly walk out when a plane came in, and just sort of went about their business unloading bags with no particular sense of urgency. When a SWA plane came in, no fewer than 12 rampers were ready and waiting to jump on a plane when it came in. I even saw pilots come down and lend a hand to get the job done.

Being a family guy, I don't have much of a desire to do international flying. I'd hate to be in Lima, Tokyo, or some other far away place and get a phone call from my wife about a family emergency or something.

Just a few of my reasons. Now if they'd only give me a call!

 

[SWA/FO]

That is what I find funny. You hear guys say "I want to fly heavy iron and international". Makes me start thinking - when and if they get to the heavy iron they will be in their mid 50's. Who wants to be halfway around the world if you ever get an emergency call? Who wants to learn a new airplane in their 50's. Who wants their body clocks to be all messed up in their 50's?

If it was a perfect world, you get the heavy flying job in your early 20's then when you decide to settle down you comeback and fly domestic.