RiddleEagle18

Southwest, pilots reach tentative agreement on 737-800 | ATW Online


Southwest Airlines reached a tentative agreement Thursday with its 5,800 pilots represented by the Southwest Airlines Pilots Assn. on switching some future 737-700 deliveries to -800s.

According to SWAPA, the agreement includes "a single pay rate for the 737, profitability-based raise added to the hard 2% raise in 2011, a contract extension with an amendable date extended to September 2012, and a profitability-based raise in 2012."

The accord follows a similar tentative agreement reached last month with the LCC's flight attendants (ATW Daily News, Sept. 21). SWA Executive VP and COO Mike Van de Ven said flight deck and cabin crew recognize "the potential long-term benefits associated with adding the -800 to our fleet. We are still evaluating the needs for training, scheduling, aircraft configuration and other regulatory considerations, but this is an important step in the due diligence process."

SWAPA President Capt. Carl Kuwitzky said, "We share the company's enthusiasm for the added revenue [737-800s] can provide." He added, "Now we can focus our resources on the acquisition of AirTran Airways and the transition into one carrier." Voting on the tentative agreement will run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 1, SWAPA said. The flight attendants still need to ratify their agreement as well.

Sink r8

Either the single rate is higher, or it sounds like they're giving up a significantly larger airplane for little more money... and a contract extension. Of course, there are profit-based raises. I've had many contractual profit-based raises, but oddly enough the triggers were invariably set up so that these raises didn't improve my W-2 any. How bizarre.

Carl Spackler

I don't even see that Sink. The small raise in 2011 was already there. Sounds like the 737-800 is coming with no pay raise...just the profit based stuff.

Unless I'm missing something?

Carl

Nortonious

I'm trying to figure out what I might be missing too. Before deciding how to vote, I'm waiting to see the actual details (the one's where the devil lives). But so far, many of us are scratching our heads...

Yep, this time last year (post-CBA) I pretty much figured there was no way we'd be getting any profitability raise this year, but apparently we are very close. Find out next week I think.

Sink r8

Agreed: that's what I get also. But without exact numbers on the new combined rate vs. the old 737 rate, it's hard to judge.

AAISWA

Did SWA get a profitability raise in 2009? If so, what percentage?

Moose

While the 737-800 is good for Southwest as a company, it is not good for the pilot group as a whole. 2 800s = approx 3 700s = less pilots needed. Take the math out a little.....20 800s = 30 700s. I don't know at what ratio you man your planes, but if it is 10 pilots per plane, that is 100 less pilots needed. At Alaska we have found that out. The company is growing in seats but not pilots.

Baja

The addition of a new variant of the 737 would not be beneficial to SWA unless the pilots can fly a current variant from A to B and then walk to another gate and fly the -800 from B to C. Same efficiency holds for vacations, simulator, etc. It's at the heart of why SWA operates one airplane type for maximum efficiency ... which leads to greater profitability and job security. It should be a win-win for both parties I hope.

To be a win for the pilots, the overall common pay rate would have to be increased so that all pilots immediately see benefit (even flying a current variant) from the intro of the -800. And I suspect they wouldn't have signed if this were not the case.

Now about the retirement ...

iahflyr

Their pilots already make $206/hr plus 10% minimum profit sharing every year to fly a 737. It's kind of hard for them to demand a raise.

Red Forman

That's right, you are one of those people that think pilots are overpaid. You should always just settle for what you have and never try to improve your financial status right?