Upgrade times
10-30-2021, 02:33 PM
#971
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2016
Posts: 60
all very good points. When I was looking to move on up I had no idea about disability plans, ancillary benefits, and how we lose everything when out on medical. Somehow it would be nice to put out an education piece to regionals, military et al and show how far behind we are. Then see how many show up. Not sure our union can legally do that but if I would have known more in would have tried more to go somewhere else.
I’d prefer to encourage competition to get as many good guys as we can to come over here and focus any educational efforts on the importance of not settling on weak contracts rather than why they should go to another airline. Because in 10 or 20 years or whenever I finally do get to upgrade and spend a 4-hour cruise listening to the latest trends in LARPing, I’m going to be wishing we hadn’t steered away all the pilots who would’ve actually been fun to work with just to spite the company.
Besides, how else will we ever turn the yes votes into a minority, by encouraging prospects who care about the contract to go elsewhere and let the company hire the leftovers who either don’t mind or don’t care?
10-31-2021, 06:14 AM
#972
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2019
Posts: 30
Does this mean there is no chance of a new hire getting based in Orlando any time soon after being hired?
10-31-2021, 06:28 AM
#973
Line Holder
Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 85
It all depends when we start growing again. When I was hired in 2017, you could get it in the first few months. I’ve since moved to MCO last October and have yet to get it. We haven’t had movement. I’m hoping once we start hiring and displaced guys get back, I will get in. Commuting to MDW is getting old.
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10-31-2021, 11:13 AM
#975
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2018
Posts: 766
I was close to getting Orlando under 3 months as a new hire, but then we stopped hiring in late 19, which stopped almost all movement. No upgrades, no hiring. That was over 2 years ago.
Like its been said, once hiring resumes there should be slots opening up at pretty much any base. But you can expect 1-2 months in the western bases before getting anything South or east.
Like its been said, once hiring resumes there should be slots opening up at pretty much any base. But you can expect 1-2 months in the western bases before getting anything South or east.
10-31-2021, 03:30 PM
#976
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 204
if we really do hire 1000+ In 2022, then I expect a new hire should be able to hold MCO within 6 to 8 months. However, MCO is perpetually junior. Senior CAs and FOs bid in and out of the base every winter and then there are those that bid into it to finish out their golden years and retire at The Villages where they spread a new type of STD. It will easily take north of 10 years to hold CA where you can look forward to 4 day weekend reserve blocks for a few years with February vacations. I know plenty of CAs and FOs that live near MCO that bid HOU or BWI for better QOL. A lot of senior FOs bypass MCO CA until the can hold a line. Things can change, but right now, plan on a crappy 15ish years in MCO before you can enjoy some QOL in the left sear at MCO. I would seriously look at JetBlue or Frontier as better options if MCO is where you want to be.
10-31-2021, 07:29 PM
#977
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2014
Posts: 49
Let’s see……maybe you want to live in a 0% income tax state. Maybe you have a family in one of SW domiciles and don’t want to commute, maybe you really don’t like flying the back side of the clock, maybe you like the interpersonal interaction rather than hauling boxes, maybe you enjoy having greater schedule flexibility, maybe you have a significant other or family that loves the travel bennies. Oh - and they only have 5,000 pilots….when the down turn comes (and it will) the furloughs will be far deeper. There are about 10k regional pilots, with most wanting to get to a major or a FedEx or UPS. At 40 per week it will only take 21 years for FedEx to hire them all. Not everyone can go to FedEx.
Southwest fits some folks like a glove. FedEx fit others perfectly. Still others fit nicely at United or Delta. It is all about the quality of life you desire, the contract, the business model, the financial security, the domiciles, and yes, your financial needs and desires. Not every pilot out there needs to make $400k - $500k to support three ex-wives and two homes, etc. I am at almost five years, will approach $225k this year (yes -I work a lot$) and know I will likely have a 10-12 year upgrade. I am single, live in base, work only PM’s, have my house and my cars paid for, no credit card debt. I have no ex-wives or kids (that I know of). I will not upgrade until I can upgrade in base. If that is 8 years, that is fine. If that is 12 years, I will be just fine.
This whole thing of “if you don’t go to FedEx you are selling yourself short” is ridiculous. Do we need some contract improvement? - YEP!! Color me optimistic, but I think we will get it in time as we have a great pilot group! I am VERY happy at Southwest. I am confident I could have been happy at Delta, Alaska or Jet Blue and maybe United, but Southwest called first. I think I would have been miserable at American, FedEx or UPS. Different strokes for different folks. That is what makes the world go round, not money or sitting in the left seat.
End of rant.
Southwest fits some folks like a glove. FedEx fit others perfectly. Still others fit nicely at United or Delta. It is all about the quality of life you desire, the contract, the business model, the financial security, the domiciles, and yes, your financial needs and desires. Not every pilot out there needs to make $400k - $500k to support three ex-wives and two homes, etc. I am at almost five years, will approach $225k this year (yes -I work a lot$) and know I will likely have a 10-12 year upgrade. I am single, live in base, work only PM’s, have my house and my cars paid for, no credit card debt. I have no ex-wives or kids (that I know of). I will not upgrade until I can upgrade in base. If that is 8 years, that is fine. If that is 12 years, I will be just fine.
This whole thing of “if you don’t go to FedEx you are selling yourself short” is ridiculous. Do we need some contract improvement? - YEP!! Color me optimistic, but I think we will get it in time as we have a great pilot group! I am VERY happy at Southwest. I am confident I could have been happy at Delta, Alaska or Jet Blue and maybe United, but Southwest called first. I think I would have been miserable at American, FedEx or UPS. Different strokes for different folks. That is what makes the world go round, not money or sitting in the left seat.
End of rant.
11-02-2021, 02:01 PM
#978
Clear ECAM
Joined APC: Oct 2014
Posts: 934
Things can change, but right now, plan on a crappy 15ish years in MCO before you can enjoy some QOL in the left sear at MCO. I would seriously look at JetBlue or Frontier as better options if MCO is where you want to be.
11-02-2021, 02:03 PM
#979
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 204
Well, that’s why I said to look into JetBlue and Frontier… as I do not know much about either with regards to MCO. Thanks for the info though.
11-02-2021, 05:10 PM
#980
Banned
Joined APC: May 2017
Posts: 2,012
united and delta have been strip mining the regionals for several months now. My guess is what was competitive for southwest (or delta or united) 6 months ago is mostly gone. The lca’s all have class dates already
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