WHACKMASTER

I’ve had a ringside seat to this SWA “exceptionalist” thinking and operation since a certain forced wedding over a decade ago.

Back then it was both management AND the pilot group that thought their $h!t didn’t stink. Now it’s just management for the most part. The front-line employees have caught on to just how grossly mismanaged this place is and it’s really tempered their “We’re SWA and we’re the best” mentality.

The scary part is how quickly the operation has spiraled out of operational control. Witnessing what I’ve witnessed on the line these last few days, I’m confident that this place is going to mismanage itself right into bankruptcy or oblivion if the ship doesn’t get righted.

We desperately need a leader that will come in and hack some heads off and fundamentally change the operational culture of this airline. Something similar to what Gordon Bethune did with Continental Airlines. He was a LEADER that wasn’t afraid to LEAD and make drastic changes even if that ruffled some feathers. Instead we have a “leader” that’s worried about retracting his “Bullet points” as it may have offended. What a joke.

If you’re an FO or even a junior captain, I personally think you’re nuts for staying here when you could be sitting in the left seat of a NB or right seat of a WB in very short order at one of the Legacies or even FedEx or UPS. To each their own and it’s none of my business what you do with your professional life, but damn.

And before any of you think this is just another meltdown, through my lenses this is nothing like I’ve ever seen before in 24 years and four airlines and it’s all thanks to what can best be described as “cumulative gross operational mismanagement”.

bobble

You should apply to everywhere. You need to make your decision and gather information from lots of places, not just here. There is a significant amount of negativity (all well deserved) on this and every sub forum on this website. Go to Delta, or UA, or even FDX and you’ll see the same problems and same complaints.

I decided here based on domicile location alone. Eventually being able to drive to work was the most important factor to me. It depends on what yours will be.

Psycho18th

Apply everywhere. Find a place that seems like it will be in business for your career. At 50, I’d assume all the majors and FEDEX/UPS should still be around for a decade and a half. Find a place you can drive to work. Move if you need to.

Lewbronski

Been here almost twenty years. I clearly saw the writing on the wall back in 2007 and made the mistake of staying. Don't be like me.

jetset

Where would you have gone in 2007?

Lewbronski

Mil leave to wait out the lull. Then Delta. If only I'd had a crystal ball. But I didn't need a crystal ball to know that SWA simply wasn't for me.

WHACKMASTER

Continental was hiring then.

Joeschmo

I shouldn’t be basing my career decisions on an anonymous forum, but this is an eye opening thread for someone with a CJO…Every SWA pilot I personally know seem to be happy with the company.

Speaking of alternatives, with all the negativity surrounding AAL on their threads, would they be still be considered a career option (I also have an interview with them soon)?

Joeschmo

I shouldn’t be making career decisions on an anonymous forum, but here I am…this post is eye opening for someone with a CJO to SWA.

This is a SWA vs UAL thread, but is AAL considered a viable alternative? I have an interview with them soon. Seems like DAL has crested with their hiring wave, and UAL hasn’t emailed me (yet)…

Lewbronski

I want to say I remember some of my friends going to UPS and FedEx around then. Fuzzy memory though. I think I also remember a girl I knew going to Delta sometime around 2007 - but maybe it was 2008 or 2009.