Lewbronski

I’m pretty sure that SWA is industry-leading when it comes to the number of guaranteed days off on reserve. But, how long are people typically on reserve at SWA or UA these days? Assuming you won’t be on reserve for terribly long, I don’t know that I’d weight this factor very heavily.

The second point, about flexibility at SWA, I’m not so sure about. Maybe flexibility at UA is absolutely terrible and flexibility at SWA, as bad as my experience has been with it, is actually better. I don’t know.

But my experience with flexibility at SWA as someone who is very senior is that I’ve never had much of any luck with it. Only very rarely have I been able to find a better deal via our “ELITT” system or “TTGA” and only rarely does someone pick up a trip out of giveaway from my board, even when I’ve had the highest paying all-turn line in my base.

I’ve heard about this vaunted “flexibility” my entire career at SWA but, like I said, I’ve never really experienced it, even when very senior. Either I completely suck at working the system or the flexibility at other airlines is just plain abominable, making SWA’s flexibility look good by comparison.

The only time I really have flexibility is during a vacation month when I can take out large chunks of my schedule with our vacation pull system. Then, I can either not work or pick up premium trips from open time.

Maybe you have to be a member of a “cartel” to actually have flexibility at SWA. I don’t know. If that’s how the people who talk about SWA’s “awesome” flexibility are able to do it, then it’s not contractual and you have to “know” people to make it happen - kind of, I guess, like being in a cool kids clique in junior high. But my data point for you is that I’ve experienced very little flexibility at SWA.

This gets pointed out a lot when someone makes a point like the one above, but I’ll make the point again: at least if you want it, at UA you have the opportunity right now to upgrade very early. At SWA, you don’t have that opportunity at all.

Then, at UA, you also have the choice to go to the wide body fleet or the training center as well. At SWA, we have no wide body option (obviously) and the training center is staffed almost entirely by non-MSL employees, so it’s not really a thing for a SWA pilot.

Even after waiting seven to ten years to upgrade at SWA, it’s not like the QOL is awesome. Go read ZapBrannigan’s post 1660 on the Upgrade Times thread to hear about his lack of QOL taking earliest upgrade at SWA after seven years (I think). I don’t know how much better that is than if you were to upgrade in your first year at UA.

flyguy81

I bid a weekend line my last vacation month for a high VA pay. Had no problems swapping the few remaining trips off weekends. Picked up a premium weekday 3 day. I’ll have 20 off this month, 8 nights away from home and close to 140 tfp.

Pretty flexible if you ask me. I’ve averaged 140ish tfp all year by trading to low block trips and picking up 2-3 days premium. Haven’t gone under 14 days off a month all year. Prob clear $270k without working too hard.

Smooth at FL450

I read it. I drive to work in a very junior base…so take that perspective into consideration.

KelvinHelmholtz

If you can hold one of the good all turn lines you don’t even need to ELITT.

Mozam

Now the company wants to take that away from you. Why anyone would want to come to this place is beyond me. The company is looking for 10 percent cuts across the board .

Lewbronski

That's in the past when I wasn't able to bid all-turn lines or when I need to bid something other than an all-turn line for whatever reason. ELITT and TTGA, for me, have been next to useless.

And it's a very rare occasion when someone picks up a turn off of my board. Even two-leg turns paying > 9 TFP don't get picked up.

The big idea, (right?), to make more money is to clear your board as much as possible to replace straight days with premium days as opposed to simply picking up additional days of flying on top of an already full line.

nene

There's strategies at every level of seniority, and as you reach those levels, your eyes cast towards the next level. 1/2 way through your career you reset to Captain and readjust your strategies all over again. Unless your the top few in your base/seat, there's always a game plan just out of your reach to make more $$$$ for less days at work.

Lewbronski

Sounds like one of Gollum's riddles: "It cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. It lies behind stars and under hills, And empty holes it fills. It comes out first and follows after, Ends life, kills laughter."

nene

Precious! Now please tell me you did not recite that from memory

Lewbronski

Of course I have that memorized. You don't?