Dukeuno

Yea my buddy started class at Delta the First of Feb and 4 guys in his class were from SWA (They were all first year guys from SWA).

WHACKMASTER

Good to hear that some people are bailing for greener pastures. It's really a no-brainer if you get an offer from one of the Big 3.

hindsight2020

Yep. Lack of a B-fund is the inflection point for me. That's simply too much retirement income given up compared to even civil service and certainly military service. This is a medical dependent occupation after all and I'm not an optimist about health outcomes. As such, any offer from a B-fund holding carrier makes me jump, regardless of longevity at the previous carrier, as a sub-40 demographic.

The kind of movement post-integration-AA (who I call the ninja in the bush) will see at the beginning of the upcoming decade will make the LCCs bleed, big time. SW has the potential to undercut that dynamic by acting like a big boy and going line abreast on the main 3 on retirement compensation and reserve utilization, especially if they intend to break into the intl market. If they genuinely don't have the profit to match the main 3 on retirement bennies, then I'm sorry to say they're not in a position to expect low turnover in this hiring environment. Good for the goose, good for the gander. It's just business too, for me and my family.

ZapBrannigan

If I were 5 years younger I'd be working hard to get an interview at Delta. If I were successful, there would be a Zapp shaped cloud in my wake as I headed towards ATL

fishforfun

Why do you say this? Delta doesn't seem to be anymore interested in signing a contract than you guys. Those of us on the outside looking in see things like a business plan/model that created a PROFIT through the 2000s vs bankruptcy and furloughs. Do you really see anything other than a great contract coming?

For me personally it's the ability to live where I want to live with no commute. Only SW offers that. Am I being short sighted?

Bigwing

No, that's what's right for you. I'm assuming you live in Vegas, because every other SWA base is In a city that has another legacy base (With Orlando being a stretch because of AA in Miami and SFO being close to OAK)


Zap's point, I think might have something less to do with pay and probably more to do with seniority. Even if the big 4 paid the same, the turnover at the legacies is unREAL because of mandatory retirements. 16 month captain on the mad dog at delta. It is (no exaggeration) looking like almost 16 YEARS to upgrade at SWA. (that's based on mandatory retirement numbers alone).
To quote Vince Lombardi "seniority isn't everything, it's the only thing" ...or something like that

at6d

No you are NOT. People are going to the big three mostly for the upgrade or east coast domiciles.

I came here knowing that I will work hard, but I'll stay mostly in country, live where I want (western base), drive to work, make good money.

As a first year guy, I have only flown 1 reserve block (traded everything away), picked up time in another base, will hold a blank line next month, and have yet to earn less than 110 TFP on the line...while commuting. I have stayed in my crash pad twice, hotel once, with at least 14 days off. Moving to domicile where we want to live anyway...will be a line holder soon.

You have to do what's right for you and your family.

In my mind, this beats a 75 hour guarantee.

A lot of folks don't want to fly a 737 forever and look for different opportunities elsewhere and that's fine. But I also know a lot of guys that have lived through more than one furlough...

There are great people at all the airlines. Bottom line is what works for you--and what you see when you look back after your last trip at retirement. Only then will you know when you made the right choice.

ZapBrannigan

Good post AT6D. Those are all reasons why I looked here as well. It's easy to get wrapped up in negotiations and the little things like muffins and parking and forget the good stuff.

fishforfun

I look at all companies and see if I would be happy as the bottom guy on reserve for the next 10 years if the music stopped tomorrow, which it could. Not sure if that is a good way to go about it but it's easy to chase upgrades and $300/hour left seat 777 numbers but that seems to only be a setup for disappointment.

SW has a great history and will hopefully get it together to move forward. Thanks for the insight.

full of luv

With the generational shift in the three legacies, there is probably as little risk of being the "bottom guy on reserve for the next 10 yrs" than ever before. Even if you say that all three won't grow at all in the next 10 years, collectively they turn over 2/3 of their seniority lists in that time frame, if they can find the pilots.