Notices

Southwest hiring info

Old 11-28-2014, 01:22 PM
  #681  
Furloughed Again?!
 
ZapBrannigan's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Boeing 737
Posts: 4,781
Default

I didn't say the words "industry leading". I said "industry standard" - but maybe industry common would have been more accurate.

SW reserves have more days off than any other carrier. That's true...if you live in base. However, like almost every other trip, reserves are not commutable on both ends. JetBlue, for example, starts people on a PM RAP and moves them incrementally to an AM RAP by the last day of the period. (they also offer long call for the first few days of groupings > 4 days, but that's neither here nor there).

So a commuter at jetBlue might get the full 12 days off. At SW, yes they'll get 15 or 16 days off, but if they live out of base they're commuting on 4-5 of those days, bringing the total down to an equitable 11-12 days "off". Granted it's a pilot's choice to commute, but it's a reality of this business so they should be intellectually honest when comparing reserve at SW to their competitors.

SW also does not have long call reserve. That means commuters must be in domicile at the beginning of their RAP even if there isn't any flying to assign. There is no reserve trip ownership. Reserves are not typically released on the last day of a reserve pairing even if staffing is excellent and there is no flying to assign. If a reserve pilot returns to domicile on the last day, they are not typically released. Instead they are to remain telephone contactable until the end of their RAP which, for a commuter amounts to on site standby.

With regard to dropping trips, you can never "drop" a trip. There is a trade board where you can attempt to give away your trip. If someone is willing to take it, that's great. If not, you're stuck with it.
ZapBrannigan is offline  
Old 11-28-2014, 02:45 PM
  #682  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Jul 2008
Position: 737 Right
Posts: 305
Default

Originally Posted by WHACKMASTER View Post
That someone never gave you a total forecasted number of NHs for 2015 (& beyond even)?
Not a hard number but did say that 2015 would look "similar" to 2014 as far as new hires. However, he said that 2016 should be "huge" hiring if all the HQ plans fall into place as envisioned. Interesting stuff......count me as cautiously optimistic....

but, while we're talking -- could we please just get a fricking new CBA with COLA? Is that so hard with a profitable company? OK -- rant over
Thunder1 is offline  
Old 11-28-2014, 03:39 PM
  #683  
Gets Weekends Off
 
gipple's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2009
Posts: 309
Default

[QUOTE

but, while we're talking -- could we please just get a fricking new CBA with COLA? Is that so hard with a profitable company? OK -- rant over [/QUOTE]

Not just COLA. COLA +++
COLA......IS FLATTISH! Why aim so low?
Perfect example of why management plays chess and pilots play tiddly winks.
gipple is offline  
Old 11-28-2014, 05:16 PM
  #684  
Gets Weekends Off
 
WHACKMASTER's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
Posts: 6,542
Default

Originally Posted by gipple View Post
[QUOTE

but, while we're talking -- could we please just get a fricking new CBA with COLA? Is that so hard with a profitable company? OK -- rant over
Not just COLA. COLA +++
COLA......IS FLATTISH! Why aim so low?
Perfect example of why management plays chess and pilots play tiddly winks.[/QUOTE]

Seriously!!!! Record profits, the execs raking in the coin, and we're asking for &#}£ing COLA?! Are you kidding me? We are probably at the most advantageous time in our careers to legitimately and justifiably make some major gains in our respective CBAs and yet the mindset is "COLA". Gimme a friggin' break.

Ask yourself this.....if the schit hit the fan, would they only be asking for negative COLA type of concessions? NO!!!! They'd be asking to rape and pillage our CBA "so the company can stay alive". Well, the schit has hit the fan in the opposite direction so show me the $ baby, because management is surely showing themselves and the shareholders the $.

I want some major gains and I want them yesterday and I want full retro for all the time they've gotten an interest free loan by dragging Section 6 negotiations out.
WHACKMASTER is offline  
Old 11-28-2014, 05:44 PM
  #685  
Looking for a laugh
 
Justdoinmyjob's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 4,099
Default

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan View Post
(Supposedly Delta is at around 2007 already. Imagine that... It's possible that someone who hadn't even started flying on 9/11 could be a Delta Captain!? Crazy!)
This is true. 2007 hires were awarded 717 captain seats in NYC on the latest AE.
Justdoinmyjob is offline  
Old 11-28-2014, 06:18 PM
  #686  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Posts: 200
Default

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan View Post
I didn't say the words "industry leading". I said "industry standard" - but maybe industry common would have been more accurate.

SW reserves have more days off than any other carrier. That's true...if you live in base. However, like almost every other trip, reserves are not commutable on both ends. JetBlue, for example, starts people on a PM RAP and moves them incrementally to an AM RAP by the last day of the period. (they also offer long call for the first few days of groupings > 4 days, but that's neither here nor there).

So a commuter at jetBlue might get the full 12 days off. At SW, yes they'll get 15 or 16 days off, but if they live out of base they're commuting on 4-5 of those days, bringing the total down to an equitable 11-12 days "off". Granted it's a pilot's choice to commute, but it's a reality of this business so they should be intellectually honest when comparing reserve at SW to their competitors.

SW also does not have long call reserve. That means commuters must be in domicile at the beginning of their RAP even if there isn't any flying to assign. There is no reserve trip ownership. Reserves are not typically released on the last day of a reserve pairing even if staffing is excellent and there is no flying to assign. If a reserve pilot returns to domicile on the last day, they are not typically released. Instead they are to remain telephone contactable until the end of their RAP which, for a commuter amounts to on site standby.

With regard to dropping trips, you can never "drop" a trip. There is a trade board where you can attempt to give away your trip. If someone is willing to take it, that's great. If not, you're stuck with it.
Ya sorry, my mistake. Thanks for the info!
Rsv4lyfe is offline  
Old 11-29-2014, 05:46 AM
  #687  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: B737 Captain
Posts: 236
Default

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan View Post
SW reserves have more days off than any other carrier. That's true...if you live in base. However, like almost every other trip, reserves are not commutable on both ends. JetBlue, for example, starts people on a PM RAP and moves them incrementally to an AM RAP by the last day of the period. (they also offer long call for the first few days of groupings > 4 days, but that's neither here nor there).

SW also does not have long call reserve. That means commuters must be in domicile at the beginning of their RAP even if there isn't any flying to assign. There is no reserve trip ownership. Reserves are not typically released on the last day of a reserve pairing even if staffing is excellent and there is no flying to assign. If a reserve pilot returns to domicile on the last day, they are not typically released. Instead they are to remain telephone contactable until the end of their RAP which, for a commuter amounts to on site standby.

With regard to dropping trips, you can never "drop" a trip. There is a trade board where you can attempt to give away your trip. If someone is willing to take it, that's great. If not, you're stuck with it.
SWA has about 10% Reserves. "Industry Standard" is twice that. Long call, trip ownership, trip drop and trading with open time (up to 9 hours prior to show is what SWA FA's have) would require that "Industry Standard" percentage.

Commutable from OAK to East coast on Reserve is tough. Commutable within a few hour flight is doable. SWA FA's have Airport Standby. Do the pilots want this too?
tr4a is offline  
Old 11-29-2014, 05:51 AM
  #688  
Furloughed Again?!
 
ZapBrannigan's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Boeing 737
Posts: 4,781
Default

No, my point was that since you can't be released, commuters are pretty much stuck being quasi-airport standby on the last day. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
ZapBrannigan is offline  
Old 11-29-2014, 06:01 AM
  #689  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: B737 Captain
Posts: 236
Default

Originally Posted by ZapBrannigan View Post
No, my point was that since you can't be released, commuters are pretty much stuck being quasi-airport standby on the last day. Sorry for the misunderstanding.
Last Day of Reserve Block:
a. An unassigned Reserve will be released unless assigned during the first nine (9) hours of his RAP.
-------------------
F. Any time a Reserve completes a pairing and returns to domicile, Scheduling will be
contacted. At that time, Scheduling will inform the pilot of the pilot’s status. A pilot will
either be:

1. Given another assignment. Duty time limits must comply with the Maximum Duty
Period Scheduled limits as defined in Section 5.D.2.f. of this Agreement;

2. Continued on duty-if unassigned, the Reserve will be released no later than eight (8) hours
after report time. If called out for an assignment, the reserve must report back to the airport
within a reasonable amount of time but in no case longer than two (2) hours; or
3. Released to rest or released from the Reserve block.
tr4a is offline  
Old 11-29-2014, 06:34 AM
  #690  
Gets Weekends Off
 
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,375
Default

I think the point that Zap is trying to make is that for no apparent reason, schedules will default to keeping you on the hook until the 8 hour limit. The weather can be great, plenty of reserves on the hook, and you are watching your commuter flight push because schedules didn't want to release you.
I have landed on my last day, called, and been told "OK, just hang out by your phone for two more hours in case something comes up." I looked at the reserve report, and we were stacked with reserves and the system was running as well as it typically does. No reason given, just because. I am a new guy, do I call schedules and ask why or just sit in the lounge and wait? You can guess which I chose.
SWAPA has confirmed that reserves are an issue and that we need better rules. Just because the industry standard is 20 percent doesn't mean that's how we have to do it. I think it is largely ignored just because it is the junior guys on the list doing it and the rules are pretty good. They can just be a little more sensible.
And as far as airport standby goes, we do have it, we just make the company pay us for it so they don't use it. The flight attendants f'ed that one away in my opinion. I sit reserve with several of them in my crash pad and they are being called out all the time to sit in the airport and not getting a cent for it.
e6bpilot is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Pacman
Hiring News
395
09-14-2013 04:03 AM
jetpilot4u
Major
74
08-13-2009 01:54 PM
Cooperd0g
Major
67
01-03-2008 02:29 PM
captain_drew
Major
0
04-14-2005 02:52 PM

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Thread Tools
Search this Thread
Your Privacy Choices