Originally Posted by
Tuck
Okay so let me get this straight - average time is 98 trips per month.
Not quite, the average
awarded line is 98tfp with 17 days off. The awarded line is just a starting point. Work rules play a huge part in this.
A 10 year SWA pilot is at the top of the seniority list is almost every base (the jr captain is around a 10 year upgrade right now). This means they have the option to bid weekday flying with lots of 1 and 2 day trips. Junior guys like myself who live in base like to pick up an extra 1 or 2 day trip here and there to supplement our income. The 10 yr guys generally give some/all their flying away and generally only fly high paying weekday trips or 1.5x premium trips or some combination. Reserves at SWA don't sit around so once the reserves are all used the premium starts flowing and the more senior guys can get lots of it especially during the summer & holiday periods. Right now I see senior guys
easily crediting around 12tfp per day or upwards of 160+tfp per month.
Even junior guys like myself can average 8tfp per day throughout the year thanks to the ease with which we can trade and/or pickup. Ive seen classmates of mine consistently crediting 130+tfp month in and month out. I typically average 125+tfp in about 15 days and the system wide average is around 110tfp.
There are plenty of guys who just fly their line but there are just as many who work the system and make bank every month. Its not that hard to do at all.