Originally Posted by
Tuck
Good advice - how many guys ever retire at SWA under age 65? Remember it was SWA guys that were the big pushers of turning over the age 60 thing. We have plenty that do at FDX - almost all can afford to but the schedule and pay is so good in those last few years that many choose to stay. I doubt it's the same at SWA - your schedule isn't much different if you're a 30 year CA vice a 20 year CA - most guys I know can easily trade into the great trips even at a very junior seniority. Yeah we have some trips that can really suck at Fedex - also have some incredible trips. I have never had a trip that i couldn't work out at least several hours a day and have several hours off. My typical trip has at least 24 hours off - so at SWA you will probably get paid about the same amount of adjusted credit hours but you will be flying 3x as the average Fedex pilot that is enjoying off time on his layover. Overall compensation is no comparison, nor is upward mobility for a new hire today - without crunching numbers I would guess that Fedex is about 25% above in both areas.
Not trying to get in a contest here, but there are some inaccuracies in this info.
First: age 65 would never have been passed without the support of ALPA. SWAPA did make a rather noisy play to pass it as well, but that was by about 500 pilots in a 6000 pilot union.
Many pilots here (not a lot) quit before 65. Those that don't, though, generally work turn lines and premium two days in their waning days. As one 64 year old who only works international turns (never goes to a hotel) told me "why quit? Between vacation and my sick bank, I only work 3 days a month for half the year. The other half I pick the 6 days I want to come to work. It's like I am retired already."