It'll be hard not to offend you but here are the blunt reasons... Please don't take it as a personal attack.
Personally I've never been attracted to SWA. Never applied there. Never been fond of the "culture" (dating back to pre 9/11, I know the culture and cowboy ways have changed.) I still believe that you all weren't that great post 9/11, it's that everyone else (accept JB) went through rough times and came back to your level. .
I've never bought into the way, from the moment you're a new hire it's a constant koolaid inundation. The way your new hire classes make fun of other airlines and their pilots with your skits at the end of indoc. Personally I think a lot of the people at SWA are very arrogant. Throwing back some shots and beers on a Monday or going to sniffers row on a Friday can be done anywhere, SWA doesn't have the monopoly on that. Your all not as cool as ya think. (sorry if that sounds harsh)
Look at a recent new hire picture with all of them wearing fake Hawaiian Leis and throwing shakas out. They look like a bunch of cheeseballs who have no clue what they are doing, or what the significance of a leis means or a shaka. Just comes off very arrogant. Maybe not the new hires fault, but your managements mentality.
I think many of your pilots get very defensive when someone points out a deficiency at SWA. If someone points out a deficiency at Hawaiian, I usually either agree or have a real good reason not to. I realize we have issues as do all airlines.
I have enough friends that work at SWA. Some turned out to stay really cool, others mainlined the koolaid and became complete D-bags right from indoc. Like the rest of us all of a sudden worked for inferior carriers. ( yes we have really high paying premium trips as well, our interisland guys can do a :45 minute out and back to OGG for 6:15 credit. Somehow my few Dbag friends think SWA is the only carrier with premium trips. Sorry personal tangent there)
I don't agree with the way you treated AT in the merger. If one of them speaks up or complains, they get attacked and told they should be happy to be working for such a great company. I had a couple of acquaintances at AT and they seemed happy there and never cared about getting bought by SWA.
I would rather work at another Legacy than SWA. If given a choice it would be DL, UA, then AA in that order for the variety of reasons. Followed by JB because of the people I know there and I think the two pilot groups mesh well, AK and then SWA. Honestly it's the several bad apples with the arrogant attitudes that have ruined the perception of SWA for me.
My honest perception of the majority of SWA is arrogant, which is by far my least favorite quality in a person.
I would be the guy still wearing a Hawaiian lanyard and reminiscing about Hawaiian trips and people. So probably better for all that I don't end up at SWA
