No criticism intended for our AA brothers. They're trying to get theirs back, and I respect their efforts. I am not rubbin' anybody's face in it - heck, we backed into being well paid. Yup, we have slowed down upgrades, and it could easily go from 7 to 10 years if we don't pick up growth again soon, that fact is very near and dear to me as I am still sittin' right seat. Don't know what we'll get in this contract. I doubt we have the cajones to push hard for better pay.

At any "rate", the pay rate is what it is. SWA currently has better pay rates than most of the rest of the passenger airline industry, and the belief that we fly 8 legs a day every day is a gross misconception. SWA is a great job in which you get paid well, are paid at least 2/3 hour flight time for every hour on duty and .9 hours for every 3 hours away from base for the entire length of the trip. In reality, our trips are so efficient that I rarely run into those rigs.

Personally, I hope somebody else gets pay raises that put them higher than ours - I'm tired of hearing we are overpaid.

Exp 96, I think those numbers look closer to being reality for SWA, I have no idea about AA. No serious criticism intended.