First let me start by saying FedEx is an excellent organization. Hands down one of the premier global companies and perhaps the #1 shipping company. You are fortunate to have had such a successful career there. The seat you sit in represents probably the top 1 or 2% of commercial pilots and every instrument/commercial/soon-to-be CFI pilots wet dream.
Please don't be shocked however, when I say it is not mine.
In full disclosure, I start ground school at SWA on Feb. 16. It is the job I have wanted since I started training for my commercial pilots license - years and years ago. I am 43 years old and fortunately have the chance to be where I want to be. I have never applied for a flying job at FedEx or UPS.
So in the spirit of this thread why SWA and not Fedex for me?
1) SWA has a Phoenix base for pilots, FedEx does not. Commuting to work is the last thing I ever want to do. Currently living in Chicago is not much fun for me or our family. Wifes family is in So. Cal., mine in New Mexico. Scottsdale is right in the middle and not so close either can just drop in unannounced.
2) I interact with our passengers (currently at Skywest) on every leg I fly. I greatly enjoy that part of my job. I personally view "flying the airplane" part of my career about 25% of what I do.
3) I personally prefer short haul flying. Every chance I get, I hand fly up to 20,000 ft and I hand fly down from 20,000 feet. In my opinion, the only fun "stuff" that happens flying a commercial aircraft happens below 20,000ft anyway. I love it. The culture at SWA is about hand flying airplanes. It is not about automation, it is not about managing an autopilot. To be fair, however, this culture is quickly changing at SWA because of the fuel efficiencies gained by letting a computer do the flying instead of a human. Oh well.
4) The culture at SWA is in my opinion the BEST employee culture of ANY American corporation. I could go on for days about this one, but I will only briefly mention this one item. For all the money SWA makes, I firmly the believe the employees are compensated fairly and equitably. For example Gary Kelley, SWA's CEO takes home approx. $1.7 million per year. In other words 9 to 10 times the pay rate of a SWA captain. Fred Smith on the other hand is compensated at what multiple of the average FedEx captain? His compensation fluctuates year to year but to be fair is 35x your salary a fair estimation? Certainly not outrageous, he should be highly compensated for his efforts. But so should you. Like you said you haul $7,500,000 in revenue when you takeoff and land. How much of that do you take home?
5) As far as traveling the world. Personally, I would rather do that with my family on vacation and not an airline crew on a 24 to 36 hour layover.
6) While this last one may sound a little offensive I do not mean it to be. Everything else considered, I absolutely would rather fly a measly, old 737 for the rest of my career than a 777 for another company.
I have a very strong suspicion, that many ex-wifes, many estranged children, many unrecoverable financial setbacks have befallen many a pilot in an unquenchable lust to pursue their big-shiney-jet syndrome.
If given the opportunity to fly a 777, would I take it? Absolutely. But until SWA gets them, I honestly could care less.
Anyway, the chat has been fun. Fly safe!
-JDFlyer