chrisreedrules

I mean it’s pretty crazy what some SWA pilots are making. But holy cow do they work hard for it. Then again there are pilots at every airline that seem to have the crazy W2’s at the end of the year.

dsevo

I’ve seen some eye watering numbers from AA folks, both FOs and CAs, they just don’t tend to post on public forums. I don’t buy that SWA pilots are out earning AA pilots per average hour away from home.

Pay would be a really silly reason to go to SWA. Almost as silly as going their for the “culture” that died 20 years ago.

JohnPaulGeorge

I have interviews at both upcoming so I too may be leaning to AA. I plan on commuting however out of MCI and will not move for family reasons. Would this alter a decision?

thrust

How many flights per day on SW to a SW hub? How many on AA mainline to an AA hub? You can book the jumpseat 8 days prior on AA mainline and it’s essentially yours 99% of the time. How many flights are on AA regionals, where you can’t book the jumpseat in advance? I have no idea how SW’s jumpseat priority works or if they can reserve it in advance.

AA commuter policy is the rare thing that leads the industry. What’s SW’s commuter policy?

AA has a 2-3 year upgrade right now if that motivates you. Some think that’ll come down to about 1.5 years on the vacancy bid out Friday. My SW friends say their upgrade is coming down from about 10 to about 7-8 years. Do you care?

Would you like the option to fly something other than a 737? Widebody flying? You could eventually sit LC reserve from MCI on the 787/777 being based in DFW or ORD. Your neighbors will think you’re unemployed or in witness protection. Does that motivate you?

Both airlines have industry-trailing management. Many think this latest SW fiasco meltdown could happen at AA too, albeit on a lesser scale.

black cat

I have a buddy that ended up at SWA and he's not too happy. He left a regional to go there and he says SWA is just a big regional with mainline pay. He grinds out 4-5 leg days hopping around in a 737, max duty days, and with min rest layovers. And another interesting point with their long duty days, they don't have the ability to decline 2 hour extensions no questions asked. It's either extend or make a fatigue call. You can definitely make money there but they work you to death.

Smooth at FL450

A Fatigue call is no questions asked. who cares what they call it.

bababouey

Southwest gets a lot of street cred because they’ve never furloughed, and often were the only outfit hiring. In this environment, choosing to go fly a 737 for the rest of my life is a tough sell. They’re still a great job, but for most of us, there are better landing spots.

JohnPaulGeorge

Valid points that I agree with. Getting to DFW or ORD is quit easy on AA and SWA to the respective bases. AA is the way to go imo

El Peso

I thought that an option to except or decline an extension was part of the FARS? How can someone be forced into an extension? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone here at AA extend. There’s a reason why there’s duty day limits, and that reason is safety.

WHACKMASTER

We most certainly can deny extensions.