How long will it take new hires to upgrade to Captain at SWA? I've heard many different numbers. Are they planning to run any upgrade classes soon? Are there any ways to speed up the process by staying longer at a junior base?

 

It's like the stock market, 'past performance does not gaurantee future returns'. My best guess based on aircraft acquisitions and retirements would be about 6.5 years. There are upgrade classes going on all the time. I think that there was a Nov. class. As we hire new-hires first officers for our new airplanes, we need captains for them also. As for your last question, you can expedite going to capt upgrade by bidding the most junior base. We send the top 7% of first officers in each base to capt upgrade and call them lance-captains. They are capt-qualified and can pick up capt trips but are too junior to bid on or hold a captain line. When we get new planes, the capt's are allready trained. I stayed in the most senior base for a year after I could have gone to upgrade in the most junior base. I therefore went from a non captain qualified first officer in DAL to a line holding capt in MCO. I never did the lance capt deal. Hope this helps.

 

Is OAK, still the junior base? What about BWI?

thanks

 

The most junior FO is at OAK, the most junior capt is at BWI.

 

What base is the most fun? Most junior flight attendants, laid back atmosphere, etc.?

 

Montego Bay Jamaica, mon!