I left SWA and have had a successful career
12-20-2013, 08:13 AM
#61
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Sleeping in the black swan’s nest.
Posts: 5,709
Originally Posted by shoelu
So I guess the best course of action is to pick the worst performing carrier that is barely staying in business because we all know: Past performance is no indicator of future success.
I'm saying you do what you think is best based on current information but there are no guaranties. So think real careful before throwing away a seniority number on a wild goose chase for a supposedly better one.
12-20-2013, 01:02 PM
#62
La Familia Delta
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B-717 FO / C-17 AC
Posts: 2,467
Ironically, the title of this thread "I left SWA and have had a successful career" is probably a precursor of whats to come. There are junior folks at SWA who are already jumping ship, well, because they don't love commuting Oakland, and theyre doomed to be there for years. Don't get me wrong, if I lived in the bay area, SWA would be at the top of my list. Otherwise, yes, you will hear a lot of people say "I left SWA and have had a successful career"
I should also point out that I hope SWA contracts continue to remain at or near the top in the industry. We don't need to be hearing one success story at the expense of a failure somewhere else. We need the ENTIRE industry to be successful.
I should also point out that I hope SWA contracts continue to remain at or near the top in the industry. We don't need to be hearing one success story at the expense of a failure somewhere else. We need the ENTIRE industry to be successful.
12-20-2013, 02:47 PM
#65
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
Had a very junior UAL buddy furloughed after about a year or so back in 2001. Went on mil leave.
In the early 2000s, I told him to skip the mil for a bit, go to Jetblue since he would not have to forfeit his UAL number, and see how it worked. I thought he was a dumb**** for not taking my advice.
In 2010 as FedEx reopened the machinery, I told him I'd walk him in there if'd like and help all I could (not that it would have mattered). He wasn't interested.
In 2013, he is an O-6 select on mil leave with a UAL seniority number. After he does retire...with a full Colonel's pension...he can go back and fly as a NB FO with decent seniority or maybe even as an widebody FO....I dunno.
I have more or less quit telling guys what to do with their lives. I'll help them get hired where they want, but its sure hard to tell where the best seat on the merry-go-round really is located at times.
In the early 2000s, I told him to skip the mil for a bit, go to Jetblue since he would not have to forfeit his UAL number, and see how it worked. I thought he was a dumb**** for not taking my advice.
In 2010 as FedEx reopened the machinery, I told him I'd walk him in there if'd like and help all I could (not that it would have mattered). He wasn't interested.
In 2013, he is an O-6 select on mil leave with a UAL seniority number. After he does retire...with a full Colonel's pension...he can go back and fly as a NB FO with decent seniority or maybe even as an widebody FO....I dunno.
I have more or less quit telling guys what to do with their lives. I'll help them get hired where they want, but its sure hard to tell where the best seat on the merry-go-round really is located at times.
12-20-2013, 02:56 PM
#66
veut gagner à la loterie
Joined APC: Apr 2008
Position: Light Chop
Posts: 23,286
Truth is how do you know what will happen? One CEO can screw over a great company.
There are some bad moves out there, I knew someone in 08 that was hired at Delta and said no thanks I'd rather go to World. Or supposedly someone left Delta for Skybus.
Some are a little harder to figure out, for instance met a great pilot who was at ASA and left for National which worked fine until furloughed, they then went to AirTran only to get furloughed, and then another carrier and furloughed again.
The risk of leaving is tremendous. But I'm to the point now of just have a job and focus on the family first; but that's because I'm surrounded by, and supporting people, who have lost their jobs in the outside world and it's just ugly.
But it's such a personal choice, just like your schedule and what airplane you bid or whether you are to commute or not. Good luck to any SWA pilots who leave to come to Ma Delta or those who go from Delta to SWA. I wish you well... But if you play football at FSU I hope you catch an itch you can't scratch and can't play January 6th...
There are some bad moves out there, I knew someone in 08 that was hired at Delta and said no thanks I'd rather go to World. Or supposedly someone left Delta for Skybus.
Some are a little harder to figure out, for instance met a great pilot who was at ASA and left for National which worked fine until furloughed, they then went to AirTran only to get furloughed, and then another carrier and furloughed again.
The risk of leaving is tremendous. But I'm to the point now of just have a job and focus on the family first; but that's because I'm surrounded by, and supporting people, who have lost their jobs in the outside world and it's just ugly.
But it's such a personal choice, just like your schedule and what airplane you bid or whether you are to commute or not. Good luck to any SWA pilots who leave to come to Ma Delta or those who go from Delta to SWA. I wish you well... But if you play football at FSU I hope you catch an itch you can't scratch and can't play January 6th...
12-21-2013, 06:16 AM
#67
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Posts: 668
Originally Posted by newKnow
Yes. Take a look at it. I think the DAL/NWA SLI was published in December of '08. Go back and see how people reviewed it, absorbed it, and for the most part, moved on. When pilots got out of line, people from both sides of the called them on it.
Compare it to the other threads right after their merger was compete: United/CAL, AWest/USAir, and especially SWA/AirTran. How are you guys doing?
Personally, at Delta, I don't think I could work with a better group of guys and gals.
Compare it to the other threads right after their merger was compete: United/CAL, AWest/USAir, and especially SWA/AirTran. How are you guys doing?
Personally, at Delta, I don't think I could work with a better group of guys and gals.
12-21-2013, 08:27 AM
#68
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Position: Upright and Locked
Posts: 45
A question from the peanut gallery
If I may make a minor tangent to this thread, while it is still mostly on track and the haters have not yet discovered it, I have a question for this august body.
Should I be so fortunate as to get hired at SWA, and soon thereafter get an offer from a legacy carrier which gives me:
a) better QOL (read: easy, short commute right away vs years at OAK)
b) the opportunity to do the flying I like (long haul, international) on the big Boeing equipment I want, and
c) the opportunity to make Captain before I retire (I'm already 45)
What is the right/wrong time, right/wrong way to thank SWA for the opportunity they've given me, but that I am leaving for the oft rumored "greener pastures"?
How will I be treated/regarded by SWA in this process?
And finally, any advice on dealing with the friends who have truly gone to great lengths to help me get hired at SWA in the first place?
I appreciate your thoughtful remarks…haters (and you know who you are), please move along.
If you prefer to PM me your thoughts, rather than cause a total thread hijack, I'm fine with that. It just seemed this was a good audience for my question.
Exit…Stage Left
YAP
Should I be so fortunate as to get hired at SWA, and soon thereafter get an offer from a legacy carrier which gives me:
a) better QOL (read: easy, short commute right away vs years at OAK)
b) the opportunity to do the flying I like (long haul, international) on the big Boeing equipment I want, and
c) the opportunity to make Captain before I retire (I'm already 45)
What is the right/wrong time, right/wrong way to thank SWA for the opportunity they've given me, but that I am leaving for the oft rumored "greener pastures"?
How will I be treated/regarded by SWA in this process?
And finally, any advice on dealing with the friends who have truly gone to great lengths to help me get hired at SWA in the first place?
I appreciate your thoughtful remarks…haters (and you know who you are), please move along.
If you prefer to PM me your thoughts, rather than cause a total thread hijack, I'm fine with that. It just seemed this was a good audience for my question.
Exit…Stage Left
YAP
12-21-2013, 08:53 AM
#69
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Position: CA
Posts: 1,207
Originally Posted by Y AirPirate
If I may make a minor tangent to this thread, while it is still mostly on track and the haters have not yet discovered it, I have a question for this august body.
Should I be so fortunate as to get hired at SWA, and soon thereafter get an offer from a legacy carrier which gives me:
a) better QOL (read: easy, short commute right away vs years at OAK)
b) the opportunity to do the flying I like (long haul, international) on the big Boeing equipment I want, and
c) the opportunity to make Captain before I retire (I'm already 45)
What is the right/wrong time, right/wrong way to thank SWA for the opportunity they've given me, but that I am leaving for the oft rumored "greener pastures"?
How will I be treated/regarded by SWA in this process?
And finally, any advice on dealing with the friends who have truly gone to great lengths to help me get hired at SWA in the first place?
I appreciate your thoughtful remarks…haters (and you know who you are), please move along.
If you prefer to PM me your thoughts, rather than cause a total thread hijack, I'm fine with that. It just seemed this was a good audience for my question.
Exit…Stage Left
YAP
Should I be so fortunate as to get hired at SWA, and soon thereafter get an offer from a legacy carrier which gives me:
a) better QOL (read: easy, short commute right away vs years at OAK)
b) the opportunity to do the flying I like (long haul, international) on the big Boeing equipment I want, and
c) the opportunity to make Captain before I retire (I'm already 45)
What is the right/wrong time, right/wrong way to thank SWA for the opportunity they've given me, but that I am leaving for the oft rumored "greener pastures"?
How will I be treated/regarded by SWA in this process?
And finally, any advice on dealing with the friends who have truly gone to great lengths to help me get hired at SWA in the first place?
I appreciate your thoughtful remarks…haters (and you know who you are), please move along.
If you prefer to PM me your thoughts, rather than cause a total thread hijack, I'm fine with that. It just seemed this was a good audience for my question.
Exit…Stage Left
YAP
12-21-2013, 12:35 PM
#70
No longer cares
Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: 767er Captain
Posts: 12,109
Originally Posted by shoelu
Take any offer that might come your way that is an upward career progression. If you get hired at SWA and it is not the "dream" job, keep the job search going. No one will be angry when and if you leave an employer for what you consider to be greener pastures as long as you give proper notice and burn no bridges.
