I hope it didn’t sound as flame. I certainly don’t have a dog in the fight…just trying to wrap my head around all of the variables/sides/positions.
This probably isn’t the response you are looking for, but I will say a prayer that you can find some inner peace. Carrying a lifelong grudge, and waiting for the opportunity to seek retribution is no way to live life.

I understand that you don’t have the deck of cards in your hand that you’d like, but if you can take a step or two back:
1. You’ve got a 150k+ salary that keeps you flying and out of an office
2. You are far enough up the seniority list that you’ve got furlough protection for a 10-20% economic fallback.
3. You are working for a company that has a solid footing in the industry and is very far from any of the common financial pitfalls in this industry

I’ve been at 3 career fairs over this last year, and a couple of Interview preps. I’ve met pilots that were at the top of their game making something similar, and are now back on the street with me looking to make 38 an hour at Spirit. I had empathy for the SLI decision for about 3 months, and I think it might be about time to count your blessings and move on.

 

You don't know what your hourly rate would have been. The $175 was a result of you being acquired. I know you guys would have been at any carrier +1% then maybe you would wake up. Use $151, the rate a top CA at AAI made before the acquisition. I also don't believe the 90 hrs was the same days as 105 trips. Especially with the lack of productivity at AAI. Your company was debt ridden and would be struggling big time in today's market. The others are hiring though. Do you have your apps out? You should if you aren't happy. Make room for someone that wants to be here.

 

Whacko,

I'm calling BS on your statements above. Care to share your real name so I can go on the Master Seniority List and verify your statements instead of hiding behind your APC screen name? Feel free to PM me. I just don't believe all your hyperbole about how bad you got screwed in the ACQUISITION of your former airline. Ask yourself this question -- what will be your earnings over 5 years from the date you transition over to SWA vs. your earnings had airtran been still a stand-alone airline. And don't use your BS rate of 175 which was caused by the acquisition; use the real rate of 151. How about your career earnings? Definitely going to be much higher being at SWA vs had AirTran stayed separate. Very likely that AirTran could have ended up in the trash heap of airlines and gone bankrupt if Delta had decided to squash you!
Finally, like the previous poster said I'd be careful being a Part 121 airline pilot that is wishing retribution on his employer.
Your previous quote, "While I'm not going to let anything safety related slide, there is a vast majority of the 1,700+ of us who will be looking for retribution and a chance to return the LUV bestowed on us by both SWAPA and SWA management."
The internet has a funny way of remembering your quotes and winding up in places you'd rather they not be aired.

 

Just to set the record straight for a lot of misconceptions out there... I'm a relatively new hire at SWA, haven't worked 2 weekends yet, 3 months on the line and all but one captain has been awesome! Yes, other airlines retire more captains but let me reiterate, I am a newbie and dont work weekends (and I've never been OAK based). I'd love a ual/aa/dal new hire to tell me the same. It's not all gloom and doom here. Whack, please get some perspective from TWA, EAL, PanAm, or Midway guys, you could have it MUCH worse, MUCH. I could list more groups $crewed much worse than you if you'd like.

 

Please don't send him here, we have enough whack unhappy pilots.

 

Whack is probably loosing money, short term. That is a legitimate complaint and he/they should have been made whole (as should RSW). As unsymphatetic as he may come across, that doesn't mean he doesn't have a legitimate complaint. SWAPA/ALPA failed to secure an agreement that was tolerable.

 

if you have the heavy pic time look into JAL and other Asian Airlines. Your background is exactly what they look for in a new hire.

 

I DO have some perspective. Believe me. This is not my first rodeo. Hell, I could have a "normal/regular" job which would, well........suck for lack of a better word.

My airline could have folded and I could be out on the street (I'm talking in general, not that AirTran was in the same dire situation as TWA or ATA at the time of merger/acquisition). Many, many on here have had to endure that stress. I can't imagine having to go through that especially once you're further along in life and have a family to take care of as well.

Hell, I could have been born mentally disable or be a paraplegic from an accident or something. There's a lot worse fates in this world than mine. Trust me when I tell you that I count my blessings.

I'd like everyone to read Rolf's post and then read Thunder 1's post on this page. Does anyone notice a massive difference in attitude? If we're going to be honest here, the pilots of AirTran got royally screwed. We all have people that we place the blame on for that. However, at least Rolf has the ability to see the fact that this was a raw deal for us. I've also run into a very few guys on the line who in one way or another basically apologized or at least verbally recognized this in conversation with me. THAT GOES A LOOOOOOONG WAY! I'll gladly drink beers with someone like that. If we can have a normal conversation about it then it really is almost therapeutic.

On the other hand, you have the majority of SW pilots who believe one or more of the following things:

- AirTran pilots are just those who could never get hired at SW (psssst, most of us, myself included never had a desire to work there and thus never applied)

- We should have ALL been stapled and/or made to pay for our 737 types and/or put on probation (yes, believe it or not they actually proposed that in SLI talks. Imagine, even our most senior Cptns put on probation!)

- We should have never been integrated in the first place and instead just the airplanes and assets should have been taken, but not the pilots.

- After an almost 100% YES vote to strike with almost 100% voter participation, the only reason we got a new and improved contract was because of the acquisition (see Thunder 1's post that I referenced).

That last one REALLY torques me off but I guess should come as no surprise as the majority of SW pilots don't really have any airline experience outside of SW, and you see I'm coming to find out that that's really where the majority of this "holier than thou" attitude stems from.

When you have never been to any other carrier except all "peaches and cream" SW who up until recently has always negotiated in good faith, then perhaps it's only logical that you think your airline is the be all and end all.

Well, it's not. In fact, having had multiple airline experience, I can tell you that while some things are head and shoulders better than other carriers (namely the schedulers, schedules and efficiency of those schedules), some things like your Flt Ops are nothing short of appalling.

It all makes PERFECT sense why there are so many SWA accidents and incidents. Not just that, but also the way in which the airplanes are operated are downright embarrassing at times. It's no longer missiles strapped to the wings, boys. There's actual pax in the back and FAs wandering the aisles. How about a little smoothness and a gentle touch on the flight controls and the tiller?

But I digress. Pre-rant my point was that if SWAPA pilots would ditch the "you hit the lottery" attitude that's directed at us and either verbalized or not (although plainly evident if you read between the lines of conversation out on the line), perhaps this bitter pill would be a lot easier to swallow. Take Rolf's lead and show a little more humility and I can promise you that even I will as well.

For the time being though, as long as the majority of you continue to approach stealing our seniority and Cptn seats with the indifference and in some cases even glee that you do, many of us WILL be looking for payback somewhere down the road in our professional piloting careers.

I will always continue to operate the aircraft safely, smoothly and professionally no matter what paint scheme is on the outside of it. However, as an example of "returning the LUV", I'd recommend against asking for my jumpseat should you find yourself looking to bum a ride at another carrier and I'm PIC somewhere down the road of this crazy profession that we're all involved in.

Also, don't be surprised if you were to receive the same luke-warm reception from former AirTran pilots further down the road. I flew with a lot of ex-ATA pilots at AirTran. If you think they hated your lot before, you should be a fly on the wall now.

Ditch the pompous arrogance. Your $chitty, poorly run airline is making money despite themselves. You (we) could be in bankruptcy quicker than you realize or a more likely scenario....shut down by the Feds due to all the accidents and incidents that seem to happen on a seemingly weekly basis at this outfit.

Take Rolf's lead and try to swallow a dose of much needed humility and I'll do the same.

 

When you have never been to any other carrier except all "peaches and cream" SW who up until recently has always negotiated in good faith, then perhaps it's only logical that you think your airline is the be all and end all.

Whack,
As a 2011 "rsw" hire I was told "you are the cream of the crop"; then promptly stapled beneath every former at pilot. While that blows, I do agree with your above quote. Almost every colonel with whom I fly however, is starting to finally realize that Gk is not Herb and that he views us all(fat and rsw) with distaste.
This airline is de-evolving into every legacy prior, vis a vis, labor management relations. Hopefully the former trannies can bring former 121 fortitude and sense to an otherwise naive group

 

Whack and Wood......you really don't want to go there!