Are classes already full in August? How many will there be offered?

I thought SWA always slows down hiring in early summer to gauge needs for the remainder of the year?

“Slows down” is different then a sudden “hiring freeze” after a Career Fair.

True statement...

Reference the company memo dated June 5, 2018, Re: Refining our Hiring and Staffing Plan sent out by their SVP-Flight Operations

^^^This is pretty spot on. When I went for FO leadership in Jan and they said this was going to happen at the tail end of the year for various reasons. I recently went back to Dallas and this was reiterated. They are worrying about ETOPS right now, and will have 2019 CQT validation to focus on shortly. Being fat on reserves/booking down/gas/economy concerns all give reason for a short pause. Now if this goes to months and months, I might start getting worried.

Merger/acquisition? Realistically I don’t think the DOJ would ever allow that.

you watch the news, right? A few weeks ago, I might have agreed with you. After AT&T/Time Warner was approved, all bets are off and the flood gates are open. Disney/Fox is next on deck...

M&A absolutely ain’t gonna happen. It would be way too expensive and would be foolish both in economics and capacity. I know pilots love to talk about it, but this just is not the time or the place for such an event.
DOJ aside, look at Alaska right now if you want to see what happens when you pay way too much for an airline (I truly believe Alaska did this as a survival tactic for various reasons) and then all of the sudden the “synergies” don’t show up when you thought they would.
Now cast that in the super conservative, low cost mold that the SWA BOD has made all of their decisions over the last few decades. All of their acquisitions have been either fringe players, on the cheap, or both.
Next downturn I would expect it. Right now, no way.

I'll put a dollar on Alaska or a sw discounted beer domestic only.