Pilots are so smart!

Unfilled vacancies in EWR, LAX or SFO.

I wouldn’t bid that either…yeah yeah, you have that choice…and it seems UAL pilots are choosing not to bid that crap for a reason.

Pretty much everything you post is just a rationalization for being at Southwest, whether you made the choice to be here or are stuck here. You're losing all credibility with me just like Southwest pilots that remark "I could never work at Fedex because I don't want to fly all night" as we taxi out for a 4am body clock time departure.

United and Southwest are both good places to be, with pros and cons. Going forward, someone hired at either will most likely a good run.

150TFP in 14 days...sure it can be done. I'm in the work smarter not harder crowd also. However, if you don't live in base, stuck with reserve, don't have 100% flexibility, and don't want to spend every waking minute on CWA it becomes much more difficult. It's not realistic expectation for all pilots to have such efficient schedules. You actually need other pilots to be willing to fly their line in order for your strategies to work.

Heck I'm a six year FO and still couldn't avoid the holidays in December...part is I'm in a more senior domicile, and part is the weird way the trips were built (why are so many pilots flying on Dec 25th??). But most is due to my slow advancement. If I was at United on the 737 and remained in the right seat my relative seniority would be way higher as pilots above me move on to bigger airplanes or bigger paychecks.

What’s the title of this thread again? There are many posting why the OP should leave. Should he not also be reminded of the positive? I don’t post on here to seek validation from you or anyone else. I post to provide my opinion. Nothing else. If you don’t like my opinion or me that’s cool. If you think I care then you’ve overestimated your value here.

Are you sure you're "cool" I don't like your opinion? Odd, because you just made a whole post that basically screams...I'm NOT cool about your opinion.

Honestly, I'm not posting for or to you. You are in the Kool-Aid category as far as I am concerned. My post is more directed to new hires to point out that 150tfp in 14 days is not a typical result.

I have to agree with the 150 in 14 days is atypical. I live in base and about half way up the list. Every few months I get a hair up my butt and see what I can do. Only once have I got 150 or more and that was working 17 days. I’m outbid for good premium trips, hamstrung by duty and flight time limits etc etc etc. it’s not easy. I have found 120 is about the sweet zone with QOL living in base. Which is about 215K a year on year 5 pay. Not bad but I’d be making 235K or so working min at Yonited sitting left seat at same year pay. We can all agree benefits are better everywhere else than noLUV.

I have a feeling you would not be happy anywhere.

That post has nothing to do with being happy or not. Are you projecting a bit? That is my honest opinion. 150 is just not typical without giving up QOL. I could care less where the OP goes, not my business at all, just be honest though and some saying 150 is easy is not honest IMO. My same feeling is for LUV and SWAPA, they are what they are and don’t be dishonest about them. Lay the cards out on the table and let others decide for themselves without having happy horse and balloons shoved up their butt.

Now I’m not happy about what’s happening in the NCAA CFP rankings.

Cincy or MSU fan?

I’m a 5 year guy and won’t lie, thoughts have crossed my mind. I think I’m on the back side of the curve and it’s not financially prudent to start over (nor can I afford to be a new hire again). Also this industry is fickle and can change on you like the runways in Denver and what’s great yesterday or today might not be tomorrow. This is a long game with no fundamentals to help you make decisions.

I had great expectations for leadership to bring us out of the pandemic, 9/11 style. That didn’t happen. I never would have imagined they would look inward and get this funky with its own people. We fizzled on the pandemic rebound and we showed our people they aren’t number one. Awful and no excuse!

That’s done so now is the time to rethink and rebuild. Will it be done? How will new leadership be? Will relations change? When will we get an industry leading contract? When will we have answers on growth and a future beyond the B737? When will we update a very stale product and poor service? These are but a few questions any new hire (and employee) has to ask. SWA wants everyone to feel that they they are lucky to be here. Does SWA feel lucky that I’m here? How about if you are?

So how about some positives? I’m happy at work. I enjoy the time spent with pilots I work with. I enjoy the conversations, insights, and sometimes differing opinions. I’m paid well based on the amount of flying I do, which is greater than my line by a good margin (yes I try to be smart). I have what I consider a good amount of days off and a healthy QOL with family, hobbies, and outside activities. When I’m off, I’m off! I’ve never missed an important day, holiday or vacation with family which means the world to me.

I guess what I’m trying to say, I’m still more happy than not happy. Could I be “better off” elsewhere? Possibly. We could have another “once in a lifetime” black swan event and I could end up being the smartest guy in the room. Anyone good at tarot cards? I really hope we make this place great again! I’m keeping the faith in my peers and SWAPA that this place will be made great.

What amount of money or days off makes it worth it? I’m not sure of the answers but anyone is invited to my porch at 65 and we can compare notes over a beer then!

Happy to answer questions privately if it helps anyone make a decision.

Fly safe everyone!