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HELP! SWA or Current gig?

Old 12-11-2017, 04:57 PM
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Hello All,
I have a class date at SWA but my employer just offered me 300K to stay, plus a defined benefit program comparable to the majors. I am a 44 -year old G-650 captain with an excellent resume (Fortune 100, Former major airline, former military,). I could have 20+ years at SWA but I'm gonna have to start all over (not crazy about that).
  • How long until I can make 200K as a commuter?
  • How realistic is it to pick up extra time as a commuter?
  • I think the upgrade time will come down in coming years. Thoughts?
  • Thoughts and opinions on my situation greatly appreciated.
This is a tough decision. I guess it's a good problem to have.
Thank you!
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:07 PM
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For me it was about the stabability and being “off” when I’m home (plus knowing when I will be home next month). You’ll make $300k eventually at SWA. If you’re sure you will be employed by the 650 operator for twenty years and the schedule is good, you probably would not have applied to SWA.

Alex.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:10 PM
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Without going crazy picking stuff up, prob looking around 4-5 yrs to make 200k.

I’ll do 150k or so this year but I live in base and pick up stuff every month.

Upgrade will prob come down to the 6-8 yr range....eventually. Maybe. Right now it’s 10 yrs or so.

If you’re a short drive from work and the company is financially stable and offering that kind of $$$$.....I’d have a hard time turning it down. I’ve never done Corp so not sure how 20+ yrs of sitting in FBO’s and loading bags would be.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:14 PM
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I don't love my current job and the schedule in any corporate gig is only good when looking back over the previous month- never forward. I envy my airline colleagues but only the ones with seniority. Commuting also sucks. 300K is huge though. Man I'm torn. If I were younger it would be SWA all the way.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:22 PM
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Originally Posted by BB818 View Post
I don't love my current job and the schedule in any corporate gig is only good when looking back over the previous month- never forward. I envy my airline colleagues but only the ones with seniority. Commuting also sucks. 300K is huge though. Man I'm torn. If I were younger it would be SWA all the way.
Would it be a easy or a hard commute? If you’re not happy with the current gig....is that kind of $$$ going to make you happy? Or will you still be miserable but with 💰? I’d rather have less cash and be happy personally. You can’t take it with you and life’s too short to be miserable.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:29 PM
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I live in southern NH. My goal is to commute to BWI which, is one of the easiest commutes in the airline world.....but it's still a commute. I've read that the ave at SWA is 100 per month. How realistic is 110 or even 120hours conversion per months as a commuter?
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:39 PM
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A lot depends on life/family circumstances, but if all else is equal. SWA.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:40 PM
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Default HELP! SWA or Current gig?

Originally Posted by BB818 View Post
I live in southern NH. My goal is to commute to BWI which, is one of the easiest commutes in the airline world.....but it's still a commute. I've read that the ave at SWA is 100 per month. How realistic is 110 or even 120hours conversion per months as a commuter?


What's most important to you? Money? Time off? Flexibility in schedule manipulation? Would you ever consider moving to a base? Are you confident you'll be at your current gig making 300K for the next 20+ years? These are all things that only you can answer for yourself.

Just another data point; I'm a commuter and I refuse to work more than to 14-15 days a month. I'd consider myself pretty middle of the road as far as monthly credit and I'm looking at around 175 as a 3rd year FO with a few months 4th year pay at the tail end (and that's considerably less than many friends I have hired in the same time frame I did if you're concerned about money). Next year I'd estimate an extra 20K if I credit the same. This is all excluding profit sharing and B fund contribution.




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Old 12-11-2017, 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by BB818 View Post
I live in southern NH. My goal is to commute to BWI which, is one of the easiest commutes in the airline world.....but it's still a commute. I've read that the ave at SWA is 100 per month. How realistic is 110 or even 120hours conversion per months as a commuter?
110 is easy. I’m there now for Dec and I haven’t picked anything up all month. You could do 120 by picking up a day trip or 2 day pretty easily.
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Old 12-11-2017, 06:07 PM
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I'm not afraid of working hard. Corporate is easily 10X harder and more stressful than my airline days. Having said that, $$ is important to me as well. I'm willing to work a lot, I'm just wondering what the realistic possibilities are as a commuter. Everyone hears stories of FO's making 300K or Captains making 400+ but I sit and wonder if those are the few, super-senior guys living in base. I don't expect to make that anytime soon however, it's important for me to develop a good sense of what's realistic within the next few years as I will have to take a massive paycut and probably work every weekend and holiday for years. Maybe I have a skewed sense from my days at DAL from 2000-2005 which included commuting to reserve 20 days /month, furlough, 50% pay-cut, bankruptcy, etc. Thank you for your input- very much appreciated.
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