oldboyroy

What does it mean when all my legacy friends say you will work your tail off at SWA? Is it that bad? I don't see the horrible chains and slave labor they speak of...can someone elaborate?

e6bpilot

There was a time not so long ago when SWA primarily flew multiple short legs around the middle of the country. You would fly the airplane half the day, usually on 5-7 legs, and then hand it over to the PM crew or put it to bed if you are the PM crew. It was hard work, but usually resulted in a fairly well paying day.
A few of those trips still exist, primarily in California, but the average SWA trip now is 3 legs a day with 1.5 to 2 hour legs. Sprinkle in some near international and transcon flying, some easy trips that fly one or two legs a day, and other random flying, and that is mostly not true these days.
I blocked a little over 700 hours last year, which is about what my legacy counterparts on narrowbody airplanes blocked. We still have some productive trips that block over 20 in 3 days and credit over 25 tfp, but they are pretty rare. I don’t fly them because I don’t like them, but some guys bid a whole line of them and enjoy their days off a little more.

crobey

Also expect to fly when sitting reserve. Very rarely will you not be used (February to spring break is the most likely timeframe to not be used currently)

oldboyroy

from what I can tell...work effeciently, less time in hotel layovers and airports waiting, so does that equate more time off (at home) than the Legacy airlines? Is it possible to get 10-12 block days off at a time?

DHC8DRV

That is changing now that we are staffed fairly well in all bases. I bid reserve in Nov and Dec to get the holidays off and only worked 6 days each month. With the new pay for reserve in the new contract, reserve is starting to go more senior since you are guaranteed either 90 or 96 TFP per month and work less and less each month as the staffing goes up.

gipple

One of our greatest benefits is flexibility. Work little or work much. Most work much. Trip for pay totals become addictive for some. Mr 408 comes to mind. Not my bag but that it is even possible is terrific. Job security is the other. And a nice 11.3% profit sharing as of last night is the cherry on top.

at6d

As far as blocks of days off, I just had 14. This is due to transition between months, but I’ll take it.

You can definitely work your ass off here, mostly self inflicted though.

saab2000

You won't work more here than at a regional, that's for sure. But there is plenty of flying to be had for those who wish to make some money. But you can't work more than most people at a regional work. I knew people who timed out and I was average at mine and did 850 hours per year on average.

I think by working your tail off people mostly mean you won't de-qualify by not flying enough. And there are people at majors who can do just that if they sit reserve on a wide body.

ZapBrannigan

That is the party line. It’s really hard to do the “work little” part though. Can’t drop trips. Have to hope you have something desirable enough that another pilot would like to take it from you.


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SlipKid

It takes effort, but it's rare that I can't get rid if at least 6 days per month via TTGA, ELITT and overlap.

I had my entire Feb board cleared in under 4 hours on Jan 11th. I wish it were June or July.