Good info...thanks. I always thought it was weird to force someone to upgrade.

It's not that anybody was forced to upgrade. You just couldn't remain an FO. Very similar to "You don't have to go home but you can't stay here".

But that policy of "up or out" is gone.

Technically in the past at SWA you could remain on the list as an FO forever. You were just made to go to upgrade training and become a Lance, which meant taking a Captain checkride every 6 months even if you never picked up any Captain flying. As others have said fortunately those days are long and gone.

Amen. There was very little downside to the pre 2009 Lance program. I am still not sure why folks had so much heartburn with it.

Sadly, we'll continue to shoot ourselves in the collective foot in the name of jealousy, err, "fairness". :eek:

Probably because that senior FO takes a vacation bid from another FO. Takes a very good line then gives it away and flys cpt trips and also takes a spot away from someone who wants to upgrade for technically forever until it was changed to one yr max.
The purpose for the lance program is no longer there. We have plenty of guys who will upgrade and aren't short captains that we cant make.
Still if given the opportunity and I want to wait that long I'd lance for a yr.

Except that by not upgrading to Capt, the Lance allowed the next person to upgrade, so it made no difference to the people junior to both of them.

So? It's their line. Lots of folks bid "good" lines and give/trade them away. I haven't flown my awarded line since before ELITT started.

[quote]and also takes a spot away from someone who wants to upgrade for technically forever, until it was changed to one yr max. /quote]

Umm, if a lance bypasses a capt slot, the next guy gets it, and so did all the other folks below him until that person made the jump. Every lance meant another capt slot for someone junior to him/her. They also get last dibs at upgrade training, because regular capts get priority.


It was a loss for the entire pilot group. They truly were the grease that kept the flexibility machine going. I haven't been a lance for over 18 years, and I am still bummed that we destroyed it in 2009. Everyone is working harder for less flexibility these days.

Required upgrade
 

Every Lance in my domicile could’ve held Captain for a while. I’ve flown with several recently upgraded captains who never got senior enough to hold Lance. So I guess I don’t understand why this is still a thing. It’s not commonplace in the industry.


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Hilarious!
 

Lance Captain! LOLOL

I do know a CA whose wife is a FO at a Regional, 20 plus years, and is able to bid entire months of reserve and almost never gets called. Flies the absolute minimum. If she does get called, I guess the mother in law / outlaw lives with them and can pinch hit as the responsible adult if he is on a trip.

She's hot too.

Actually, she is.....