I got here by pure dumb luck, certainly not by being smart, looking good, or flying well. I had a brief but notable career in the adult film industry that made me some valuable contacts in the flying world. The rest is history.

I am just poking fun at you guys. Pilots like to complain, and I do it in spades, but come on. This company is what it is and we all took the job here knowing that. Complaining about 4 leg days in the 737 (those still exist, right? I don't fly them so I don't know) is like complaining that my wife orders too much off of Amazon. I can get stressed about it, make a federal case, stomp my feet, and jump up and down, but my Ring app still alerts me 7 times a day that someone is dropping a package off on my porch. In the end, I am not going to ditch my wife for her Amazon habit and she knows it and I know it. She is still a hell of a partner and a super dependable house manager and puts up with my antics.

Here is something we can all get behind:
SWA can afford to pay us what we are worth. We generate more revenue for our company with our hard work and dedication than any other pilot group. We are also unique in that we will start and end our careers here flying the same aircraft with no opportunity to move to higher paying equipment. We need to be recognized for that uniqueness and our contribution. I will accept nothing less than a contract that values me as a professional pilot at my career destination airline. No more making excuses for the company. No more paying for the company's cheapness out of my own pocket. I plan on doing whatever it takes to make that happen.

My retirement flight will be in a 737, though. It is what it is.

 

“Doin multiple legs per day at age 50 plus doesn't sound too exciting.”



Neither does watching the moon rise at 30W followed shortly by the sun after being up since 5am because circadian. And then trying to stay awake for the next 15 hrs to then try to rest up for your westbound leg after dealing with eurotrash for meals and whatever else you did in the motherland. To each his own.

 

A great point. The flying at WN is enjoyable , it is how HQ has tried to turn the rest of the company against the pilots that I find unsettling.

 

Getting back to topic at hand. The MOU in the beginning of the year proved to me where the rates need to be and what the company can afford. Let's recap... Flying just our basic line earned us 150% of normal, picking up ANY open time paid double.

Just on that, the rates are done. Anything less = NO.

Now fix the rest.

 

Yes having more than 1 bidding options available to new hires is a good thing. Yes, having the ability to bid a higher paying seat is a good thing. Yes (3’rd time for emphasis) more choices will always be more desirable than less choices.

The reason(s) why one picks one option over the other does not diminish the additional value of having the additional choice in the first place.

 

Amen. Premium pay is certainly affordable for them even on a permanent basis. They obviously proved that.

 

Well, ALL of the FOs at United apparently know something you don't. They ALL turned it down.

 

Well, 350-400 k total compensation with a better schedule as an an FO…personally I think that’s better than plug Captain at United.

(In recent climate with ample pickup opportunities of course)

 

Last time I checked we don’t do airport reserve. And anytime our Rsv’s are called, pay goes up. 2 reasons people aren’t jumping to upgrade at UAL. QOL and pay are better as a WB FO or NB line holder.

Got a friend who was awarded 737 upgrade in DEN at 3 yrs. He’s applying to their training center and will turn down upgrade if he gets an instructor slot. Quick upgrade only matter if your FO pay is garbage. Give me $300k+ and I’ll stay a FO. I could give a crap about upgrading.

 

Excellent point. There better be some serious overrides to dissuade bait and switch, or I might just keep finding myself unfit to fly every time it happens.