Warrior Spirit
06-23-2023, 02:43 PM
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2021
Posts: 202
Originally Posted by Upstateny
This company was built on the Warrior Spirit. Its whole beginning was an uphill battle against all odds by employees and Owners that gave meaning to the term “Warrior Spirit”. This spirit is what grew this company to the airline it is today.
Sadly this Warrior mindset has left the building. It is now just a bullet point in an interview, a trait required to be possessed by all new hires and that is all.
I came to Southwest because the spirit that built this company is deeply instilled in me. I built a propane company from the ground up at age 25 with a few thousand dollars and a ton of huge competition with deep pockets. It was a true David and Goliath battle , the same battle endured by the founders of this once great company. I decided at 40 years old to follow my childhood dream and become a professional pilot. I sold my company and charged after the new career. Within a few short years I was flying charter for a local charter company 10 minutes down the road. I became Director of Operations and Check airman within 5 years. I loved my Job but when the airlines began the hiring frenzyI knew this would be my only shot to work for an airline as a had dreamed of as a child.
Southwest stood out to me as the place I needed to be. It exemplified the same traits that helped me start a fledgling business against all odds , it would be a perfect fit. I came on to this forum and researched as much as I could. I put the blinders on to block out all of the contract negativity and pressed on. I figured that the Company was on the verge of a new contract and it would happen any day.
Then the Christmas meltdown happened. Friends and family questioned my sanity wanting to go work for this company that was all over the news and looked like such a train wreck. I kept the blinders on and just figured that they hit rock bottom and this would be the catalyst that would bring the company back to its roots. I was wrong…. The warrior spirit is no longer a part of the fabric of our leadership and only lives in the frontline employees, though sadly it is now slowly being beaten out of those employees.
I have been here 6 months now and nothing has changed. The big epiphany that I thought would take place never happened. Contract negotiations are going nowhere, now what.
Between the terrible first year pay, non-commutable lines, reserves that will last for possibly years, lack of long call reserve, terrible disability coverage etc I am now considering leaving my dream airline job to go back to the Charter company down the road.
Yes I knew about most of these issues before I started, except for the length of reserve and how truly not commutable the lines are. And yes I know it will be fixed at some point. But the reason I came to southwest was because of the Company I thought it was, which it clearly is not anymore. The Warrior spirit of this company is gone, the very thing that brought me here.
If you are shopping for airlines to apply to, do it based on pay, work rules and living near a base, don’t make the mistake I did and base it on culture.
I haven’t left yet but will admit one foot is out the door…
Sadly this Warrior mindset has left the building. It is now just a bullet point in an interview, a trait required to be possessed by all new hires and that is all.
I came to Southwest because the spirit that built this company is deeply instilled in me. I built a propane company from the ground up at age 25 with a few thousand dollars and a ton of huge competition with deep pockets. It was a true David and Goliath battle , the same battle endured by the founders of this once great company. I decided at 40 years old to follow my childhood dream and become a professional pilot. I sold my company and charged after the new career. Within a few short years I was flying charter for a local charter company 10 minutes down the road. I became Director of Operations and Check airman within 5 years. I loved my Job but when the airlines began the hiring frenzyI knew this would be my only shot to work for an airline as a had dreamed of as a child.
Southwest stood out to me as the place I needed to be. It exemplified the same traits that helped me start a fledgling business against all odds , it would be a perfect fit. I came on to this forum and researched as much as I could. I put the blinders on to block out all of the contract negativity and pressed on. I figured that the Company was on the verge of a new contract and it would happen any day.
Then the Christmas meltdown happened. Friends and family questioned my sanity wanting to go work for this company that was all over the news and looked like such a train wreck. I kept the blinders on and just figured that they hit rock bottom and this would be the catalyst that would bring the company back to its roots. I was wrong…. The warrior spirit is no longer a part of the fabric of our leadership and only lives in the frontline employees, though sadly it is now slowly being beaten out of those employees.
I have been here 6 months now and nothing has changed. The big epiphany that I thought would take place never happened. Contract negotiations are going nowhere, now what.
Between the terrible first year pay, non-commutable lines, reserves that will last for possibly years, lack of long call reserve, terrible disability coverage etc I am now considering leaving my dream airline job to go back to the Charter company down the road.
Yes I knew about most of these issues before I started, except for the length of reserve and how truly not commutable the lines are. And yes I know it will be fixed at some point. But the reason I came to southwest was because of the Company I thought it was, which it clearly is not anymore. The Warrior spirit of this company is gone, the very thing that brought me here.
If you are shopping for airlines to apply to, do it based on pay, work rules and living near a base, don’t make the mistake I did and base it on culture.
I haven’t left yet but will admit one foot is out the door…
