7 year SWA pilot
07-16-2023 | 08:22 PM
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 525
Likes: 0
Welcome to the club. I start with UAL soon, and though it was a tough choice to give up 6 yrs of seniority at SWA, I came to the same conclusion. This company seems to be heading in the wrong direction. Seeing the UAL AIP that just dropped reinforces my decision. I sincerely hope that SWAPA can get a great contract soon, but it seems like the company would rather work against the pilot group & union than with them.
Welcome to UA. I left SW after a year and am almost done with initial here on the 737. Super laid back (boring) footprint. 2 days off guaranteed per week will blow your mind after SW Indoc…lol. Positive space to/from home and training?! Crazy!
It was hard to leave all jokes aside. I’m having to commute for a bit until I get back to home base, but worth it in the long run to not kill myself with 4-5 legs a day and to have the option to do something else down the road.
07-16-2023 | 09:09 PM
#42
At your mom's house
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 3,675
Likes: 449
From: cpt 737
Same here. I sat watching ground ops in two different stations completely screw up two highly padded turns today due to nothing but straight buffoonery. I just sat munching my pistachios and throwing the shells on the cockpit floor like a good AM flyer. This place makes money despite itself. 5 and 20 are all that matter to me and I want those two days to be as amazing as possible for the rest of my career. The rest is noise.
This job is a lot of long, frustrating days and repetition. I try to manage that by giving the least amount of fu*ks as possible and taking as much time off as my sick bank and vacation weeks will allow to recharge my batteries. My sick bank will never get me a management job and I am perfectly ok with that.
I have been flying with a lot of new guys and their unbridled SkyWest optimism is actually like chicken soup for the grumpy captain soul. I get a laugh out of some of it, but it's a good balance to the negativity that literally lurks around every corner here.
This job is a lot of long, frustrating days and repetition. I try to manage that by giving the least amount of fu*ks as possible and taking as much time off as my sick bank and vacation weeks will allow to recharge my batteries. My sick bank will never get me a management job and I am perfectly ok with that.
I have been flying with a lot of new guys and their unbridled SkyWest optimism is actually like chicken soup for the grumpy captain soul. I get a laugh out of some of it, but it's a good balance to the negativity that literally lurks around every corner here.
I firmly believe everyone should take some time off for their mental health when needed.
07-16-2023 | 10:22 PM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
For me, I just can’t imagine having to do 5day trips again 
… especially with PBS. 3on/4off suits me just about right. 18+ days off every month of the year would be tough for me to trade for newhire training at another company that has their own warts too. 6years in, and I don’t plan to leave. I’ve endured the struggle at other airlines before, and this too shall pass. Although, I fully expect to have to vote NO on the first TA or two lol. Now if another company was the difference in driving to work over commuting, then I might feel different.
… especially with PBS. 3on/4off suits me just about right. 18+ days off every month of the year would be tough for me to trade for newhire training at another company that has their own warts too. 6years in, and I don’t plan to leave. I’ve endured the struggle at other airlines before, and this too shall pass. Although, I fully expect to have to vote NO on the first TA or two lol. Now if another company was the difference in driving to work over commuting, then I might feel different.
07-16-2023 | 10:29 PM
#44
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 588
Likes: 0
Jesus. Why’d you have to upgrade because we’re totally on the same page as far as this job/company are concerned. Imagine how little fu*ks we could have given together? It would have been epic!
I get so seriously frustrated with the peeps I fly with when they get all worked up at the dysfunction of the operation or especially WX. Thanks to a lot of our work rules, CHAOS IS CASH BABY! Since they’re not going to fix the operation, we just have to ensure that their dysfunction equates to even more $ and/or time off for us.
Between Report Time and Release Time let’s ensure maximum $ signs, mmmmmmmkay?
🔥👇
I get so seriously frustrated with the peeps I fly with when they get all worked up at the dysfunction of the operation or especially WX. Thanks to a lot of our work rules, CHAOS IS CASH BABY! Since they’re not going to fix the operation, we just have to ensure that their dysfunction equates to even more $ and/or time off for us.
Between Report Time and Release Time let’s ensure maximum $ signs, mmmmmmmkay?
🔥👇
I don’t really care what happens between report and release as long as the pay goes up. I love a good Move Up
07-17-2023 | 06:00 AM
#45
— No Relief On Scope —
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 4,531
Likes: 306
From: B737 Left Seat
I also have 17 to go (now as a captain!) and will retire at 8%. I was flying on 9/11 and watched the industry up and downs since then. The current hiring is an event in itself—the downside is it won’t sustain itself as the pool will dry up. The recent credentials data breach showed 3K apps on file. The days of 10K apps on file and a Hail Mary to the end zone full of interview teams are over. If you want to go to Widget you can just say so and do it. Amazing.
My perspective is that I’m staying right where I am. I have 4700 pilots below me on the list which I don’t want to trade.
That being said, I took five weeks in Europe in March-April. Looks like a no vote is coming, and my sick bank will be managed whenever I’m not fit to fly.
My perspective is that I’m staying right where I am. I have 4700 pilots below me on the list which I don’t want to trade.
That being said, I took five weeks in Europe in March-April. Looks like a no vote is coming, and my sick bank will be managed whenever I’m not fit to fly.
07-17-2023 | 11:03 AM
#48
Thread Starter
On Reserve
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 183
Likes: 1
Interesting. There have been quite a few that have shared their opinion that one would be ill-advised to make such a move. However, my Union President just told anyone with less than 5 years that they should be actively seeking employment elsewhere. He’s in the Neg. room. Yes, I get that rhetoric ramps up…but that’s a bold statement from a union head. Either our President is embellishing, or the kool aid is still strong with many here.
Is Casey right? Should all those with less than five years attempt to leave? Or is APC crowd right (all will be great again, hang on, this too shall pass). Someone is tilted the wrong direction. (not wrong in an absolute sense, there is going to be hyperbolic speech in contentious times) but one of these groups is tilted wrong. Which one?
Poopoo out.
Is Casey right? Should all those with less than five years attempt to leave? Or is APC crowd right (all will be great again, hang on, this too shall pass). Someone is tilted the wrong direction. (not wrong in an absolute sense, there is going to be hyperbolic speech in contentious times) but one of these groups is tilted wrong. Which one?
Poopoo out.
07-17-2023 | 11:50 AM
#49
Gets Weekend Reserve
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,259
Likes: 240
From: B737CA
Interesting. There have been quite a few that have shared their opinion that one would be ill-advised to make such a move. However, my Union President just told anyone with less than 5 years that they should be actively seeking employment elsewhere. He’s in the Neg. room. Yes, I get that rhetoric ramps up…but that’s a bold statement from a union head. Either our President is embellishing, or the kool aid is still strong with many here.
Is Casey right? Should all those with less than five years attempt to leave? Or is APC crowd right (all will be great again, hang on, this too shall pass). Someone is tilted the wrong direction. (not wrong in an absolute sense, there is going to be hyperbolic speech in contentious times) but one of these groups is tilted wrong. Which one?
Poopoo out.
Is Casey right? Should all those with less than five years attempt to leave? Or is APC crowd right (all will be great again, hang on, this too shall pass). Someone is tilted the wrong direction. (not wrong in an absolute sense, there is going to be hyperbolic speech in contentious times) but one of these groups is tilted wrong. Which one?
Poopoo out.
Questions you should ask yourself... do you think SWA BOD including BoJo and GK, Wall Street institutional investors, would allow as profitable of an airline like Southwest to just disappear over a pilot contract? Yes, the very same airline that had the most epic meltdown in history that's been largely forgotten by the flying public as evident by high fares and full airplanes, but kept alive mostly by the angry employees? I really don't think so. I think this is the game of chicken, and those of you with any kind of seniority leaving are flinching. The newhires and probies are a different game because they have no seniority anywhere anyway, so they aren't throwing anything away, but you are.
I'd thread very carefully and make a logical decision, not an emotional one.
07-17-2023 | 12:12 PM
#50
7.27%
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 543
Likes: 0
From: Boeing
Remember, APA president also urged people to go to Delta. Now they have a TA. We'll see if it passes, but the rhetoric always gets ugly and emotional decisions usually lead to regret.
Questions you should ask yourself... do you think SWA BOD including BoJo and GK, Wall Street institutional investors, would allow as profitable of an airline like Southwest to just disappear over a pilot contract? Yes, the very same airline that had the most epic meltdown in history that's been largely forgotten by the flying public as evident by high fares and full airplanes, but kept alive mostly by the angry employees? I really don't think so. I think this is the game of chicken, and those of you with any kind of seniority leaving are flinching. The newhires and probies are a different game because they have no seniority anywhere anyway, so they aren't throwing anything away, but you are.
I'd thread very carefully and make a logical decision, not an emotional one.
Questions you should ask yourself... do you think SWA BOD including BoJo and GK, Wall Street institutional investors, would allow as profitable of an airline like Southwest to just disappear over a pilot contract? Yes, the very same airline that had the most epic meltdown in history that's been largely forgotten by the flying public as evident by high fares and full airplanes, but kept alive mostly by the angry employees? I really don't think so. I think this is the game of chicken, and those of you with any kind of seniority leaving are flinching. The newhires and probies are a different game because they have no seniority anywhere anyway, so they aren't throwing anything away, but you are.
I'd thread very carefully and make a logical decision, not an emotional one.
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