LAXtoDEN

What security is that exactly? They still sent out furlough letters to 1,221 pilots during Covid though correct?

slammer1906

That's not "called being sr" That's typical schedule here. 2-3 legs per day. Senority doesn't affect that here. It only affects vacation bidding, base, seat, etc and our more desired overnights...

mulcher

Yeah I’m not that Sr as a CA. I haven’t flown 5 legs since I upgraded.

Otterbox

SWA ftw then. Don't commute long term, no matter how much the life long commuters say it isn't bad. A 2hr drive is way better.

RckyMtHigh

That 5-leg day reputation just won't die. 8+ years at SWA and I have yet to fly a 5 leg day.

2 hour drive can be rough. I did it for a couple years and for the most part drove in the night before to start my am. I called it Commuting Lite, but at least I was in control of it and in my own vehicle. Most do the drive same day, but I just couldn't do a 2/3 am wakeup to drive 2 hours to do a 10-11 hour day. PMs probably better suited for that kind of drive.

Now if you're doing a 2 hour drive just to commute, even a "commutable" trip probably isn't, so you're losing two-four days a month that could have been spent at home. Most would tell you living in base is the number one factor to consider when choosing a job.

Your career progression is undoubtedly better long term at AA, but QOL likely better in the short term (5 years or so) at SWA. Is time spent with young kids now worth later career stagnation? Depends on what you value. From my experience at swa, I've found I've been able to move around my schedule to meet family wants/needs pretty easily. Missed one Christmas in that time. With the holiday pay in the new contract, I bet getting holidays off will be pretty easy as plenty will chase the easy money. I usually work 12 days or less per month and stay on roughly the same time schedule as my family. For me, crossing multiple time zones/redeye flying really beat me up and cost me a day of recovery on the backside to get in sync with the family. Add that to losing a day to commuting and even a good WB schedule doesn't feel like it.

SWA is easy for someone not chasing the money. Lots of folks hustle here - let them pick up your slack.

ZapBrannigan

Agree. Drive to work. No airplane is worth the lost time and stress of a commute. You'll earn a fine living at SWA. At the end of the day, that's all that really matters.

My vote is space positive in your car.

Cyio

Also agreed. As for getting time off that is super easy here I have given away two trips this month due to heavy family load and am able to pick up turns and easy two days to fill in the gap of pay loss on days more convenient for me, if I choose.

Haven’t worked a five leg day yet since I’ve been here so who knows why that rumor is going around still. They do exist but are rare.

AA does have lots of retirements but I still say the ones who will benefit the most from that wave have already been hired, just my opinion though. AA has WB flying if that is an itch you have to scratch.

I had a very similar situation to yours and chose SWA. Your mileage may vary. Good luck as you won’t go wrong with either choice.

Seven3guy

WN.

Driving to work.
Schedule flexibility.
QOL.
Company financials.
Better place to be when the music stops.

waterskisabersw

No brainer. Drive to work. Even two hours. Even FOUR hours.

The money will be fine at both places, and while the 73 will get boring quickly, there is definitely something to be said about never being more than a few times zones off. Does that benefit outweigh the benefits of long haul flying? That's usually up to the individual to determine.

The financial thing is a wash. Yes swa has much better Financials but every airline is one noshobojo away from financial ruin. It's the nature of capital intensive industries.

The biggest thing is driving to work though, and it's the only trump card in here, even considering long call. Your car will never cancel, will never be full, and with the exception of the MCO employee lot, will never push without you.

Yes, it might suck to wake up at 2-3 am and drive to a 10 hour day, or work that same day and drive home at 2am, but those factors are only compounded by commuting. Now, if you're 15 minutes from a podunk airport that will get you to MIA/CLT with one flight, that might change the equation slightly, but even then you still have the other issues I listed, along with the fact that small city commutes always run the risk of having their schedules cut.

It would suck to go into a 30 year career thinking you have 5 commute options per day and then having that cut to 1 or 2 flights a day and being stuck with that. The chances of that happening are exponentially higher than a base (swa or aa) closing.

Mozam

Saying WN flys 5 leg days is equivalent to saying AA is a month away from bankruptcy . I think this guy is looking for honest opinions not an opinion from somebody that has a lot of hate and bias