I guess. That is going off of latest SWAPA email

 

...whew! FIFTEEN new hires! Easy there, SWA...don't want to pull a muscle! To be clear, I do not wish to discourage any new hires or prospective pilots. We need all the good ones we can get... however... even with the massive amount of hiring already done at the Big 3...I would still head over there if under 30-ish. We've been going through a solid few years of stagnation, and I don't see that changing in the next 5. Retirement numbers are baked into the cake, and our vehicle for growth (-7), even if it comes now, will simply be replacement aircraft (a year from now) for -700's. Our projected hiring numbers for 2026 are LESS than our retirements and medical-out projections. We are shrinking in a time when places like UAL are being downright carnivorous in their appetite for market share. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed my near decade here, and do not live looking backwards; however, the sight picture looking forward, while not dire, is slow and sticky for SWA. Thousands to be hired next year alone at the Big 3...worth considering.

I came here almost a decade ago because of stability and $13 billion in the bank. Fuel check...howgozit...?

Poopoo out...

 

Of the 672 aircraft deliveries scheduled over the next ~5 years, I'm hearing that ~300 are growth. With staffing at ~15 pilots per aircraft, this would indicate the need for an additional ~4,500 pilots on property.

Any opinions on this would be greatly appreciated!

 

Opinion? Sure!

No one knows, to include the higher ups at the company. The reason is that no one can call what the economic and industry landscape with look like in the next five years.

Therefore, given that SWA uses aircraft orders in a flexible fashion to retire old aircraft and/or for growth, if you can forecast what the next five years holds then you’ll have your answer.

Don’t forget to account for the next Black Swan event. Let us know what you come up with 😉

 

yea, I was told directly to my face by LK, of 1000 airplanes by end of 2024. Granted he can’t control Boeing but still.

anyway, none of what you heard is true. Either something is brewing or it’s not. We’ve only lost planes over the last year or two.

 

I was told 1000 planes in two years, 10 yrs ago!

 

The 15 that are hitting the vacancy bid in Feb is the D225 class that was in Oct.

The first big class of new hires started Nov 17. They wrap up around the first half of January and then they have to do the all new extended IOE program. They can’t be ready for the Feb vacancy bid, so they will be in the Mar vacancy.

New hire classes started every week after the Nov 17 class, so from Mar onwards they will be pouring into the system.

 

Sir, your facts and timely information have no place here. Good day.

 

Hello,

I’m a junior captain at a ULCC and I haven’t been able to apply to SWA previously when the window has been open. Is there any word on when the application window may open again?

Are my times in the competitive realm?
3500 TT
2000 121 Turbine
200 TPIC
4-year engineering degree (non aviation related)

Thank you for any information!

 

Nobody knows but I'd guess not until late spring or summer. They're still working through their pool from this fall with people who applied this last Aug, only finally gettti g an invite this week, to schedule an interview in mid Feb.

How many do they have left in the pool and how many classes do they have left to fill in 2026 is anyone's guess.