I got my second shot at the conveted summer week this year. Clicked on the first one, gone. Refresh and second one, got it. Hopefully not the same one you were going for.

Got skunked on DEC elitt. Had a trade almost go through for a sweet overlap Hawaii trip and then all 3 of my December trips start dates went instantly red. Guess I am working weekends this month. Oh well.

I haven’t used Elitt in almost a year due to displacements and the backward seniority slide. For VA I initially tried end of July, then mid June and then poof…all gone. Noticed last year that at the end of the month before the next month’s VA is locked that there’s usually a couple weeks avail. Got a June week that way last year….so I’ll try to move a week via pilot trade or keep checking open time…worst case sick click.

I’m looking forward to rsv elitt next month…we’ll see how easy it is to move stuff around in the slow Jan/Feb months. 🤞🏻

did you see the screen shot of the reserve ELLIT ? Every weekend had the red DTC. It'll be worthless. Just like the personal net zero next yr.
but hey he'll get his VP job

‘Twas my experience with vacation trading as well. It was brutal! Made ELITT seem tame.

Who knows…if I can’t slide to get a day off I need I’ll call off the whole rsv block….I just don’t care anymore.

Same. Pilot apathy wrt sick calls is at an all time high. The company has a huge problem on their hands. They refused to bargain in good faith to change our sick system and so the union was like..."ok, we will punt to next time." Now the pilots have a gold mine worth hundreds of millions if not over a billion dollars at this point that doesn't exist on the company books. They can basically use it at will. This creates issues for the company because if they back a pilot in a corner, the pilots are just going to bang out sick. I am sure there are a few who don't do it out of some sense of allegiance, but that number is dwindling.

This incentivizes the company to actually not back pilots into those corners. Look at redeye construction and a few "win-win" contractual gains. Now I can shift my vacation, but if I couldn't and I had to miss a birthday or holiday, you bet your sweet a$$ I was clicking the sick button. Same with a lot of situations. This is honesty probably the biggest leverage that the everyday pilot holds. They used to use swag points and nonrev passes as a cudgel to incentivize pilots to work sick. Covid stopped that stupid policy. The fact is, if you don't like something or need some time off, the sick button is an easy click away and there is little downside for the individual as long as they don't overdo it and drain their bank.

This and the line bidding/vacation combo. If you bid right you can get a month off. Which I do.

do ya'll think that the things that make SWA great in terms of schedule flexibility, line bidding, all that jazz will stick around long term? I am making a similar decision as OP. I really value how amazing our contract is but do fear the major transformation SWA is going through as a company will trickle down in our scheduling over the next few contract cycles. I hate to make a UAL vs SWA decision assuming the flexibility we have today is the same as 10 years from now...

I think sustained hiring for a few months is going to do wonders for the displacement situation. It will take 4-5 months to unravel everything, but throwing bodies at the puzzle will solve it. Looks like the new base is going to be AUS, which will largely be staffed with current HOU/DAL pilots. That's also helpful for displacements that can be created during crew base openings.

then they will backfill dal/hou with pilots from DEN

Don’t doubt that Austin will help with the displacements in someway. I guess I was thinking more in terms that if I leave SWA I only have 100 people give or take under me so I’m not really giving up any seniority. We have many great QOL perks and flexible scheduling with the current contract but is it realistic to think those benefits will be around long term with all the transformational changes and potential for new air frames etc.

as in SW will become like the OAL you'd leave for?

I don’t know the basis you have for these fears. I’m not talking you into staying or going but I would not use fear of us losing contract gains in my decision matrix. We’re improving our product, getting lounges, a limited number of larger planes at some point, new bases. I don’t see this translating into us wrecking our schedule flexibility or QOL gains. I think that’s in safe hands as there is no pilot appetite for that. You’d have to assemble a chain of imaginary actions to get to that conversation. I’m no industry savant but I just don’t see this threat. I’d make my decision on different data, not this.

:D:D:D Touché. I meant that the schedule flexibility is a huge plus for SWA but I see a lot of other pluses on the other side I’m considering in the decision making.

Do what you feel will fit you the best and make you the happiest. Chasing $$$$$$. Typically does not work. This industry seems to be a game of luck .

This place is changing fast. The days of the clowns at HQ blaming all their mistakes on the pilots and the odd shape of Florida are gone. They now need to actually do their job correctly.