This wasn't the first time people have been displaced with transcon commutes. This happened prior to when we started hiring again after covid. Except the sucking sound went the other way. I get there are a lot of people caught in this, but giving away seniority benefits is not the answer. The answer is making it more painful for the company to do this in the future, and trying to force a different staffing model.

What happens when we get that change so many displaced people want but they still can't get in because there aren't enough people leaving and you finally decide you'd rather downgrade and be based at home but also can't get in because of your new found language? Don't bite the hand that feeds.

 

Agreed. Displaced pilots has happened several times in my 20+ years here. I was displaced but not for terribly long. I waited, hated commuting and got back into DAL. Some act like this is new to swapull. It’s not. Just like our disability. People had no clue how bad it is until it happened to them. Same with this. There are always consequences when we try to fix stuff like this. Then they can complain about those. I don’t have too much time left with this nonsense. And swapull won’t get me to do a damn thing for it in the future.

 

What domicile?

 

BWI. Board blocked, naturally.

 

Ooooooooh. Yeah, I'm smelling what you’re cooking!

 

I completely agree with Flyguy on the displacement situation. It sucks that hundreds are displaced and we can’t get back home while others can come and go as they please. I’ve heard the seniority arguments as well as the this is just how the industry is arguments and it doesn’t sit well with me that someone else can walk right in and take what was awarded to you. What’s next? Hey, I like that sweet trip you were awarded, so I think I’ll just take that from you since I’m senior? I’m obviously being sarcastic here, but the parallelisms are real.

I’ve done my due diligence and have written and spoke directly with both of my SWAPA Reps, as well as one other Chair of a Committee and based on the feedback I got from all three of them, it is apparent to me that SWAPA has no real interest whatsoever in considering actions, or even polling the membership, to revise the DRR rules. The feedback I got was along the lines of “yeah, it really sucks, but it’s just the way it is and a lot of SWA pilots have faced this before” and “we have senior pilots that see it differently than you do” and the infamous “we’re hiring now so it will get better”. I asked if there was any plan to poll the membership on the topic to get real data on how this pilot group feels, but I didn’t get any definitive answers there either. So, I guess it really is what it is.

I have been quiet on here for the past 3 weeks because I went ahead and did my due diligence. My app at UAL is completed and I prepped and am ready to interview right away if given the opportunity. It was a very tough decision that me and my family talked about at great length, and incredibly tough because there are so many things I really like about Southwest. But in the end, my family and I have decided to at least move forward and if selected for an interview and a subsequent CJO, then the real decision can be made. Now I wait and see.

 

Good luck at United!

 

Bout the same info I got from Swapa. They did make a point I didn’t think about though…said the bid we had a couple mos ago had LAS E -3 and LAS +3. We had something like 25 people move around (no idea how that works). If secondary vacancies went to DRR first, they said only around 15 people would have been able to move bases so that would have to go to a group vote since it affects everyone.

I agree that changes to the CBA shouldn’t be unilaterally decided by 25 people. I suggested a poll to see where pilot sentiment lies. They said they’re going to talk over stuff at the BOD meeting and put out more info. I also suggested maybe a base trade system like Rappul. Everyone puts in their preference and it takes the most senior 2 people not in their #1 spot and if there’s a match, then the trade is executed.

We’ll see what happens. I’ve heard it could be a few mos commuting and a year or more so who knows. Hope UAL calls you soon! Hate to see people leave who want to be here but you have to do what’s best for your family.

 

Changing our entire vacancy in reaction to the company’s vacancy process, while borne out of good intentions, is not the solution to pursue, in my opinion.

Does it suck to be displaced? Absolutely.
Is it massively impactful to our quality of life? Yes.

Is the language 93% of us voted for being adhered to? Yes.

Our negotiating committee failed to foresee the company doing what it is going to do and now we bear the brunt of it. Changing the vacancy bid to make it “more fair” right now is the wrong tack.

Negotiating for language closer to AA’s TDY lines, positive space deadheads, paid hotels for the duration of a displacement based on percentage of a base or the pilot group displaced (or more than X% of the list displaced, you’re paying for hotels/positive space until the percentage drops below X%) are all better ways to force the company to think longer about screwing with vacancies.

Diluting our seniority in the attempt to fix something we voted for won’t cost the company enough to do anything differently in the future and we’ll all end up with less flexibility. The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and I don’t trust SWAPA not to punt this one into the stands.

 

Thank you for presenting some excellent points. It helps highlight that it is a much more complicated situation than most (myself included) understand. I enjoy hearing different viewpoints, even more so from others that might better understand the situation given their seniority and number of years.

Thanks for the well wishes from everyone on United. Let’s see first if I get the call and then let’s see if I am fortunate enough to receive an offer. Then a well thought out and calculated decision can be made.