I'm at SWA but am thinking hard about trading in my 15 years longevity for a Legacy, preferably Delta.

I wasn't here during the glory days, so I have no fond memories of what was, and I commute, and will continue to, so bases aren't so important to me.

The work rules we have here aren't much to crow about. The trips, while productive, aren't commutable on both ends, and, while you're at work, they work you like a rented mule. All this for middle-of-the-pack pay, ancient planes gutted of amenities (no freakin' sunshades in the windows or printers, no crew meals even for Transcon or International!) and a truly embarrassing retirement scheme of 9.5%. On the plus side, financial stability, profit sharing, and decent coworkers.

What was the choice again? ;)

Sheesh

1996 8.4%
1997 11.4%
1998 13.7%
1999 14.1%
2000 16.2%
2001 11.7%
2002 5.1%
2003 8.0%
2004 5.0%
2005 7.5%
2006 7.9%
2007 5.8%
2008 3.5%
2009 1.2%
2010 5.7%
2011 3.0%
2012 3.4%
2013 6.2%
2014 9.6%
2015 15.6%

Max, at least you get 9.5 % on your 401K from them. I only get 9.3%.

How likely are the rumors of a merger with Hawaiian or another carrier? What happens to a new hire then? I imagine it will be a lot more time low on seniority.

Just so I am on the same page...you've been at SWA for 15 years and you are thinking about jumping ship?

Is my sarcasm detector INOP or...

UAL's junior Captains in every base are 2005 and 2006 hires including the 756 on many fleets. It's not 20-25 years to hold Captain. You may be talking about Denver where its artificially senior because of post-merger fleet shifting, but the junior Captain in DEN is a 2006 hire. We've had pilots recalled from furlough less than 3 years ago who are now in the left seat, and we'll probably see post-merger hires in left seats soon. We don't have the 18 month 717 Captains that DAL has, but 737 or Airbus Captain is certainly not anywhere near 20 years anywhere in our system.

I was at a Super Bowl party with the DEN plug on the 737...CAL guy hired in '98. Was on the jumpseat of the DEN Bus Plug...had 21 yrs seniority. Has it changed in 4 months? Possibly but it didn't go from '98 to '05 in 4 months.

If there's a 2005/6 in DEN they were hired at CAL and got lucky they didn't get displaced. It's around 1-1.5 yrs to hold DEN as a NB FO at UAL, 4 months at SWA. SWA has a 10-15 yr upgrade....it'll probably take that long to hold DEN CA at UAL...plus UAL has a history of crappy management and pooping on labor. I think I'll stay at WN.

I'm not disagreeing. I'm just saying that picking the most out of whack smallest base at United as the benchmark for someone deciding which airline to go to isn't a good idea. We have 2 year 777 FOs and "essentially" 3 year Captains because 3 years ago they were on the street. Yes Denver is a mess because they closed a fleet and shrunk the base. Everyone at UAL senior to 9,500 on the seniority list can hold Captain somewhere, and everyone senior to 8,000 can hold every base except Denver.

We have furloughed UAL pilots at SWA now, and one of them asked me in the airport what he could hold and I told him Airbus Captain in San Fran and he said he's 9 years from Captain at SWA. He can come back to United any time until 2019. I think those guys are coming back. Not because SWA is a bad airline, its a great airline. There are just more choices at United, that's all.

It's not a 3 yr CA if they were furloughed. What's their DOH? I've heard a lot of UAL furloughs are going back after we get a contract and they get their retro check. All are senior to me so adios if that's what you want.

I wouldn't have turned down the UAL interview if DEN had widebodies. I'm not going to chase pay and commute when I can drive to work. Heard of a guy who left Delta to come to SWA recently. It all comes down to where do you live and what do you want to do? With all the hiring going on everywhere take the first offer and keep apps updated to the places you really want to go. Once you made it where you want, sit back and be happy you'll most likely never have to update the resume again.

There are bottlenecks.

If you leave your house at 7am in rush hour traffic it might take you 2 hours to get to work. If you leave at 8am it might only take you 30 mins. To tell the guy who starts driving to work at 8am that it will take 2 hours is incorrect and anecdotal at best....
A guy at United getting hired today could reasonably expect 737 captain in 8 years. A guy getting hired at SWA today could reasonably expect 14 years.

With United buying a bunch of 737s and taking back regional flying, Coupled with the EIGHT THOUSAND PILOTS retiring (actually 8500) over the next 15 years, one could reasonably expect RAPID movement throughout the system.

Yes, SWA is buying a bunch of "MAXes" (SHH-THE MAX IS SILENT), but those are essentially replacements for the classics they are retiring.

I realize I was comparing UA and SWA, but to answer the OP question:
Between Delta and SWA in 2008? No brainer-SWA.
Between Delta and SWA in 2017? No brainer-Delta.