New Improved SWA "Beer" pool

[Bill Nelson]

Oct. 20.

"If you build it, they will come"

 

[PTinbound]

Sewer, can't change your first guess dude, but on further research I saw you had guessed October 13th and 27th initially.
That would be a pretty good guess if AF's friend of a friend has good Kool Aid.

Anyone else who wants to guess, please do it on this thread so it's easier to keep track of. Thanks!

I think if SWA announces service to ATL we should even let the General play as a gesture of goodwill....

 

[shootr]

Since PT says no second guesses, I'll pass along some info...

If I could change my guesses, it'd be for the first and third weeks of February. Talked to LL, today and February is what they're being told in the PD for the start of classes. 400 for the year is what they're hearing.

I suppose that opens up new guesses for the next guy to read this! Sorry it wasn't great news.

Good luck all,
shootr

 

[UGApilotDAWG]

class date guesses

February now?

I'll stick with my January predictions / guesses with Yahtzee. Us DAWGS gotta stick together...WAY TOO MANY penalties last saturday... Even if classes don't start until February, I imagine those treaders at the top of the pool will be getting some nice Christmas phone calls....

as for those of us in the middle of the pool...

does anyone have a realistic guess on what domicile we can likely bid by the end of the year with a couple hundred new hires behind us?

Living in MSY would make HOU the commute base of choice... was just wondering what the timeframe would be next year to bid out of OAK (junior base) to HOU (easy commute.)

Also - can anyone tell me the health insurance coverages SWA offers its new hires and families?

sorry about all the questions... but my predictions are up there again!

Thanks,
Les

"I said I don't wanna go to Paris, I get enough French with my fries." - Pat Green

 

[Snoopy58]

UGA,

A year of robust hiring will put every base except DAL within easy reach for you, probably well before your first year is up, in fact. Do a search using terms like DAL, HOU, MCO, MDW, "vacancy bid" and SWA, and you'll find a thread or two where actual numbers have been posted for recent vacancy bid results. Numbers change slightly each month, but the bottom line is that you'll be able to get HOU once you have a handful of classes on line behind you.

As for health coverage, you & your family are covered by the same plan as everybody else starting essentially the first day you're in training. You will have some elections to make (one of several excellent reasons to bring your spouse to the first couple days of class), but you're covered pretty much immediately. No long wait, and no "reduced" plan for the first year. SWA really treats guys right in that regard. No surprise there!

Other questions, feel free to post or PM me.

Snoopy

 

[UGApilotDAWG]

Thanks Snoopy!

Can't wait to hear the first guys in the pool get that long-awaited call. In a few months I'll start dusting off the books / study aids and diving back in full time to prep for class. I am guessing it will be easier to bid out of OAK to PHX rather than straight to HOU - will they explain all that our first two days?
All the predictions of strong hiring next year make all us poolies very happy no matter if they start in Jan or Feb - should be a wonderful Christmas gift to everyone!

Thanks, Les

"I said I don't want to go to Paris, I get enough French in my fries!" - Pat Green

 

[LiveFreeorDie]

Feb 2 and 17

The 16th is Presidents day or is it MLK day? Whatever i think they'll start on Tue that week.

My wife also talked to LL and she confirmed the next pilot class will be in Feb and then "spread out the rest of the 400 evenly over the rest of the year"

Ofcourse with 2 classes a month Feb-Nov is roughly 400, so I am not sure any other way they could do it! Maybe have a couple one class months and have 2 classes in Dec?


Either way it is great news for any SWAnabees out there.

By the way I just got my second update package. It is a little different from the first.

Well I have to go teach a Simulator now.

TTFN
LFD

 

[erkens]

OK PT finally off my butt to venture a guess. 1/5/04, and 2/2/04.

 

[NEO]

A couple of months ago it was "classes at the end of the year". Last month it was "Classes beginning in January". This month it is "Classes beginning in Febuary". What will it be next month?? Classes beginning in March?

 

[Snoopy58]

Les,

As far as bidding your base, here's what will happen:

You submit a bid that ranks each base (also where you want to do IOE, and where you want to spend the remainder of the month after you finish IOE until you start in your "real" base (i.e. OAK) at the beginning of the next month). They show you exactly how to do this on the computer, although not until a couple of weeks into training.

Then you get results a week or two before your IOE. In the case of somebody who lives in MSY, MCO or HOU would both be pretty convenient for doing IOE & the partial month. As far as the vacancy bid goes, your class bids along with every other pilot in the system, and since y'all have the lowest seniority, you get whatever slots nobody else wants that month. Historically, that means you all go to OAK, although if the class after you is bidding in the same month that you are, some folks may skip OAK entirely & go to MDW or PHX or (maybe) BWI right out of training. And in that case they probably will never have to see OAK. (Has anybody here mentioned that timing is everything !?! )

Your first month on the line, you get a hard line. After that, you get what your seniority can hold, which generally means reserve for several months. Your second month on the line, you may have another class (or two) who has now finished training & is on the list, and they have boosted your seniority. Again, you get whatever vacancy your seniority can hold... if there are open slots left in PHX when the sorting computer gets to you, you can have one. Of course, you'll be at the very bottom in PHX, instead of slightly higher in OAK; higher on the list within base means better choice of monthly schedule... having some control of the days you're on reserve, getting a hard line sooner, etc.

And so on each month.

All you have to do is tell the computer your rank order preference of bases, and it will go from there. No need to resubmit each month (unless your preferences change), and no "gaming" the system... if you want HOU first, put it at the top of the list. If a slot is available in HOU your 2nd month on line (rare, but not impossible -- helps to have lots of people coming in right after you), you'll get it.

They'll explain the process pretty completely in training, and it will all make good sense by the time you're doing it for real.

Cheers!

Snoopy