The SWAPA Ride Report: Premium Before Reserve Bidding and More

Today's SWAPA Number is 200. That's the number of pilots currently in monitoring of the HIMS program at Southwest Airlines. Today, we're sitting down with the HIMS Committee chair, Tom Stanley, to talk about all things the HIMS Committee is engaged in and some of the great success stories of the program. Now, maybe you don't feel like you need to know about this program, but mutual support has always been a part of flying, so let's dive in and talk about an important resource to SWAPA Pilots.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

The latest episode of the SWAPA Ride Report is now available!In this week’s edition, Matt McCants from the Communications Committee goes over the multiple scheduling touches that are on deck in the next several quarters. He also speaks to the Joint Implementation Committee’s progress on Side Letter 2. The Contract Administration Q&A also covers several popular scheduling topics like the 12-hour RAP, short notice open time (SNOT) awards, and the mysterious vacation week disappearances some members have seen in CWA. He also plugs the new SWAPA App, which became available on Wednesday and is already being used by over a third of the Pilots.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

Today's SWAPA Number is 8. That's the number of new faces that have joined the Southwest Airlines Board of Directors since Elliot announced its investment in June with five Elliot nominees being seated as part of a comprehensive agreement between the Company and Elliot Investment Management. This was the final announcement in a slew of headlines over the last several weeks that included the Company's third quarter financials as well as the investor day in late September. So on today's show we spoke with Greg Auld and Eric Schnitzler from the Economic and Financial Analysis Committee and second VP Hank Ketchum about these events and to take a look at what's on the horizon for the industry as well as what all this means for the membership. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

In this week’s edition, Communications Manager Casey Casteel takes the membership through the new duty limits and connections requirement that went into effect this week. She also reminds Pilots that schedule changes due to the reduction in services at Florida airports may drive Leg Change Override, even if those changes happen prior to your reporting in for the pairing. Finally, she walks our Pilots through several questions that Contract Admin has dealt with recently, including month-to-month reserve block overlap, marketing timing adjustments, as well as release from deadhead only on a holiday.You can find this episode of the SWAPA Ride Report, as well as the rest of the season, on swapa.org under Communications > Podcasts or on your favorite streaming service under The SWAPA Number profile. As always, the full transcript is available online as well. The next edition of the SWAPA Ride Report will drop on November 22nd.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

Today's SWAPA Number is 10. That's the number of panels featured during this year's International Conference of Pilot Unions. Subject matter experts from Wall Street, the FAA, and four pilot association representatives were in attendance alongside SWAPA teams, as we not only addressed common issues in the industry, but the proposed solutions and way forward.Also joining us were president of the Allied Pilots Association, Nick Silva, NETJETS Association of Shared Aircraft Pilots, Vice President, Paulette Gilbert, President Yngve Paulsen of Local 2750 of the International Aviation Professionals, and SWAPA president Casey Murray. We sat down with them for a frank discussion about why independent unions are so important, how and why we collaborate, and what is on the horizon for the industry at large.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

In this week’s edition, Matt McCants from the Communications Committee gives a recap of this past week’s events at the International Conference of Pilot Unions and the coming comm products from the panels you may have seen on social media. This will include a SWAPA Number episode featuring multiple pilot union presidents, and an article we will release next week. There is also some gouge on the scheduling changes you’ll see starting in November, as well as some quick reminders about OPS day and your Training Golden Days Off (TGDOs). The contract Q&A this week covers flight cancellations during a commute, inconvenient van times, and some reminders about blank line bidding and Golden Days Off (GDOs).  If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

Today's SWAPA Number is 163,649. That's the number of CAS events or times the jumpseat was utilized on Southwest aircraft just by Southwest Pilots in the last 12 months. That's almost 450 per day, illustrating just how highly utilized of a resource our jumpsuit is. Jumpseating will always be a part of being a SWAPA pilot. So today we're sitting down with Jumpseat Committee chair, Captain Brian Ross, for a 360 degree view of the jumpsuit world and what you need to know moving forward. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

In this week’s edition, Communications Assistant Editor Alexis Thomas takes the membership through several highlights regarding open enrollment and the 2024 Fall General Election.She also gives a recap of the latest Contract Admin hot topics, including “Premium before Reserve” bidding, what happens if you call Crew Scheduling back after your 15-minute callback time is up, and commuter rules for waived deadheads that start a pairing.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

Today's SWAPA Number is three. That's the number of avenues that SWAPA has pursued between CBA cycles to address issues that inevitably arise in membership business with the Company. These agreements of the association are brought forward when there is a need for corrective action or clarification, and they are highly dependent on the condition of the events. Whether these are letters of agreement, memorandums of understanding, or side letters, the breadth and depth of these issues can dictate the options on the table. We've already seen some examples of these things happening since Contract 2020 was ratified. So today we're talking with Negotiating Committee chair Jody Reven, and NC member, Kurt Heidemann, about what these different agreements are, how their mechanisms work, and why these processes are an important part of how SWAPA does business. If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737

In this week’s edition, Communications Committee member Matt McCants takes the membership around the big take aways following last week’s SWAPA Board of Directors meetings. From Aeromedical/Benefits and Safety information, to scheduling tips and where all the 2025 budget resources live, you’ll be up to speed on what’s happening across the committees.    In the Q&A section, topics include reserve credit for canceled assignments, fatigue call policies, vacation shifts around holidays, LDO triggers, and ETOPS recurrent training requirements. Good questions from unique situations out on the line continue to come in.If you have any feedback for us at all, please drop us a line at [email protected] or send us a text.Follow us online:Twitter - https://twitter.com/swapapilotsFacebook - https://www.facebook.com/swapa737