FurthestAlternate069
New Member
Does anyone have any updates on when SWA will post again? I know they have not hired in a few years. Thanks
Updates on SWA/Hiring
- Thread starter FurthestAlternate069
- Start date
OttoPilot13
Well-Known Member
Just curious, but are they still considered assistant dispatchers until they get a line? Or do you have bid relief coverage?
MinimumViableProduct
Well-Known Member
I’m curious about this as well.
I know that there were dispatchers hired at American in early 2025 that were fully comped out and working desks before people hired in the early 2024 Southwest class were working flights.
So I’m curious how the whole process works at Southwest.
Still considered assistant dispatchers and “in training”
autosave36
Go High Go Fast and Hold.
Theyre assistants until a line opens up. Theyve all had at minimum one recurrent comp check. I do think the max 7 coming on line will expedite some things for them. Maybe a class this winter? Maybe not
NewToTheIndustry
Well-Known Member
Why is southwest they way they area? Just create lines for them like every other airline does.
Pancake
Person experiencing illiteracy
Union Contract is just written that way. Most idiosyncrasies in this industry can be traced back to a line in a contract from decades ago.
Southwest has always had some level of “living on the assistant desk” for longer than they should, but the reserve/relief system was entirely overhauled in the last contract and the number of assistants stuck in this position are way higher than ever before. Personally I don’t think we’ve seen movement on this because assistants are finally paid within 5% of a line dispatcher and aren’t stuck with the 25% pay cut of the past contract.
autosave36
Go High Go Fast and Hold.
It was like 55k
Pancake
Person experiencing illiteracy
Speak of the devil. Looks like the Max 7 finally got certified.
iono
Well-Known Member
max 7 being certified is certainly good news, but we’ve got a bunch of old tired 700s that have been waiting for retirement. I think the only way we’d have another class is if the old tired dispatchers retire as well
About 550 total on the master seniority list. Excluding the classifications like ATC, Superintendents, assistants, And dispatchers in management it's around 400 people that are strictly dispatch.
NoCopy
Well-Known Member
that’s a lot more dispatchers than I expected, crazy they haven’t hired in a few years.
Echosierra08
Well-Known Member
With the way things are headed, SWA could be down to less than 10 assistants remaining waiting for lines by early 2027. With the new floor opening up plus Max 7 certification, a 2027 class is looking possible.
pljenkins
Resident Knucklehead
ThReAd nEcRoManCy!!!1!!!
Sorry, I have to do it, cuz I'm back and ready to terrorize y'all's neighborhood.
Or something.
Anyway, Max7 certification is good, but we've been holding on to airplanes that need to go away to I don't expect we will see much in the way of fleet expansion when they first hit the property.
As to reserve dispatchers, I can't seem to find the exact language in the contract because I don't have the patience to go through it, but I believe it is the bottom 20% of line dispatchers are awarded a reserve line, but that line has schedule days protections so they're not working some hodgepodge of days. Basically they're assigned shift span they bid (days, afternoon, zombie) and they get shifts generally in that span... Mostly.
Either way, I don't see us hiring any time soon... But I'm not wearing the correct glasses so I'm not seeing much these days.
Sorry, I have to do it, cuz I'm back and ready to terrorize y'all's neighborhood.
Or something.
Anyway, Max7 certification is good, but we've been holding on to airplanes that need to go away to I don't expect we will see much in the way of fleet expansion when they first hit the property.
As to reserve dispatchers, I can't seem to find the exact language in the contract because I don't have the patience to go through it, but I believe it is the bottom 20% of line dispatchers are awarded a reserve line, but that line has schedule days protections so they're not working some hodgepodge of days. Basically they're assigned shift span they bid (days, afternoon, zombie) and they get shifts generally in that span... Mostly.
Either way, I don't see us hiring any time soon... But I'm not wearing the correct glasses so I'm not seeing much these days.
That's not how the lines work, I Imagine you can't find it in the contract because we don't have any reserve dispatchers since we started the current contract. Every dispatcher bids a line and works it, we do have relief lines but generally they don't make it to the most junior dispatcher because it's more desirable than a full midnight line. But yes relief line holders do have shift preferences that scheduling will attempt to uphold and the more senior you are on relief the more likely you are to get your preference.