Updates on SWA/Hiring

[FurthestAlternate069]

Does anyone have any updates on when SWA will post again? I know they have not hired in a few years. Thanks

 

[Pancake]

There have been a good number of retirements in the group, but I wouldn’t expect anything until after the Max7 is on property.

 

[DXTX]

There are still a dozen people who were hired back in 2024 and are waiting on a line…

 

[OttoPilot13]

There are still a dozen people who were hired back in 2024 and are waiting on a line…

Just curious, but are they still considered assistant dispatchers until they get a line? Or do you have bid relief coverage?

 

[MinimumViableProduct]

Just curious, but are they still considered assistant dispatchers until they get a line? Or do you have bid relief coverage?

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.

 

[DXTX]

Just curious, but are they still considered assistant dispatchers until they get a line? Or do you have bid relief coverage?

Still considered assistant dispatchers and “in training”

 

[autosave36]

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]

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

Why is southwest they way they area? Just create lines for them like every other airline does.

 

[Pancake]

Why is southwest they way they area? Just create lines for them like every other airline does.

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.

 

[bbmikej]

If I remember correctly, assistant dispatchers at Southwest made about $65k/yr before the current contract. Maybe a bit more, but it was a good chunk less than line holders.

 

[autosave36]

If I remember correctly, assistant dispatchers at Southwest made about $65k/yr before the current contract. Maybe a bit more, but it was a good chunk less than line holders.

It was like 55k

 

[Pancake]

Speak of the devil. Looks like the Max 7 finally got certified.

 

[iono]

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

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

 

[NoCopy]

Just wondering, how many dispatchers does Southwest Airlines have??

 

[TRIGGERED]

Just wondering, how many dispatchers does Southwest Airlines have??

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]

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.

that’s a lot more dispatchers than I expected, crazy they haven’t hired in a few years.

 

[Echosierra08]

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]

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.