Date: February 29, 2024
Subject: The impact of reduced Pilot hiring.
Dear fellow Instructors:
I suspect that Lee Kinnebrew’s announcement of pilot hiring suspension caught many of us by surprise. Understandably, it has also brought an abundance of questions and concerns. Within hours of Lee’s post, I began receiving concerns about furloughs, commuter issues, reduced work days, and pay cuts. In an effort to allay some anxiety, let’s go back to the ABCD of the situation.
1. As we Assess the issue, it appears that this is in response (at least in a large part) to Boeing’s disrupted delivery schedule. Though there may be other factors at play, they’re unknown at this time.
2. Balance: in the 52-year history of Southwest Airlines, they have yet to furlough an employee and have prided themselves on being “employee-centric”. Even if we stop hiring in April, those classes will be in training through at least May and perhaps longer. Uninterrupted Captain Upgrade training is scheduled to continue. We are behind on training our instructors to the full AQP program and this may well be a time to catch up on training.
3. Communicate: while we have been short on communications from the Company, your Union has requested a meeting with management and labor to chart our course ahead.
4. Do and Debrief: at the moment, we need to maintain aircraft control and avoid rash assumptions and rumors. We have time to plan as the situation develops, so I ask for your patience until we have more definitive information and a better idea of the impact this will have on our instructor corp.
Personally, I take comfort in the fact that I’ve seen an industry downturn in the early 90’s, 911, and COVID, and our Company has not only weathered those storms but emerged stronger. My hope is that this will be the case this time as well. I will have more information after we meet with the Company. Until then continue to remain the most professional and productive instructors in the industry.
Best regards, For the Board
Jim Baird
President TWU 557