The grass is always greener for a New Hire pilot at SWA.
This is a revolving door because they are giving out Type Ratings for free. That is a bad idea. Why are they doing this? Just stop the PIC type rating.
As for leaving. New hires have no idea about the money you can make here. I get it that they are at the bottom of the list. They can move up quicker somewhere else. But the 2 year upgrade at certain places is really 5 years if you want to be off reserve quick as a Captain.
As a 50% to 70% on the FO list depending on base I am pulling in 250k now. I commute and don't live in base. Average last year was 130 to 140 trips per month. This year will probably be 140 to 150 trips per month. And the guys living in base can do 180 to 200 trips per month easy. I was looking at a senior FO here who I always see on the open time bids and for SEP OCT and NOV that are "slow months" and he was doing 220 trips per month.
So if Delta and United don't hire a guy he would be nuts not to try this place out. And with our Financials job security is much better here than anywhere else. We are third in someways and first in many others.
As for international I am enjoying the near international a lot. I would have liked to check the box for far international and maybe do it for about a year. Not a fan of big circadian rhythm changes. Most of my legacy friends that are senior fly domestic. More flexibility in schedules and overtime.
So for the new hire the grass is still always greener. With only so many interview oportunities in the business jumping around and wasting your network burning bridges to get yourself interviews for the best job might leave you a regional job in the end if you are not careful.
However, the industry has not been this good in a along time. With a real pilot shortage the ball is in the employee's court.
Enjoy these times, but don't burn too many bridges in this business.