United Airlines Employees and Southwest Airlines Employees: Here's 1 Big Difference

[MULTIZ321]

United Airlines Employees and Southwest Airlines Employees: Here's 1 Big Difference
By Bill Murphy Jr./ Money/ Inc/ inc.com

"Actually, five big differences--and some employees really love it.

What's the difference between United Airlines and Southwest Airlines? Here's an example.

Recently, United Airlines announced it was going to replace its bonus system with a new lottery bonus system, and employees revolted. But, it turns out Southwest Airlines has had a different kind of lottery rewards program in place for more than a decade--and the employees I've heard from absolutely love it.

There are several big distinctions between the lotteries at Southwest and the one that United proposed--and then paused. We'll explain them below, along with why it makes sense that one company's people responded with anger, while the other's seem to react with glee..."

CREDIT: Getty Images

Richard

 

[rickandcindy23]

Southwest is a great company. United treats its flight attendants badly. I know because my sister-in-law retired from United after 33 years. She has no retirement income from United. It was taken away because pilots received raises and benefits right out of the pockets of the FA's. She is 65 and working full time. She went from a prestigious job in the early 70's with lots of benefits and glamour, and in the end, she literally dreaded going to work. And she flew SFO to HNL every week. She did love her time on Waikiki Beach at the hotel.

 

[taterhed]

Southwest is a great company. United treats its flight attendants badly. I know because my sister-in-law retired from United after 33 years. She has no retirement income from United. It was taken away because pilots received raises and benefits right out of the pockets of the FA's. She is 65 and working full time. She went from a prestigious job in the early 70's with lots of benefits and glamour, and in the end, she literally dreaded going to work. And she flew SFO to HNL every week. She did love her time on Waikiki Beach at the hotel.

First, I do not mean to insult or provoke anyone. I simply want to address a few points...

Flight Attendants (FA's) play a key and crucial role in the safe transportation of millions of passengers every year. They are vastly underestimated and totally misunderstood by most air travelers. The issue of flight attendant pay and compensation however, is far more complicated than anyone knows. I have a number of current and retired FA friends at the airlines. If you think the pilots took the money 'right out of the pockets' then you're uninformed. All of the 'employee-owners' at United lost their pensions during the bankruptcy. I'll point out that airlines are currently have no real issues hiring cabin crew. Some airlines are going broke (literally, terminating operations) because they can't staff their flights due to pilot shortages. Plainly, the FA's are poorly represented (over the years) and have shifted, IMHO, from a permanent profession to a more transitory employment. It's sad, but it's true. I believe the phrase is 'supply and demand.' If you'd like to blame someone, please feel free to research the CEO compensation for airlines. Not just United, but ALL the airlines. Perhaps that will make a bit more sense once you start reading. Corporate greed is endemic and widely demonstrated throughout industry.

I feel for your SIL, but she's not the only one that's working, late in life, without retirement benefits. Sadly, retirement plans and pension benefits are becoming extinct in the 21st century.

Finally, SWA has had some labor issues as well.....senior employees at SWA could well be millionaires based on stock options. Current employees, not so much. Currently, SWA is debating compensation agreements with it's labor groups....just like everybody else.

 

[am1]

Hopefully your sister in law never showed her frustration to passengers as it seems so many FA's do. Thankfully I mostly fly an airline where the FA's are very helpful. Mostly young as well which may be part of it.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Rob, your post makes total sense. My sister-in-law is bitter, that is for sure. She saw her income drop from living in Walnut Creek, CA in a nice house to sharing a rented townhouse with two other FA's. Part of that is Rick's brother's fault. Anyway, she is on my mind a lot lately. I didn't mean to vent. I am just concerned about her health and her stamina to continue working.

She was hired by Pan Am and worked for another airline that was bought out by United years ago. She has been retired a while. I want to say 14 years. That is pretty close. She was one of those flight attendants who was weighed weekly and had to walk through the airport with her arm up, white gloves with her uniform, and a big smile. That changed later, along with her pay and benefits. Sadly, she is not happy now, but at least she bought a house in small-town, OH, near her folks. It was her plan to retire near them, and it's hard to get a job that pays much in a small town.

 

[taterhed]

I totally understand.
Many folks in service, manufacturing and other industries have watched their jobs, pensions and lives evaporate overnight.

As the saying goes....'those were the days'

 

[Tia]

Agree and it's just not the airlines imho

..... If you'd like to blame someone, please feel free to research the CEO compensation for airlines. Not just United, but ALL the airlines. Perhaps that will make a bit more sense once you start reading. Corporate greed is endemic and widely demonstrated throughout industry...........

 

[WinniWoman]

More and more jobs overall are going to be lost in the next decade, mainly due to artificial intelligence and robotics. It will first start with the more menial jobs (burger flippers, for ex.) and continue to the upper positions in society. Even creative things like writing and art will be done better and more efficiently by robotics.

I had a friend who actually became a flight attendant- but she worked freelance for a temp agency that specialized in that- but for private jets and she eventually landed a full time gig for a well known billionaire. She loved it as she only had a couple of passengers and she got to travel all over. Whether he had a meeting or a vacation scheduled - wherever around the world- she got to visit and stay wherever it was- all expenses paid. Like having an on going vacation.

 

[buzglyd]

More and more jobs overall are going to be lost in the next decade, mainly due to artificial intelligence and robotics. It will first start with the more menial jobs (burger flippers, for ex.) and continue to the upper positions in society. Even creative things like writing and art will be done better and more efficiently by robotics.

I had a friend who actually became a flight attendant- but she worked freelance for a temp agency that specialized in that- but for private jets and she eventually landed a full time gig for a well known billionaire. She loved it as she only had a couple of passengers and she got to travel all over. Whether he had a meeting or a vacation scheduled - wherever around the world- she got to visit and stay wherever it was- all expenses paid. Like having an on going vacation.

I have a friend of mine that is doing that now. She's a private flight attendant and loves it.

 

[pedro47]

I totally understand.
Many folks in service, manufacturing and other industries have watched their jobs, pensions and lives evaporate overnight.

As the saying goes....'those were the days'

I also agreed with your quote. You can add federal employees pensions plans and the military to the many changing pensions plans for current workers.