Southwest makes it very easy for guys who want to, fly "overtime", or "extrafly". Or, if you are lazy like myself, you can just fly your line, and enjoy the "quality of life" and time at home that I missed out on in the Navy. If your old CO is a senior FO and would be no. 1 on the list and your other good bud made around $160K in his third year, they were flying their butts off, most likely because they chose to do so. Like A4s said, many down here are here because of locally-based AA and SWA and the cost-of-living and NO state income tax. I know a lot of guys who live here but commute to other bases for the seniority. I'm still living in the same house I was in when I was at NAS Dallas, out in the country on two acres, that I bought from the bank as a foreclosure for under $100K. Not bragging or anything, just making a point that it's all where your priorities are....everybody is different.
