UAL training

[Figmo]

I've been at Eagle for 8 years(just a stepping stone, right?) I can just now hold captain on the jet. Would you leave Eagle for United?? Will the flow through ever start at AA agian? How long to upgrade at AA? These are just a few questions I ask myself or should I? Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Cardinal]

The median regional tenure at my recent LCC newhire class was 8 years. Never count on a flowthrough. Do it.

 

[Andy]

Your right that the core pilots are ex Indy but there are some former United guys there too. I'm so glad you enjoyed us losing our jobs! Just how is that ACA screwed united. For demanding to be payed what it cost to run the RJ's and pay there pilots better than most other regionals and still show a profit. Maybe if other regionals would have done the same thing United would have found it cheaper to do the flying themselves. I guess I should have just taken a paycut below mesas wages to help poor ole United out. United management is just so innocent in the mess and they just needed everyone to help them out. How much money did they throw away on the whole bain process.

Dude, I'm just gonna shoot ya a PM. I think that you and I are more the same than different and this is just turning into a long schlong contest. I won't bother throwing out the trash about United that Indy employees posted on ACA lounge.

I realize that United management makes for an easy target in all of this, but the entire airline industry operates on razor thin margins and the slightest miscalculation brings disastrous results. Would you want to discuss Kerry Skeen? In terms of ineptitude, he puts UAUA management to shame.

 

[Andy]

I've been at Eagle for 8 years(just a stepping stone, right?) I can just now hold captain on the jet. Would you leave Eagle for United?? Will the flow through ever start at AA agian? How long to upgrade at AA? These are just a few questions I ask myself or should I? Any opinions would be appreciated. Thanks

Take the interview - it's always good to make sure that your interview skills remain sharp.

If you want some job security, you need to stay put at Eagle due to how I view what's on the horizon for the economy.

Now, here's my dark side, unvarnished view on the economy. It's in deep trouble. Very deep trouble. The housing problem is extremely likely to drag down the entire economy. I expect the worst recession since the great depression - it's that ugly in the credit markets.
The rapid collapse the credit markets is destroying liquidity and is resulting in a massive decrease in the money supply. Take a look at what caused the great depression. There are a lot of parallels.

With that economic scenario, I would expect a contraction in the airline industry on the order of post-911. I would expect any newhire pilot at United to be furloughed before they finish probation. I expect to be furloughed again before all is said and done.

I know that I've got a dark view of the immediate future, but I think that we are approaching the day of economic reckoning.

 

[FLYfishin]

A career at a legacy is still the best deal out there. JMHO.

I disagree

 

[JetFumes]

Take the interview - it's always good to make sure that your interview skills remain sharp.

If you want some job security, you need to stay put at Eagle due to how I view what's on the horizon for the economy.

Now, here's my dark side, unvarnished view on the economy. It's in deep trouble. Very deep trouble. The housing problem is extremely likely to drag down the entire economy. I expect the worst recession since the great depression - it's that ugly in the credit markets.
The rapid collapse the credit markets is destroying liquidity and is resulting in a massive decrease in the money supply. Take a look at what caused the great depression. There are a lot of parallels.

With that economic scenario, I would expect a contraction in the airline industry on the order of post-911. I would expect any newhire pilot at United to be furloughed before they finish probation. I expect to be furloughed again before all is said and done.

I know that I've got a dark view of the immediate future, but I think that we are approaching the day of economic reckoning.

Not an expert here, but didn't the Fed just inject money into the banking system to increase liquidity?

Plus I have been waching this whole ACA and United lovefest. I watched as the pilot group at United got a huge pay increase back in 2000 or so, and rode that contract as far as they could while the conditions in the industry got worse and worse. I also remember ACA pilots voting in paycuts that would save United money for our services while United was secretly trying to screw us anyway. I remember United pilots saying to me and a co-worker within earshot, "Yeah, those ACA guys wont take a paycut." Thats right, throw us under the bus so you can get yours. So much for the spirit of cooperation.
I have friends who went through divorces after the whole indy mess, families that were broken apart. Then I get to see how some pompous jerk has the nerve to call Indy guys a bunch of whores. Get a clue!

 

[igneousy2]

It's the same job no matter where you are flying. If you don't like it now you probably won't like it just by changing airlines. Okay, I'll admit that the cities are better and the crew meals are nice, but at the end of the day it is not the job I envisioned when I started flying 20+ years ago - I am not having as horrible a time as some other people are, I would say that it is just okay - it beats working at a construction site I guess. This once glamorous well-paying proffesion of ours has been shreded to a job that pays the bills - nothing more.

Yes everything sucks at United...and AA...and DAL... and AS, and SWA, and NWA. FDX and UPS have the best contracts in the business - by default - if you inflation adjust what pilots were making in the 70's or 80's, even FDX and UPS are behind. It still blows my mind that SWA is the "place to be"...the airline that 10 years ago was a last restort for most but the most fanatical because of low pay, crappy work rules, and lack of retirement. Look how far we have sunk, and we are still sinking.

So pick your poison - you're hosed by the mere fact you have chosen this profesion.

good luck

 

[Tejas-Jet]

I expect the worst recession since the great depression

Funny....but back in 1983, I was driving out from the Medina Annex to HDO. A Lt. Col. Who was with me said the exact same thing. ( maybe he was trying to talk me out of leaving the USAF).

Another squadron mate said that it would be 20 years before the airlines hired again, what with all the thousands furloughed at the time.

3 years later, I was a new hire at a ( then) great airline.

However, one must look at the history ( furlough) of a company if he accepts employment there....then plan accordingly.

Back in the mid-80's...the talk was that Delta was the place that would/had never furloughed. Since then....they have had ( General Lee, help me out here) 3 different furloughs.

Delta also was known for having a "family" type of corporate culture. A CEO named Ron Allen changed all that. Now they are getting a new CEO who comes from Northwest. Guess what? With a new CEO, comes a new corporate direction/ strategic planning and a different corporate culture.

Thats just one example of the changes one must plan for when accepting employment at a legacy carrier. This has also happened at UAL, AA, US Air, and other places countless times...over and over and over again.

 

[twad]

Hey Frac Capt,

I take it you are a Options guy,

I was there for 5 and 1/2 years and now at Continental. We probably know each other.

Let me know if I can help with any questions you may have.

 

[Frac Cap]

Thank you for the offer, I will let you know.