UA Calling for Interviews

[ChinaClipper]

Anyone getting called????? Any new info on the interview??? Clip

 

[NAAPilot]

Filled out the App online 3 days ago...Just got an email with an online assessment from Hogan titled Congratulations United Pilot Candidate. Anyone know what happens from here?

 

[C-17 Driver]

you take the assessment and hope you pass it. Email within a couple of days with either good news (set up for phone interview) or bad news (thanks for trying)

 

[NAAPilot]

Thanks...I guess i'll wait and see...I guess this means they are still actively interviewing.

 

[ual321]

Well, with the number of people quitting…

 

[NAAPilot]

Well, with the number of people quitting…

Along those lines...Is the job at UAL really that bad? I have an OK job now and looking at left seat 757/767 within a year or so. Thought there may be more of a future at a legacy carrier. Don't want to leave what I have if pilots at UAL are jumping ship for either lack of decent pay or QOL. Any thoughts?

 

[CWI]

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

 

[pilotss]

Ran into 2 UAL captains in the past week. Gave me their story and UALs. Many friends at UAL too.

NOT ONE have told me a happy story. And all tell me to look elsewhere for a better job.

I am still applying but this makes my overall search non-United oriented.

 

[DHPFLYN]

Can some UAL pilots please fill me in on what things are so bad as far as flying for UAL? Is it pay? Benefits? QOL? Thw whole company sucks? I know the retirement got screwed and the pay did go way down. I am just asking seriously what the worst things at UAL are?

Thanks for any information

 

[MarineGrunt]

I've heard from several different captains at SkyWest that they were told by some UAL guys to stay where they are at rather than make the move to UAL... FWIW.....

 

[SpyFlysDOTs]

Grunt,

I was told the same by several FOs that were flying with us, most back at UAL.

Maybe it was my advanced age.

Maybe my lack of deoderant..or lack of personality.

TO be serious, with 12 years left...having 8 years seniority now..being able to choose days off, etc.

I'm struggling with their advice..but so far taking it.

 

[John Pennekamp]

Anybody getting called/hired without jet PIC time? You know, 121 turboprop pilots?

 

[M3LTW]

Well, I left CAL to go back to UAL. CAL was definitely a better place to work, but I spent an average of 36 hours/month sitting in back while I commuted to work. I'm 6'5", so to say that the LAX-EWR commute sucked would be an understatement.

Here's a few observations having been at COEX, UAL, SkyWest, CAL, and UAL again. IMO, UAL is still better than either of my commuter jobs, and I worked for two of the better regionals.

You want to know what's still good at United? Not a ton, but a few biggies.

First off, they feed us, and feed us well. I know this doesn't seem like much, but it makes a huge difference in how I feel at the end of the day. We get two meals on most trans-cons, which honestly is a bit much most of the time. It's good food as far as airline meals go (on par with the CAL first class meals that we occasionally got from the back), and we have 10 or 15 different meal choices.

Second is the 8 (or 9, can't remember) hours behind the door at the hotel. This is key. I've never been in a situation where I didn't have the opportunity to get enough rest. I can't say that for any other airline that I've worked for. We've all had those 8 hour block-to-block layovers - that simply doesn't happen here.

Third, United is by far the most standardized airline I've ever worked for. It's hard to overstate how much easier this makes the F/O's job. At CAL, I literally had guys who would brief me by stating that "I'm by the book, but I do like to do a few things differently", then proceeded to pull out a 3x5 card with the list of things they wanted done differently (both sides). That sucks. I think CAL tries their best to make things standard, but with so many acquisitions in CAL's past, a lot of guys had their own idea of what works best, and for some reason they wouldn't let go. Kinda strange, but it could make things a pain in the ass.

Fourth, life on reserve is pretty decent. I'm averaging 12-13 days of work/month on the Airbus, and we can usually pick and choose what we want to do. The long/short call deal is great, IMO. There are a few guys who disagree, but you are able to have some control of your schedule even on reserve.

So from my perspective living at home in domicile (that is critical), I'm far happier than I was commuting to EWR for CAL. My QOL is better, and I have almost twice as much time at home with the family, which is my number one priority.

So yes, UAL certainly has its issues, but it's not all bad, and certainly better than the regionals, IMO, if you're young enough to recoup the earnings you lose from making the jump.

One biggie to consider, however, is that I've never held a line at UAL (three years and counting). I can't speak at all for what it's like on the lineholder side, but it seems pretty bleak when I look at the line awards (95 hour months with 12 days off), though most guys I fly with end up dropping a trip each month. We'll have to see how well the new trip trade system pans out as well. They're rolling it out in ORD this month, so time will tell. It's got some pretty slick features (3+ way trades, etc.), so there's a glimmer of hope.

C

 

[Superpilot92]

Well, I left CAL to go back to UAL. CAL was definitely a better place to work, but I spent an average of 36 hours/month sitting in back while I commuted to work. I'm 6'5", so to say that the LAX-EWR commute sucked would be an understatement.

Here's a few observations having been at COEX, UAL, SkyWest, CAL, and UAL again. IMO, UAL is still better than either of my commuter jobs, and I worked for two of the better regionals.

You want to know what's still good at United? Not a ton, but a few biggies.

First off, they feed us, and feed us well. I know this doesn't seem like much, but it makes a huge difference in how I feel at the end of the day. We get two meals on most trans-cons, which honestly is a bit much most of the time. It's good food as far as airline meals go (on par with the CAL first class meals that we occasionally got from the back), and we have 10 or 15 different meal choices.

Second is the 8 (or 9, can't remember) hours behind the door at the hotel. This is key. I've never been in a situation where I didn't have the opportunity to get enough rest. I can't say that for any other airline that I've worked for. We've all had those 8 hour block-to-block layovers - that simply doesn't happen here.

Third, United is by far the most standardized airline I've ever worked for. It's hard to overstate how much easier this makes the F/O's job. At CAL, I literally had guys who would brief me by stating that "I'm by the book, but I do like to do a few things differently", then proceeded to pull out a 3x5 card with the list of things they wanted done differently (both sides). That sucks. I think CAL tries their best to make things standard, but with so many acquisitions in CAL's past, a lot of guys had their own idea of what works best, and for some reason they wouldn't let go. Kinda strange, but it could make things a pain in the ass.

Fourth, life on reserve is pretty decent. I'm averaging 12-13 days of work/month on the Airbus, and we can usually pick and choose what we want to do. The long/short call deal is great, IMO. There are a few guys who disagree, but you are able to have some control of your schedule even on reserve.

So from my perspective living at home in domicile (that is critical), I'm far happier than I was commuting to EWR for CAL. My QOL is better, and I have almost twice as much time at home with the family, which is my number one priority.

So yes, UAL certainly has its issues, but it's not all bad, and certainly better than the regionals, IMO, if you're young enough to recoup the earnings you lose from making the jump.

One biggie to consider, however, is that I've never held a line at UAL (three years and counting). I can't speak at all for what it's like on the lineholder side, but it seems pretty bleak when I look at the line awards (95 hour months with 12 days off), though most guys I fly with end up dropping a trip each month. We'll have to see how well the new trip trade system pans out as well. They're rolling it out in ORD this month, so time will tell. It's got some pretty slick features (3+ way trades, etc.), so there's a glimmer of hope.

C

That's just funny! I need to do that as a joke on my next FO. LOL I can only imagine the look on their face when i introduce myself and pull out my instruction index card!!LOL

 

[boxjockey]

There are a few capts. at XJT that would do that kind of thing. I think every airline has their "different kind of folk".

box