A Career Question

[AAflyer]

It looks like Continental will be hiring, so the question I wan't to ask is how many of you applying to Southwest, AirTran, Jet Blue, Fedex and UPS will apply to Continental?

How many of you would pursue a "Legacy" if some of the others started hiring?

Is there a pecking order to whom you would like to fly for? ie. SWA, FedEx, UPS, Airtran,JB (and I use this only as an example, not trying to say one is necessarily better than the other).

Hoping all will join on, as I am curious to see what people will say, it seems every airline gets their fair share of bashing on this forum, "legacies" more than others.

AAflyer

 

[SkiFishFly]

AAFlyer,

You pretty much nailed my current list - SW, FEDEX, UPS, Airtran, JB. I was just thinking last night that I might add Continental.

 

[AAflyer]

Skifishfly,

Thanks, where would you put CAL on that list?

AA

 

[Wesb737fo]

AA flyer,

I think you are going to find that well over 10,000 applicants are going for Continental since they will join the short list of Airlines that are hiring.

If I were at SWA, I would not leave for anyone. If I were somewhere that did not pay well (I.E. regional airline with crappy work rules and bad management) I would consider trading my seniority to go to Continental or any of the other airlines that are hiring.

I do enjoy working for my present Employer flying 737's, however things are not really stable ( I stand a chance of being furloughed) so I will apply to CO.

If I have to leave, I suppose my dream line-up would be SWA, UPS, FEDeX, CO, JBLU, AirTran, AWA. Delta is actually my number one choice (being a Georgia boy) but I don't think they are going to be hiring any time soon. Any encouraging words, General Lee?

As a side note, I go to work every day and realize that I am still flying a jet during the worst economic conditions for the airline industry. Just hoping they don't get any worse.

 

[SkiFishFly]

AAFlyer,

Right now I would tack Continental onto the end of the list. I may move it up as I study the situation some more (and then consult my psychic on the future growth/stability of these companies).

 

[Ty Webb]

Obviously, where you want to live, what type of flying you want to be doing, and job security will cause different people to rank the carriers differently.

For example, both JB and AirTran have upgrade times of less than 3 years, but SWA, Fedex and UPS would seem to offer more security and higher pay . . . Continental is a great company, but that may be a little too close to the bottom of the list for some folks to feel comfortable, for others, it might seem a small chance to take to work for a legacy carrier with a worldwide network.

As Mark Twain once observed, "Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be", and you could probably be happy at any of the carriers you listed. . . . or not!

As for life at AirTran, I have been very happy here. Once a week, I take a short on-line commute to ATL, spend a few days with some great people flying shiny new 737NG's around, and then a short commute back home . . . . what's not to like? Fly jet . . . . cash check. . . .


Good Luck.

 

[AAflyer]

Ty,

Just curious as to what todays pilot wants. Back in the late 90s it was the push to get to NWA,DAL,UAL,CAL,AA (SWA as well)etc. There were many good companies back then like "AirTran" that you could hang your hat at and call "home" (as well as being happy), it just seemed many (not all were trying for a few companies)

I was very curious to seethat one of the "legacies" is starting to hire and if it had the same effect it had in the late 90s with poeple wanting to go, and how they would rank CAL in their wish list. Obviously people are optimistically cautious, not to mention companies like yours now offer a rather competitive package.

Just curious, miss flying the NG (flew the 800).

Take Care,

AA

 

[NEDude]

CAL and SWA are my top two choices, with SWA holding a slight lead. I would love either of them. After that it would be hard to rank AirTran, AWA, FedEx, UPS. I don't meet the 20,000lb requirement for JetBlue, but they would not be in my top two anyway.

FWIW

 

[falcon20driver]

What's not to like about AirTran, the fact that they don't consider 135 jet PIC time worthy, they're losing a lot of highly qualified and pretty darn good pilot applicants because of that.

 

[-9Capt]

the fact that they don't consider 135 jet PIC time worthy, they're losing a lot of highly qualified and pretty darn good pilot applicants because of that.

I agree with you, however, finding qualified pilots today is not a problem.