Continental info

[seahorse]

Better bases and more $$ money faster at SWA. This = more bling bling in much shorter time.

Way cooler equipment, flying, and less legs at CAL.

 

[EWR_FO]

Would you or other CAL guys take SWA over CAL if you had the choice based on what you know? I have a friend who has an offer from both...I told him SWA...what do you guys think. I think he was SWA bound reguardless.

Nice choice to have, make sure he knows the retirement situation at CAL (2190 over the next 10 years) to include that in his process.

 

[puddlejumper101]

Nice choice to have, make sure he knows the retirement situation at CAL (2190 over the next 10 years) to include that in his process.

That is a very good point...but how many guys has CAL hired since they opened the window in 05? I am guessing in the neighborhood of 800-1000. With that being the case then someone hired right now would move up 1300 numbers or so in 10 years. (just a guess...based on numbers). Thats not bad at all...but then it is a wash with SWA...since thats about the same amount of retirements they will have in the next ten years...compound that with their plan (as of right now) to continue to grow...and honestly I think the movement at both is equal. CAL is not growing at the rate SWA is, that could all change but in the end i think overall movement at both is equal. I think whatever he decides, he can't go wrong with either...as long as everything stays the way it is. Thats where the difference is...CAL is more subject to factors that SWA isn't (mergers is where I am headed with this). If I had to bet 30 years or so in this industry right now...I would take SWA. Especially when sitting at the bottom 25% of a list in this industry is scary. But it's not my choice...if I had this choice I would be torn too.

 

[bearcat]

That is a very good point...but how many guys has CAL hired since they opened the window in 05? I am guessing in the neighborhood of 800-1000. With that being the case then someone hired right now would move up 1300 numbers or so in 10 years. (just a guess...based on numbers). Thats not bad at all...but then it is a wash with SWA...since thats about the same amount of retirements they will have in the next ten years...compound that with their plan (as of right now) to continue to grow...and honestly I think the movement at both is equal. CAL is not growing at the rate SWA is, that could all change but in the end i think overall movement at both is equal. I think whatever he decides, he can't go wrong with either...as long as everything stays the way it is. Thats where the difference is...CAL is more subject to factors that SWA isn't (mergers is where I am headed with this). If I had to bet 30 years or so in this industry right now...I would take SWA. Especially when sitting at the bottom 25% of a list in this industry is scary. But it's not my choice...if I had this choice I would be torn too.

There are better bets on some -vs- others short term. If you are thinking one is better than the other....30 years from now you are smoking some good herb. I would take into consideration WHERE do you WANT to live over just about anything else. Then again who knows what will happen. A merger with SWA or CAL is unthinkable right now. Yeah I know what your saying, this board is plagued with speculation, but it is all what ANALysts think and not facts. If you think SWA will never merge with someone over the next 5-35 years, you are again smoking some good herb. Nobody is immune to the cold hard facts of a screwed up economy. Smash another airplane into a building again, spike the price of gas even more and loose all of your fuel hedging.....In other words if you are making any assumptions for 30 years from now you are a fool. Pass the dope to me in 25 years!

 

[CJCCapt]

What does a typical regional capt make these days? I'm finishing my year of $30/hr and going into the 777 at $72/hr. When I was a captain at a regional, I didn't make nearly that much, but it was a while ago.

I'm on pace for $52k this year as a third year turboprop captain. I can imagine the decision to move on for regional jet captains to be much tougher than mine. If my company doesn't bring in a larger aircraft, then (after a cold hard look at the numbers and - very big assumption - things stay somewhat as they are now), breakeven for me at SWA is two year's seniority and three year's seniority at CAL. With the years I have left to my career (and I'm an "older" guy), it's still better financially for me to try to move to either carrier, even with a two year furlough factored in.

Based on "current" forecast (I know - that and $2.50 won't even get me a latte anymore) total compensation at SWA runs just ahead of compensation at CAL for the first six years where CAL would for the next couple of years exceed the compensation at SWA (earlier projected upgrade at CAL right now than SWA). However over a fifteen year career, the total difference in compensation (salary and per diem) between the two amounts to less than $75,000 (in favor of SWA) out of over $2 million for both.

So as other posters have said I think we have to look beyond the hourly rates and into the retirement plans, benefits, QOL, type of flying, etc. to make a decision, and to the potential volatility of the industry (mergers?). There so many variables.

 

[CJCCapt]

Nice choice to have, make sure he knows the retirement situation at CAL (2190 over the next 10 years) to include that in his process.

Good point. If I was to be hired in Oct (on the "short list" and hoping!) based on retirements alone (no medicals outs or resignations), I'd move up about 2900 numbers in fifteen years (assuming age 60).

...then someone hired right now would move up 1300 numbers or so in 10 years...

2160 on the list born before 1957. If age 60 holds, then 2160 retirements in ten years (unless I reading the senority list wrong). If not, then something less.

 

[Hutchman]

That is a very good point...but how many guys has CAL hired since they opened the window in 05? I am guessing in the neighborhood of 800-1000.

Cal has hired just about 700 since 05.

 

[afres bum]

Any idea of what the attrition is prior to age 60? I have heard of several people resigning from Continental (and every other legacy airline) to move onto other companies, military leave, or get out of aviation all together…

 

[MJG]

From our MEC update:

With the end of summer flying, pilot hiring is now increasing back to its "normal" pace of 36-64 pilots a month until May 2007. 36 pilots will be hired for the month of September. These new hires will be going to IAH and EWR bases on both the B737 and B757 equipment.

Any idea on what the "junior" airplane is out of training, IOW are folks taking the 756 over the 737 if given the chance or is it the other way around??

 

[Hutchman]

Any idea on what the "junior" airplane is out of training, IOW are folks taking the 756 over the 737 if given the chance or is it the other way around??

The 757 went the most Sr and most Jr in my class. It all depends if you want Ewr or not.