Re: Tough decision!
backflip said:
FedEx or JetBlue? Received a voice mail message from KD for a 12 April class last night. I've been with JetBlue now for almost a year. I'm curious as to what you would do and why if you were in my shoes. I'll let you know my decision after I hear some of your responses.
The decision will involve weighing a number of variables, the value of which only you can determine, and it will ultimately result in taking a gamble with either company. You may never know if you made the right decision until the day you die, or until your spouse dies (depending on how you take your retirement).
FedEx is ranked number 82 on Fortune 500's list - - it's a stable company with tremendous potential for domestic and international growth. We appear to be coming out of the bad side of one of the most traumatic series of events to the airline industry having posted consecutive quarters of nothing but growth and profit. There's a pretty good chance we'll still be around when you're collecting retirement.
The FedEx pilot group is maturing, and I don't mean just in years. The honeymoon is over, we've seen ALPA come and go - - and come again. We've been through the painful process of convincing the majority of our pilots that Management is not a benevolent benefactor that will always have our best interests at heart. JetBlue WILL go through that someday - the JetBlue honeymoon will end. Where do you want to be when that merry-go-round screeches to a halt?
FedEx has a number of pilot bases, operates 4 fleet types, and has a variety of types of schedules. Depending on where you park your car most nights, commuting could be a primary concern affecting your lifestyle. FedEx has many options. If you live in a JetBlue base and desire to stay there, you might favor JetBlue. Otherwise, you might prefer FedEx.
I'm sure that the JetBlue treatment has been grand, and it will be extremely difficult to leave it in favor of a not-so-sweetheart relationship with management. It will be next to impossible to remove that veil from the big picture. But if you can, I believe you will see a number of points that favor FedEx.
I guess you'd expect that from a FedEx guy, but don't fool yourself. I don't bleed purple. I see this as a business proposition. I need money to support my family both now and in the future, and I see this as the most repsonsible way to go about achieving that goal. Stability, future growth, strength of the pilot group, and lifestyle issues all played an important part in getting me and keeping me here.
Good luck to you, whatever you choose.