Leaving Jetblue

[Lake Alice]

When are you leaving Alice?

No timetable yet. The apps are out, just waiting for the call.

 

[Lake Alice]

I think there will be a noticeable, not expansive, attrition of mid to senior FO's at Jblue for the majors in 2013. The draw of heavy international metal will win over schedules and bases. It's the pilots way.

It's not a tremendous concern of Jetblue if more senior pilots leave but during the mid 2000's when many junior pilots left that certainly raised some eyebrows. Given career progression at Jetblue is mainly tied to expansion many junior pilots can get the same QOL with better career potential at the bottom of a DAL or SWA list. This isn't a knock on Jetblue but the reality of our benefits package/career progression. This leads many doing interviews to believe Jetblue is intentionally hiring pilots with below average time in an effort to retain them longer.

 

[Flyby1206]

It wi be very interesting when the legacies finally do start hiring en masse. When AA starts their Airbus deliveries will they prefer to hire a RJ Capt with 1000PIC or an A320 FO with no PIC? Either way, once the retirements at mainline start cranking up then the requirements will drop like a rock.

 

[Lake Alice]

I had a united MEC pilot on the jumpseat a few months back and he showed us the projected retirements for UAL/CAL combined list over the next 12 years and it's shocking. The first year or two average low hundreds but 3,4 or 5 years later they are close to 1000 or more per year. Usair is still projected to turn over half the east list in the next 10 years, AA depends on how bankruptcy/merger works out. Who knows where the new hires will come from but there will be hiring.

 

[Fins Up]

I had a united MEC pilot on the jumpseat a few months back and he showed us the projected retirements for UAL/CAL combined list over the next 12 years and it's shocking. The first year or two average low hundreds but 3,4 or 5 years later they are close to 1000 or more per year. Usair is still projected to turn over half the east list in the next 10 years, AA depends on how bankruptcy/merger works out. Who knows where the new hires will come from but there will be hiring.

That part about USAir is interesting. Retirement might be the way they get rid of east and give more and more routes to west. I'm not sure if that's how it works.

 

[say again]

Remember all the pilots who left SWA, FedEx, UPS, etc in 2000-2001 for the great jobs at UAL, AAL, DAL, NWA, USAirways. When you make a move there is an element of luck. Often is will take 10 years before you know if you made the right move.

Exactly, aviation is one big gamble!!

 

[Lake Alice]

Remember all the pilots who left SWA, FedEx, UPS, etc in 2000-2001 for the great jobs at UAL, AAL, DAL, NWA, USAirways. When you make a move there is an element of luck. Often is will take 10 years before you know if you made the right move.

Holy sh!t. You're a gawd darn genious! You gotta put that Zhouyi commentary in some sort of publication for all to enjoy.

 

[ackattacker]

That part about USAir is interesting. Retirement might be the way they get rid of east and give more and more routes to west. I'm not sure if that's how it works.

That's not how it works. Right now all the hiring is on the east and I expect that's how it will be for the near future. There's not enough for the west pilots to do so they're actually flying some east routes.

 

[PsubS]

I think at least one has--a female FO who's hubby still works at JB.

 

[pilotyip]

all part of the 2012 hiring boom