I have tentative offers with both CAL and NWA. I am currently evaluating the pros and cons of each of these airlines. Here is my list:
CAL pros:
1. Better employee morale compared to NWA
2. 36% (1800 out of 5000) pilots retiring in 10 years
3. Aggressive international expansion
4. Newer equipment
5. Better customer service from a pax. point of view
6. New hires into 737s, 757s and may be even 777s
CAL cons.
1. Already hired around 1500 pilots. I will be at the tail end of the hiring boom.
2. PBS (at both airlines)
3. No medical bennies for 6 months. Cobra can be expensive.
NWA pros.
1. Head end of the hiring boom. I can retire as # 1-5 in the seniority list.
2. 53% (2900 out of 5500) pilots retiring in 10 years
3. More early retirements in NWA compared to CAL
4. Opportunity to fly both boxes and people.
5. I believe fast upgrades are coming to NWA.
(Junior CA on the DC-9 has a seniority number of around 4700 out of 5500. A new-hire is just 800 numbers from holding CA. CAL fast upgrade may have already come and gone. With 1500 new-hires ahead of me, it can be a fairly long wait).
6. International expansion in the form of 18 firm 787s with options for 40 more)
7. New hires going into the 747-FE seat and DC-9 right now. A-320 and 757 not too far away.
8. 150% pay for any flying on top of 80 hrs per month. Company cannot schedule you for more than 90 hrs / month.
9. In the unfortunate event of a furlough, NWA has a cushion at Compass. NWA pilots can flow-down to Compass---I am not sure though.
10. Medical bennies from day 1.
NWA cons.
1. Bad employee morale
2. Bad management-employee relationship
3. Old aircrafts (DC-9)
4. Lack of either an east coast or a west coast base (which can hamper international expansion---I think---however, NWA has pretty significant rights to fly in and out of Tokyo)
5. PBS
[FONT="]Anyone care to add any more facts, rumors or speculations? Which one do you think will be a better fit for a new-hire hired today?
[/FONT]
CAL pros:
1. Better employee morale compared to NWA
2. 36% (1800 out of 5000) pilots retiring in 10 years
3. Aggressive international expansion
4. Newer equipment
5. Better customer service from a pax. point of view
6. New hires into 737s, 757s and may be even 777s
CAL cons.
1. Already hired around 1500 pilots. I will be at the tail end of the hiring boom.
2. PBS (at both airlines)
3. No medical bennies for 6 months. Cobra can be expensive.
NWA pros.
1. Head end of the hiring boom. I can retire as # 1-5 in the seniority list.
2. 53% (2900 out of 5500) pilots retiring in 10 years
3. More early retirements in NWA compared to CAL
4. Opportunity to fly both boxes and people.
5. I believe fast upgrades are coming to NWA.
(Junior CA on the DC-9 has a seniority number of around 4700 out of 5500. A new-hire is just 800 numbers from holding CA. CAL fast upgrade may have already come and gone. With 1500 new-hires ahead of me, it can be a fairly long wait).
6. International expansion in the form of 18 firm 787s with options for 40 more)
7. New hires going into the 747-FE seat and DC-9 right now. A-320 and 757 not too far away.
8. 150% pay for any flying on top of 80 hrs per month. Company cannot schedule you for more than 90 hrs / month.
9. In the unfortunate event of a furlough, NWA has a cushion at Compass. NWA pilots can flow-down to Compass---I am not sure though.
10. Medical bennies from day 1.
NWA cons.
1. Bad employee morale
2. Bad management-employee relationship
3. Old aircrafts (DC-9)
4. Lack of either an east coast or a west coast base (which can hamper international expansion---I think---however, NWA has pretty significant rights to fly in and out of Tokyo)
5. PBS
[FONT="]Anyone care to add any more facts, rumors or speculations? Which one do you think will be a better fit for a new-hire hired today?
[/FONT]
