NWA or CAL

[Jonny Sacko]

HOLY CRAP YOU ROCK!! Flygirl, I'll buy you 3 rounds of drinks. That's funny!

 

[EWR_FO]

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=&quot]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]

CO has orders for 25 787's and options for 35 more.

 

[ClubORD]

CO has orders for 25 787's and options for 35 more.

Plus you'll never have to fly with Pocono at CAL.

 

[JAM-BRO]

CO has orders for 25 787's and options for 35 more.

NWA has orders for 18 787s and options for 50...

 

[whymeworry?]

This business is all about timing. You'll hear that for the rest for your career. You can't control the timing of growth but you can somewhat control the timing of movement in this situation. You will move a lot faster at NW than you will at CAL over the next 10 years.

Getting hired at the right point of a "boom" is key.

 

[IAHERJ]

This business is all about timing. You'll hear that for the rest for your career. You can't control the timing of growth but you can somewhat control the timing of movement in this situation. You will move a lot faster at NW than you will at CAL over the next 10 years.

Getting hired at the right point of a "boom" is key.

Very well said.....

 

[COpilot]

Sorry, but I turned them down okay? How many times do I have to go over this with you flytrampqt.

Besides, I am holding out for FedEx or maybe another cargo company. Maybe even an ACMI company.

Flying people is so last year. LOL

What !!! come on Poco you told us all that you were going to go to UAL, it was all set...

What happened, did you have to turn them down too????

Are you lying to us, or just making this stuff up?

 

[flygirlqt]

HOLY CRAP YOU ROCK!! Flygirl, I'll buy you 3 rounds of drinks. That's funny!

 

[johndt]

Does anyone know if the SEA or even the ANC bases are junior or senior??

 

[Superpilot92]

Does anyone know if the SEA or even the ANC bases are junior or senior??

Seattle is senior right now from what i have been told. ANC can be attainable right out of training if you want it. They are trying to find people who want ANC as a 747 FE. When they called and offered me the job they specifically asked "Do you want ANC? They dont want to send people to ANC who dont want to go there. There is no seat lock and they dont really want people getting it unwillingly and trading out ASAP. Good luck.