Question about being furloughed

[Whirlwind]

Forgive me if this is a dumb question...

If you're furloughed from an airline, can do go work for another airline or in some other flying job while waiting to be recalled?

If so, any restrictions on that?

It seems that if you're going to be out of work for a year or more, you can't just sit around and watch TV. How do you make ends meet?

 

[CLCAP]

You can work wherever you want but a lot of places force you to resign your seniority in order to accept you.

 

[Timebuilder]

Many guys are doing what I am doing: something besides flying.

As a former broadcaster/writer/actor, I decided to go back to doing commercials and narrations here on the east coast. I'm hoping to buy my own plane so I can fly when I want to, to where I want to.

 

[no_land_3]

Brief Stay

Hey Folks,

I've been furloughed from Delta since 01May03...going back 01Dec03. I purposely did not actively look for a flying job. I figured flying jobs were few and far between with so many qualified pilots out of work and seniority resignation was not an option for me. I also thought it would be a good chance to diversify and go into another career field...real estate/mortgages. The nice thing is that I will be able to continue doing this when I return to DL. Had I not been furloughed, I never would have gotten involved in this field. And if I get furloughed again I now have a backup plan.

I had zero experience when I started in mortgages. Bottom line is this: if I can land a job in a field where experience is preferred and the norm, so can you. Don't sell yourself short. Look at what it took to get you in that flying seat and sell the interviewer on those attributes...dedication-years of perseverance, blood, sweat and tears...education-you are trainable and can learn anything...you also have organizational, managerial and interpersonal skills...the list goes on. If a prospective employer can't see that, screw 'em...move on. If they are smart they will want you.

Sorry for rambling on but I hope this helps somebody.

 

[spanky2]

As the saying goes...it depends. I have heard the following...some companies will not touch a furloughee with a 10-foot pole. Some demand a resignation. Some may make you sign a 2-year commitment. Some don't care. Supposedly FedEx got burned by many pilots from the furlough of the early 90's who left for their previous company. Supposedly JetBlue makes you sign a commitment. The current DAL VP of Ops has said that if you resign from DAL that he will not put the letter in a drawer just so you can get a job until recall...it will be inforced. I guess if you are going to burn bridges be ready for the consequences.

spanky2
"on the outside looking in"

 

[Capn Sac]

My airline has a lot of furloughed pilots working for us. The company has asked just for a seasonal committment(six months). Currently not hiring but rumor is soon to be, with all the call backs now occuring.

 

[Falconjet]

FedEx has hired a bunch of furloughed USAirways pilots over the past couple of years, although they were asked to resign their seniority numbers there. Didn't seem to bother any of them at all, I guess the felt that their chances of going back were pretty slim.

As I understand it at JetBlue it is a contract for 5 years with either party (the pilot or the company) able to cancel. I have a good friend who worked for them in 2002 for about 2 months and decided to go with a different company. (wasn't me) He left and wasn't under any financial obligation to them that I know of.

The short answer is that if you want to make some money to make ends meet and put food on the table, you need to find something to do, or marry rich.

 

[becket]

For us "new hires" at US Airways, I believe holding on to any number is a pipe dream. I gladly gave it up. I'll be a line holding captian at my new carrier before I'm recalled to US Airways, this of course is assuming that dave segal does not totally bury the place. FWIW, I still have passes, I don't know if my new company didn't follow thru, or if US Air thru out the resignation letter or what. Who cares? I wouldn't go back to US air if they called today. I consider the passes as a small token of their appreciation for destroying my life for 19m months. Then again. Alpa decided that I don't deserve any of those stock options, even though I earned them because I was Metrojet...Oh well, I hope ALPA remembers that it's a two way street... What goes around...

 

[RUhiring?]

Don't forget that those passes are now taxable!! Compliments of JCMD.