Ups
There is another thread with a very similar question so I copied & pasted my previous reply…
...
Stay at SWA or go to UPS
Lowpayisgreat -
I have very little time at SWA and offered UPS interview. If hired what do you think
Lowpayisgreat -
I was in your shoes not too long ago, however my dilemma was quite the opposite to yours; I was finishing ioe at UPS when SWA called me for an interview. I’d been trying to get hired with UPS for so many years that I didn’t really think much about it; however I was surprised to hear from SWA since I still have no 737 type and it had been at least a year since my last online application update. Who knows, if I interviewed maybe they’d have hired me or maybe they wouldn’t? I do realize how lucky I was to even be in the position I was in; of course, it took me many, many years to get an interview with UPS.
Nevertheless, I’ve always dreamed of international flying so I wasn’t even thinking about switching back to domestic flying. SWA schedules wouldn’t really bother me as those were the schedules I was flying at my previous job. Some other things that made my decision even easier was the A and B plan at UPS which I think is far greater than a “promise” of a profit sharing – even though I know it has a good record. Still, in my mind it’s better when you know the exact dollar figure going into your Fidelity account every year as opposed to a profit sharing plan. Another “minor” reason, even though it really wasn’t that important, was the fact I’d become a guppy-driver for years to come – no offense, but I had about 2 years worth of guppy-flying under my belt and for some reason I found the airplane sort of docile and boring…I know it sounds stupid to even worry about that as a pilot, and it wasn’t a deal breaker by no means, but it just added another plus for choosing UPS.
So far I’m very happy with the decision I made and I hope I’ll feel the same way 25/30/35… years from now (depending on the retirement age at the time
)
Regardless, both airlines are great companies to work for and I decided to stick with the one I think will make me happier. Good luck with your decision. Btw, if you choose UPS – you’ll have to change your screen name to greatpayisgreat! (of course, I know swa pays well too)
...
And here’s some additional info…
As far as "cargo means night flying only" - there’s plenty of night AND day flying here. I do not make it up because I want everyone to know the truth before they make up their mind – there’s nothing worst than having to fly with a captain or a copilot who hates to be working for the same company you're working for. So research is always good!
I am a junior guy (~1 year) yet quite often I manage to get day flying schedules; I think most guys/gals bid specific days off rather than specifically day or night flying. My schedule for the next month and a half only has day flying (we bid 2 months at a time but I trip-traded one sequence).
Here are our departure times followed by our arrival times for this sequence (local times): Mon* 8: 10am-9: 15am (I do a quick commercial fight on SWA and go to the hotel, 1 leg - 1: 05hr), Tue 5: 52am – 12: 55pm (1 leg -4: 03hrs), Wed 3pm – 4: 35pm (1 leg, 4: 35hrs), Thu* 8: 00am ~ 6: 30pm (I commercial on the airline of my choice – in this case I fly AA first class from West coast to East coast and go to the hotel, 2 legs, blocked for ~6 1/2hrs total - don't have commercial flight info in front of me), Fri 3: 25pm-5: 39pm (1 leg, 5: 14hrs). *Just to clarify - Mon and Thu I deadhead only - I do not fly myself.
Now I am off for a week and then my schedule repeats itself. I do not have the trip-traded sequence schedule with me but I think it’s a mixed day/night flying week, however since I needed a specific day off I traded my day-flying only sequence for it.
Note, surely we have some crappy schedules but you’ll see that at every airline. I am giving you those examples just to show you that even a fairly junior guy can get to fly daytrips. Who knows, my next bid period I might only get night flying but it’s still not as bad as some people make it out to be. Of course, if you think you’ll hate it - you probably will! - because your mind is already preconditioned to hate it.
Either way, back to the original question - both SWA & UPS are great places to be however your happiness probably depends more on you and what you would like to do than on the airline itself. If you’re fortunate to have a choice please remember that the rumor all SWA pilots fly 7-8 legs every day is as true as the rumor all flying at UPS (or Fedex) happens at night.
So make a choice and know that you’ll be content and (hopefully) happy at either airline.
Good luck!
There is another thread with a very similar question so I copied & pasted my previous reply…
...
Stay at SWA or go to UPS
Lowpayisgreat -
I have very little time at SWA and offered UPS interview. If hired what do you think
Lowpayisgreat -
I was in your shoes not too long ago, however my dilemma was quite the opposite to yours; I was finishing ioe at UPS when SWA called me for an interview. I’d been trying to get hired with UPS for so many years that I didn’t really think much about it; however I was surprised to hear from SWA since I still have no 737 type and it had been at least a year since my last online application update. Who knows, if I interviewed maybe they’d have hired me or maybe they wouldn’t? I do realize how lucky I was to even be in the position I was in; of course, it took me many, many years to get an interview with UPS.
Nevertheless, I’ve always dreamed of international flying so I wasn’t even thinking about switching back to domestic flying. SWA schedules wouldn’t really bother me as those were the schedules I was flying at my previous job. Some other things that made my decision even easier was the A and B plan at UPS which I think is far greater than a “promise” of a profit sharing – even though I know it has a good record. Still, in my mind it’s better when you know the exact dollar figure going into your Fidelity account every year as opposed to a profit sharing plan. Another “minor” reason, even though it really wasn’t that important, was the fact I’d become a guppy-driver for years to come – no offense, but I had about 2 years worth of guppy-flying under my belt and for some reason I found the airplane sort of docile and boring…I know it sounds stupid to even worry about that as a pilot, and it wasn’t a deal breaker by no means, but it just added another plus for choosing UPS.
So far I’m very happy with the decision I made and I hope I’ll feel the same way 25/30/35… years from now (depending on the retirement age at the time
) Regardless, both airlines are great companies to work for and I decided to stick with the one I think will make me happier. Good luck with your decision. Btw, if you choose UPS – you’ll have to change your screen name to greatpayisgreat! (of course, I know swa pays well too)
...
And here’s some additional info…
As far as "cargo means night flying only" - there’s plenty of night AND day flying here. I do not make it up because I want everyone to know the truth before they make up their mind – there’s nothing worst than having to fly with a captain or a copilot who hates to be working for the same company you're working for. So research is always good!
I am a junior guy (~1 year) yet quite often I manage to get day flying schedules; I think most guys/gals bid specific days off rather than specifically day or night flying. My schedule for the next month and a half only has day flying (we bid 2 months at a time but I trip-traded one sequence).
Here are our departure times followed by our arrival times for this sequence (local times): Mon* 8: 10am-9: 15am (I do a quick commercial fight on SWA and go to the hotel, 1 leg - 1: 05hr), Tue 5: 52am – 12: 55pm (1 leg -4: 03hrs), Wed 3pm – 4: 35pm (1 leg, 4: 35hrs), Thu* 8: 00am ~ 6: 30pm (I commercial on the airline of my choice – in this case I fly AA first class from West coast to East coast and go to the hotel, 2 legs, blocked for ~6 1/2hrs total - don't have commercial flight info in front of me), Fri 3: 25pm-5: 39pm (1 leg, 5: 14hrs). *Just to clarify - Mon and Thu I deadhead only - I do not fly myself.
Now I am off for a week and then my schedule repeats itself. I do not have the trip-traded sequence schedule with me but I think it’s a mixed day/night flying week, however since I needed a specific day off I traded my day-flying only sequence for it.
Note, surely we have some crappy schedules but you’ll see that at every airline. I am giving you those examples just to show you that even a fairly junior guy can get to fly daytrips. Who knows, my next bid period I might only get night flying but it’s still not as bad as some people make it out to be. Of course, if you think you’ll hate it - you probably will! - because your mind is already preconditioned to hate it.
Either way, back to the original question - both SWA & UPS are great places to be however your happiness probably depends more on you and what you would like to do than on the airline itself. If you’re fortunate to have a choice please remember that the rumor all SWA pilots fly 7-8 legs every day is as true as the rumor all flying at UPS (or Fedex) happens at night.
So make a choice and know that you’ll be content and (hopefully) happy at either airline.
Good luck!
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