UAL announces another recall class- 21 Aug

[GogglesPisano]

How's World treating you? Still considering United? ).

World is treating me very well. I don't mind being home weeks at a time and getting paid. I may consider UAL someday, but I'd like to see consistent profitability and these merger rumors put to rest first. The FI bahsfest just irks me sometimes.

 

[Hagar17]

Good God. Can't we just congratulate these guys and leave it at that? I have a feeling a lot of guys at LCC's/cargo airlines will return to UAL when it's their last chance to go back.

Well said. If going back to U is what you want and it fits your situation, congratulations.

Maybe someday this profession will return to what it once was.....

Hag

 

[Andy]

World is treating me very well. I don't mind being home weeks at a time and getting paid. I may consider UAL someday, but I'd like to see consistent profitability and these merger rumors put to rest first. The FI bahsfest just irks me sometimes.

I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying World; sounds like it's a lot smoother over there now that the contract's settled.
The merger rumors have me concerned as well. I've seen in the financial press that Tilton's out shopping the company. Where there's smoke, there's usually fire. I can't think of a single merger that has gone well/smoothly. The surviving company is never as big as the two individual pieces that were merged.
As for the bashing, FI still isn't as bad as the acalounge. Some of your former coworkers have an unhealthy hatred for all things United. Hopefully they'll be able to let it go one of these days.

 

[BigShotXJTdrvr]

I am a captain at ExpresssJet. As far as 50 seat operators go, the job doesn't get a whole lot better than here. But I still hear people talking all the time about other jobs-- CAL,SW,FDX,JB,Airtran, etc. Why? Because as good as things may be at any sj "airline" it's still not all that great, and when/if UAL starts hiring again there will be plenty of guys who will roll the dice and try to get to on there becuase in the long run it still has more going for it than any sj "airline" ever will.

So it may not have a fat retirement like in the old days, well, so what. Pilots deal with situations as they happen. We deal with what is reality, when we fly we do not say to ourselves "I wish reality was something different" We don't say "I wish the weather was different," or "I wish I had more fuel left than I do." We accept the situation and figure out a solution. It may not be the solution we had hoped for, but we adjust to changing conditions. So the future of being a major airline pilot is now not as good as it used to be. Adapt to the new reality, or call it quits. Compared to most other jobs it's still pretty good, just not rediculously good.

How can anyone call United a craphole??? Maybe based on poor management, but certainly by no other measure. The pay is just as low as at CAL and guys are falling all over themselves to get on there. The current crew bases are superior to almost any other airline, and after 7 years of jumpseat experience I can say that the crews at United, both pilots and FAs, are probably the nicest bunch in the business, even with all the stress and hardships of bankruptcy, they have maintained (at least on the surface) their professional composure to a very high degree, and any person should feel extremely proud to be a United Airlines pilot, today or in the future.

 

[aa73]

I think that United is moving very conservatively in recalling pilots due to high fuel prices and economic uncertainty. United is short pilots this summer; even with zero block hour growth, they'll have to recall a significant number of pilots just to offset retirements. UAL has 240 pilots retiring in 2006 and 266 retiring in 2007. Based on the retirements, UAL will have to recall at least an additional 180 or so pilots between the Oct class and May 2007 to break even.
Unless United reduces block hours next summer, I can see them recalling 40-50 per month starting in Jan through May 07. If they decide to increase block hours, they will have to be much more aggressive in recalls. But that would be preceded by United increasing the number of PIs (pilot instructors) at TK (training center in Denver).

Andy,

Well my friend, at least your airline is doing the right thing and "recalling" pilots as necessary to maintain the schedule.

You see, at AA we have a whole different philosophy: As the airline grows short on pilots and FAs, instead of recalling they just park aircraft to maintain the same ratio of crews. That would explain the more than 55 aircraft we've announced as being parked or returned to the lessors. And we will probably announce even more birds being parked next year, as hundreds of our senior pilots retire. Heck, why recall when you can draw down the fleet?

Sarcasm is fully intended. Let's just say I envy the heck out of you guys (and DAl, and NWA, and US - and every airline that's announced recalls, while we just continue shrinking.)

Good luck, glad to see you guys are growing. Wish we could do the same.

73

 

[Hvy]

Which part? That they are recalling or that it takes about 100 calls to fill 20 positions and the bypasses are increasing because no one wants to go back to that craphole?

I'm sure that you know all about crapholes. But you know nothing about UAL.

 

[32LT10]

I am a captain at ExpresssJet. As far as 50 seat operators go, the job doesn't get a whole lot better than here. But I still hear people talking all the time about other jobs-- CAL,SW,FDX,JB,Airtran, etc. Why? Because as good as things may be at any sj "airline" it's still not all that great, and when/if UAL starts hiring again there will be plenty of guys who will roll the dice and try to get to on there becuase in the long run it still has more going for it than any sj "airline" ever will.

So it may not have a fat retirement like in the old days, well, so what. Pilots deal with situations as they happen. We deal with what is reality, when we fly we do not say to ourselves "I wish reality was something different" We don't say "I wish the weather was different," or "I wish I had more fuel left than I do." We accept the situation and figure out a solution. It may not be the solution we had hoped for, but we adjust to changing conditions. So the future of being a major airline pilot is now not as good as it used to be. Adapt to the new reality, or call it quits. Compared to most other jobs it's still pretty good, just not rediculously good.

How can anyone call United a craphole??? Maybe based on poor management, but certainly by no other measure. The pay is just as low as at CAL and guys are falling all over themselves to get on there. The current crew bases are superior to almost any other airline, and after 7 years of jumpseat experience I can say that the crews at United, both pilots and FAs, are probably the nicest bunch in the business, even with all the stress and hardships of bankruptcy, they have maintained (at least on the surface) their professional composure to a very high degree, and any person should feel extremely proud to be a United Airlines pilot, today or in the future.

Thanks for the nice post. As a UAL pilot I appreciate your words and hope that when we start hiring and if you so desire to work that it works out for you. Best of luck in your career be it here at UAL or elsewhere!

 

[EAP]

...after 7 years of jumpseat experience I can say that the crews at United, both pilots and FAs, are probably the nicest bunch in the business, even with all the stress and hardships of bankruptcy, they have maintained (at least on the surface) their professional composure to a very high degree, and any person should feel extremely proud to be a United Airlines pilot, today or in the future.

Wow, I had written off this website almost entirely as a bunch of backstabbing little boys at airline pilot summer camp until I read your post. Thanks. You will do well in your career because you haven't harvested the negativity and hostility that permeate the lower levels of our collective community. United would be lucky to have more guys when they do start hiring again that can keep a positive attitude and work together when the going gets tough. By the way, it's amazing what you pick up in the jump seat, isn't it? I was a twice a weeker in the jump seat at many companies for about 8 years and I've seen a lot too.

I started flying at the majors in '98 after many years of hard work at the big regionals. United was my second major airline after I decided to leave the first one for "stability". Ha! Well, I've been flying corporate since my furlough and I am honestly been very happy. Initially it sucked but a job change helped out quite a bit. The pay has been great, the equipment has been great and I really enjoy the best schedule I've ever had. Certainly not all corp jobs are like this one, so I know I'm fortunate, and I'm grateful.

But- I still miss the hell out of flying at the airlines, and I really liked flying at United most of all, bar none. Maybe it is different on different fleets, but where I was flying, the camaraderie and professionalism were unlike anything I'd ever been a part of before. The pilots really watched out for each other and the flying was outstanding. I know morale has been low, but I'll bet if everyone got to play furloughee for a few months, there would be a different perspective.

United has endured one hell of a black eye. Much of it was self inflicted, but the one thing that still absolutely stuns me is how so many on this website jumped willingly onto the dog pile. It was a frenzy like I've never seen before, and one I hope to never see again, for any airline to go through. And the professionalism demonstrated by the crews since then has been outstanding. (I buy a lot of seats on United for our crew repositions when we leave an airplane with the owners for their vacation and we come home, or when we go to training, etc.).

Sure, U has a ways to go, and I really hope it can keep climbing (Or "rising" ) into clear skies.

My recall number is approaching and I'm going to have a hard time making a decision when the "final" offer comes. I'm making twice more now that I could ever make on the LCO even of I was given all my longevity, which I will not be getting. I hope the pay issue comes around, but I doubt we can expect real airline wages again for many years or if ever. But some things - they are worth more than money. I really did like flying for UAL. I wish everyone going back "the best" and thank the guys who have held the line at "Yo" for their hard work.

 

[koko nw]

20% accept recall and go on military leave of absence. United allows you to be on mil leave for up to six years. This is the route that I plan on taking so that I can avoid fllying the 737/A320; the work rules suck on the narrowbody fleet.
.

Hey Andy, during our out processing brief after activation our Mil Lawyer addressed this issue and according to "him" if you were activated with OEF/OEF orders or go on Mil leave using orders stating the fact that your in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Iraq Freedom....the six year clock does not apply. So in other words every time your on orders in support of the two contingencies, it does not count towards the six year window. Therefore if you wish, you could be on indefinite leave or until you get your retirement...Hope that helps.

Like others I have fond memories of my time at UAL and wish to come back soon. But at this time with commuting to reserves and the onerous work rules at the LCO, Mil leaving makes the most sense for me and my family. For those of you returning soon, best of luck and fight the good fight and hope to see you all on the line soon.
As for the bubba's holding the line while we were out, I say thank you especially to the new MEC folks trying to unravel the cluster which they inherited, the change from 10 RDO's to 12 was HUGE!!

Best

Koko

 

[Andy]

Hey Andy, during our outprocessing brief after activation our Mil Lawyer addressed this issue and according to "him" if you were activated with OEF/OEF orders or go on Mil leave using orders stating the fact that your in support of Operation Enduring Freedom or Iraq Freedom....the six year clock does not apply. So in other words everytime your on orders in support of the two contingencies, it does not count towards the six year window. Therefore if you wish, you could be on indefinate leave or until you get your retirement...Hope that helps.

Koko

You are correct; contingency orders don't count against the USERRA clock. Unfortunately, my current job doesn't allow me to get contingency orders. I don't see that changing any time soon.

I'd also like to correct the numbers above that I gave; I found an e-mail (dated 5 Jun from Todd Coomins) with actual rates of acceptance/bypass/LOA. My apologies for misstating the numbers. Here's the e-mail (BTW, Todd's also a furloughee):

To all furloughees,

On Monday, 5 June 2006, the next recall class begins. There are a total of twenty-eight (28) Furloughed pilots returning in this class to active status, with an additional four (4) pilots attending who were previously recalled and are now returning from Leaves of Absence. Another twenty-six (26) pilots accepted recall for this class and are now on LOA status. Two hundred and forty-eight (248) furloughed pilots have been recalled to active status so far in 2006. The 5 June 2006 recall class is the ninth recall class this year, and the last class that has been announced by United to date. Currently United has no plans for a recall class in July 2006.

Total recall numbers are as follows (includes the 5 June 2006 Recall class):

Total pilots offered recall 1213
Total pilots still to be recalled 959
Total pilots back on property 445 =36.7% (248 this year)
Total pilots on LOA 229 =18.9%
Total pilots on Bypass 539 =44.4%

The most junior pilot to be offered recall is seniority number 7965.

Though United has offered recall to more that half of the pilots that were furloughed, one thousand four hundred ninety-eight (1,498) United pilots remain on furlough status. The UAL MEC SSC is continually working to return United to correct staffing levels which should accelerate the recall process.

Fraternally,

J. Todd Coomans
UALMEC Furlough Coordinator