What would the first year at United be like?

[waveflyer]

Last job you'll ever have
Congrats- you're all millionaires

 

[Andy]

Last job you'll ever have
Congrats- you're all millionaires

And that post was necessary because?

 

[Jetjockey]

Haters just going to Hate.

 

[waveflyer]

Hating's a compliment- take it as such

 

[Oh-ryan]

Anyone interviewed/hired with no internal recs lately?

Deafening response to this, so I guess I know the answer. How bout 3rd person recs? Friend of a friend kinda stuff? Weak, I know. Thanks.

 

[Andy]

Hating's a compliment- take it as such

Wave, you've been full of 'compliments' toward Delta and your new coworkers from AT. Is it really necessary to spread your 'compliments' to another airline?
Are you trying to compete with Gen Lee as the most 'popular' poster on this board?

Deafening response to this, so I guess I know the answer. How bout 3rd person recs? Friend of a friend kinda stuff? Weak, I know. Thanks.

Sorry, I have no idea what's going on as far as getting an interview. Just keep updating your app on a regular basis. I assume you're still on active duty; how close to separating are you? And don't forget to look for Guard/Reserve jobs if you're not retiring.

 

[Oh-ryan]

Retiring. Terminal leave in 21 months. Thanks for the advice, Andy.

 

[Andy]

Retiring. Terminal leave in 21 months. Thanks for the advice, Andy.

OK, it's WAY too early for you to hear from any airline. You'll be fine as long as the economy doesn't tank hard and/or the retirement age changes in the next couple of years. Don't expect to hear anything before 6 months prior to terminal leave. By then, the pool of qualified applicants at most airlines will be very thin; you will have interviews at multiple airlines before you retire.

 

[densoo]

Retiring. Terminal leave in 21 months. Thanks for the advice, Andy.

Consider early retirement. I wish I had! Small loss of pay (2.5%?) but a year more seniority, no loss of other VA/medical benefits. Ask airline pilots you know if a year would have made a huge difference at some point in their career, especially 1997/98 hires compared to 1999/00 hires. I expect many will say it made the difference between furlough or not, upgrade or not, commuting or not. Some amazing stories of "if I had been hired six months earlier."

USAF 2013 Early Retirement

The window this year has passed but there will likely be a similar one next year, considering the sequestration continuing and government gridlock for the foreseeable future.

 

[densoo]

To continue, in the 1980s the Pentagon asked a couple of professors at USAFA to make an economic comparison of an airline career vs a military career to see if they could mitigate a cyclical shortage of military pilots. Their study showed that a if a military pilot resigned (early retirement didn't start until the 1990s) even as late as 19 years in the service, and immediately got a legacy airline job, that one year of greater seniority (in cumulative incremental advantage of pay scale on larger equip earlier, left seat earlier, etc) would in the end offset the entire lifetime of retirement pay they would have forfeited.

After this made its rounds at the decision-maker level they to realized they could not compete head-to-head, but they did start the pilot incentive/bonus program of $12k/year, up to six years, 50% paid on the day of signing and the other 50% distributed evenly and annually over however many years signed up for. It got folks to extend their commitment past their 0-4 board and, once that far, many stayed for 20.

Caveats: airlines paid a lot more when this study was done, pilots got a dump truck full cash at retirement, and I don't think it considered medical benefits as I believe it was assumed the airline would provide them.

PS, the professors, both military pilots, resigned shortly after.

 

[Andy]

Densoo, that program wasn't open to all AFSCs. My wife, a nurse, was not eligible for early retirement. I doubt that many 11xx AFSCs will be eligible.

 

[Whine Lover]

"What would the first year at United be like?"


For sure, it would be Glorious...As it has been at ALL Airlines, for the last 100 Years.

You should expect ( At The least ) :

- Cake. Lots of Cake.

- Departures. NOT before 11am Local, w/a light Brunch served beforehand

- 20 year old New-Hire F/A's with IQ's in the high 80 Range.

- Free Cocktails. Everywhere. Always.

- Limousines.

- "Panties...Glorious Panties ! ". Thrown at YOU, from admiring Women, from all directions, in every City of the World.

- Arrivals. Coincident w/Cocktail Hour In most major Cities of The World.

- " Hats...Glorious Hats! " . Worn by YOU, to distinguish yourself from "Commoners", and identify yourself as a "Rock-Star", in every City of The World.


Grown Men will grovel at your feet, and Women will cry. Love will be of your Choosing, and you will dictate to many Members, of many Civilizations....Exactly, how things will occur in any given Day.


These are just a FEW examples of how the " first year at United" will be.

All in all, it seems like an OKAY Program.

I may have missed a few things. I think at Delta they have Ice Cream too... But , you would have to check with The General on that.

So maybe, check that out before you even waste time applying to United.



"God Bless Us ALL. EVERY ONE!. " - Tiny Tim


YKW

 

[densoo]

Densoo, that program wasn't open to all AFSCs. My wife, a nurse, was not eligible for early retirement. I doubt that many 11xx AFSCs will be eligible.

Maybe next year! It's feast or famine with the pilot staffing, from extension bonuses to a gray hair program every 10 years.

 

[densoo]

"What would the first year at United be like?"


For sure, it would be Glorious...As it has been at ALL Airlines, for the last 100 Years.

You should expect ( At The least ) :

- Cake. Lots of Cake.

- Departures. NOT before 11am Local, w/a light Brunch served beforehand

- 20 year old New-Hire F/A's with IQ's in the high 80 Range.

- Free Cocktails. Everywhere. Always.

- Limousines.

- "Panties...Glorious Panties ! ". Thrown at YOU, from admiring Women, from all directions, in every City of the World.

- Arrivals. Coincident w/Cocktail Hour In most major Cities of The World.

- " Hats...Glorious Hats! " . Worn by YOU, to distinguish yourself from "Commoners", and identify yourself as a "Rock-Star", in every City of The World.


Grown Men will grovel at your feet, and Women will cry. Love will be of your Choosing, and you will dictate to many Members, of many Civilizations....Exactly, how things will occur in any given Day.


These are just a FEW examples of how the " first year at United" will be...



"God Bless Us ALL. EVERY ONE!. " - Tiny Tim


YKW

OR, a recent trip, with a redeye, two day-sleeps, modified trip to an FAR min rest, double deadhead "sharing" an armrest with the large folks, and getting abused by customs in Mexico. They must be in a diplomatic pissing contest with U.S. because while all the passengers headed for the exit entire flight crew enjoys the complete hands on rifle through the bag inspection. But I like your trip better--except for the hats.

 

[Oh-ryan]

To continue, in the 1980s the Pentagon asked a couple of professors at USAFA to make an economic comparison of an airline career vs a military career to see if they could mitigate a cyclical shortage of military pilots. Their study showed that a if a military pilot resigned (early retirement didn't start until the 1990s) even as late as 19 years in the service, and immediately got a legacy airline job, that one year of greater seniority (in cumulative incremental advantage of pay scale on larger equip earlier, left seat earlier, etc) would in the end offset the entire lifetime of retirement pay they would have forfeited.

After this made its rounds at the decision-maker level they to realized they could not compete head-to-head, but they did start the pilot incentive/bonus program of $12k/year, up to six years, 50% paid on the day of signing and the other 50% distributed evenly and annually over however many years signed up for. It got folks to extend their commitment past their 0-4 board and, once that far, many stayed for 20.

Caveats: airlines paid a lot more when this study was done, pilots got a dump truck full cash at retirement, and I don't think it considered medical benefits as I believe it was assumed the airline would provide them.

PS, the professors, both military pilots, resigned shortly after.

Thanks for all of the info guys. I know 21 months out is a bit long. United is one of my top choices due to domicile locations and of course it's also the one in which I have no internal references.

I got that same "military vs civilian" pilot speech too... back in 2000. Glad I stayed in.