Originally Posted by flyallnite

I doubt you'd be any worse off at the bottom of UALs list. With bases in SFO, ORD, IAD, DEN... at least you'd have some shot at a decent QOL.

UAL has way more high paying heavies than we do, and 787s coming online today.

UAL is all set in the Pacific, with great partners, HND access, Air Mike... they are much stronger than we are in Latin America, and while not tops in the Atlantic, (in this economy, not a bad thing) they have the best partner- Lufthansa. Oh, and huge retirements coming up.

We have: MD90's, no widebody orders, hats, 717s, replacement 737s for 757's, Alaska continues to expand at our expense, DC9s... A tenuous position in Asia that could result in massive furloughs if we get shut out of HND, and big exposure in Europe with a financially strapped partner AF/KLM. A shiny name tag for all the world to google, triple airport reserve in NYC. We are a distant third in Latin America.

And frankly, our base choices are not exactly inspiring. If I were junior and young, I'd be jumping ship too. The contract pain is short term, the prospects are very bright.