mayutt

There's an older thread about whether military guys should apply early to airlines (early being before exact retirement/separation dates are known, and probably at least a year or so before retirement/separation). My take from that thread is in general "yes", just make sure it's clear that you don't know exactly when you'll be available if you don't have an approved retirement/separation date yet.

My question is: If one applies early and is fortunate enough to get a couple of offers, how long will airlines wait for an answer on an offer? In other words, let's say one gets an offer from airline "A" first, but airline "A" is not that pilot's first choice and he's not separating for a while since he applied early. In general, how long can a pilot hold out for his first choice while keeping airline "A" waiting for an answer?

I realize this is a good dilemma to have, but I have no sense of how the offer/acceptance process works.

Thanks -

mayutt