Originally Posted by
Vito
As a UPS guy with an excellent retirement, no PBS and job security, I'd say go to FedEx. Remember, all it takes is one hadji to get through again and everyone will be afraid to fly for a year....also, you hear a lot of guys mention the health effects of night flying etc, but I saw the health effects of Chapter 11 filings, loss of retirements and seniority, and the anxiety of "what's next" on the faces of my pax flying brothers in my Air Force Unit. There's something to be said for stability (for the most part) and as long as there are people in this world with a computer and a credit card, they will buy things online and it will have to be delivered. I valued the stability of the Cargo world, and that's why I chose UPS over United back in 1994...It turned out to be a wise, and lucky choice, and I will be retiring at 60 because Of that stability..Good Luck
Great post. One thing people don't consider, is that if you make enough money, with this kind of stability and pension that freight provides, you CAN retire earlier than you might have otherwise. You CAN fly less than you might have otherwise, and improve your QOL.
After I got furloughed way back when, I was turned down by United, and was absolutely devastated. My family really counted on me for the income, my spouse also was laid off, two little kids. It's a terrible feeling, not knowing how you're going to provide for your family, thinking you're going to have to live with a low paying, non-flying job, in the hope of getting recalled. United was my dream job.
Then, miraculously, I got hired by FedEx. Knew instantly that this was where I wanted to be. Got recalled by the other airline, didn't even consider going back. United completely dumped on their pilots, all those huge salaries went kaput, bankruptcies, furloughs. I am so lucky they turned me down.