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Old 03-10-2018, 05:54 PM
  #9  
CLazarus
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Joined APC: Feb 2015
Position: 777FO
Posts: 697
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Originally Posted by Castle Bravo View Post
13 months prior to retirement, drop your papers, set the earliest retirement date possible, and when you hit terminal leave, you can be in your airline class. I had a buddy that was flying for SWA while on Terminal leave! Once you have a retirement date set 12 mos out, the 365 boogey man can't get you.
CB is right on target, you are way too close to the check of the month club to punch now. To paraphrase a buddy of mine, "You could practically hold your breath from now until you retire". You are fortunate in that you will not need to regain flying currency when you retire either, so you will have a strong chance at going direct to a major. You can start your apps at your leisure with no time pressure and hit "submit" when your availability date is set. We've had straight nine years of economic growth and a sudden reversal could be around the corner (did somebody say "trade war"?). Having a seniority number sooner might put some extra cash in your pocket short term, but having a retirement check is a great insurance policy against a furlough or bankruptcy from now until the day you turn 65. Plus, it keeps paying out after you turn 65 too!
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