Full heartedly disagree about the family part. I have lots of friends that sit in traffic, an hour each day, just to wheel into the same 9-5 rat race that everyone else is. Those guys miss more ball games and practices than I do....and I’m a 13 year regional guy still on min days off....Yes, holidays, birthdays, and anniversaries are never easy to miss, but if you make your time off more about enjoying your time together with family, the job is easy. I’m on 3 weeks vacay right now, and I picked up a trip because my wife is getting irritated with me being home (HA!)
If you and the wife want to make it work, you can. It just takes commitment from both people. In today’s morally bankrupt society, giving up is the easy part.
No life as a commuter? Depends, although, I would argue that living in the majority of cesspool legacy hubs is more than worth the commute. I choose to commute because I want my children to live near family. Commuting adds a few hours a week to this chaotic career, but it’s nice to not be hung up in city traffic, high tax rates, or riding in urine soaked trains/subways.
To each their own, but, I’m able to truly enjoy my days off.
Originally Posted by
DrunkenShytbird
Yeah and even if the Paycheck/Tail Logo is the same, you still aren't out of the woods. Look at Eastern, Pan Am, TWA & Braniff, et. al..
I was on a United JS Recently with two distinguished old Gentleman & they had a pretty funny conversation (black humor) about how many times that they had been furloughed in their Careers at various Airlines AND at United.
This ain't a Career for Sissies. You're gonna get hit hard a few times with something or other, be it Airline Bankruptcy, up to and including full Dissolution of your Airline, Medical Issues, Divorce, or simply having to choose between a (non) Life of either Commuting, or uprooting the Family every few years as Domiciles come and go. I would argue that this is not a good Family oriented Career as well, hence the high divorce and Family break up rate.
Probably best for People, Gay or Straight, that decide to not have a Family, or pets and maybe their Partner/Significant Other is also at the Airline and they can bid together. Those People might have a good go of it, or maybe you just get lucky and it's all Sunshine & Unicorns.