You can always apply. In the current environment there might an operator who knows they’re taking furloughs, you're not going to stay, and they’re fine with that. Not every operator is trying to build a pride and joy outfit so they don’t even ask the "why do want to work here" or "what do you know about our company" since the honest answer isn’t "it’s always been my dream" and "you care about your team members" but rather "I need the money" and "you're hiring."

But might I suggest an alternative view. I’m done now but twenty years ago was unfamiliar with the downturns having come out of the military and after 9/11 I rode it out all way to the bottom and found out the hard way there might worse things than being furloughed. I bumped along the bottom on reserve, was displaced to another base, commuted to reserve, fell off the bottom of the list, training cycle at another carrier, on reserve, recalled, training cycle, commuted to reserve, and finally got back home after 3+ years. If you have a young family that is brutal, for them and for you, and may having lasting effects on everyone.

As it began I applied for a job at Target to stock shelves and they called me to interview. I often wish I had gone on the offered leave of absence, taken that job to pay the bills, and just bypassed all the drama. What we have the privilege to have that few others have is a union and a spot on a seniority list for the only job we'll ever want. Everyone will get recalled at some point. But between today’s displacement and that recall a life will be lived, and the choice of which one that will be is important, and an exceedingly difficult one to make.

As the disclaimer says, past performance doesn’t indicate future results.