Originally Posted by
RimonaGregie
1. It is unlikely you will ever have an award at UAL with 20 days off, if ever. You currently have an amazing “QOL”? I don’t think I’ve ever met a UAL pilot that said their QOL was “amazing”.
2. The way our customers are treated I am often embarrassed.
3. The senior pilots are great resources and mentors, but it is obvious many have been beaten down so hard in their careers they wouldn’t know functional management if they saw it. Employees here tolerate a lot of dysfunction and waste.
4. I don’t think the pilot group has the constitution for a great contract.
5. The crews aren’t necessarily fun, the FAs seem to often be hostile and the “aggrieved party” (see #2). A good amount of the pilots seem to really enjoy their jobs and flying, the rest of the employee groups and management I’ve learned to use up energy to avoid as best I can.
United has a lot of positives and has a lot of “unrealized” opportunity, but the company can’t seem to get out of it’s own way at times. Don’t get me wrong, this is where I want to be — but it is more of a question of which airline stinks the least.
How many airlines have expanded quickly and chase profits that never exist? Hopefully history does not repeat itself.
There is a lot at UAL that needs to be improved for this to be a great experience for customers and employees. The new blood is a lot like the old blood, and not many people have the chutzpah willing to call out the nonsense when they see it — whether it be the pilot group, other employees or management — the new UAL is a lot like the old UAL.
The company seems to overtly have a grievance with the most common gender and race of the pilot group. The company seems to put identity politics in front of safety and treating all employees and customers with respect and compassion.
This is exactly the kind of feedback I'm looking for, thank you! Overall you make excellent points from which I can make realistic comparisons to my current gig. Commuting aside, I am very happy with my current company. The pilot group is excellent and I would say that on average, 90% of all the work groups have a positive attitude and are generally easy/pleasant to work with. The relationship we have with the FA's is healthy and professional. Conflicts do occur, but I would say that they are the rarity rather than the norm. We have our frustrations and dysfunctions just like anywhere else but I can see myself retiring from this ULCC.
I'm glad you touched on the identity politics issue at UAL. While I can compartmentalize it and do my job, it has been a concern of mine with regard to making the jump. As long as everything runs smoothly, it's not an issue and I could care less about it once the flight deck door is closed. When things DON'T run smoothly (how often does that happen in this industry?), my concern is that UAL will throw me under the proverbial airbus without missing a beat. A top down management structure which is overtly hostile to a specific race & gender is cancerous to the entire organization and not a place I'd care to be.