Originally Posted by
Request20Right
am in a similar spot to OP. I've been with SWA for 1.5 years and have a CJO with UAL. With 1400 pilots beneath me at SWA (although hiring is currently frozen due to MAX issues), I'm in a relatively good position, especially considering my seniority and 58% in base seniority in LAX, living and driving from north county SAN.
Despite this, I'm torn about making the move. I've already postponed two class dates with UAL this year due to uncertainty. If I do decide to join UAL, I'd need to start class by January. Initially, I was attracted to UAL for the possibility of wide-body (WB) flying, but I've previously disregarded it as I like to stay on my own time zone and I value flexibility and QOL.
While UAL offers the opportunity to fly WB international and sit on reserve, I'm unsure if it's worth leaving SWA. Our contract and setup for 737 flying seem superior, and I enjoy the flexibility, vacations, premium pay, and ease of schedule changes at SWA. Although we're facing issues with Elliott and uncertainty about the future, I don't feel my job is threatened. I think SWA is just going through a realignemnt phase in their business model. We don't have the premium cabins that UAL and DAL have been benefitting from in the post-covid travel boom.
Seniority-wise, SWA will likely remain stagnant for the next 2-3 years, depending on when we get planes from Boeing. Our retirement wave is further in the future, and assuming 0% growth, it's looking like a 9-10 year upgrade. I'm 30 and currently on year 2 pay at SWA, with a year 3 raise in May '25.
I'm rethinking UAL because of the variety but I'm unsure if it's worth jumping ship. Comparing apples to apples (737 to 737), SWA seems to have the better contract. UAL's retirements and growth plans are exciting, but I don't want to miss out on a potentially better opportunity. Is variety something really improtant to consider, or is an airplane an airplane at the end of the day?
What I value the most is schedule flexibility, and the ability to make great money for the most time off. Trying to collect information to make an informed decision! I know the grass isn't always greener. Thanks.
I opined that the Delta guy should stay at Delta because at the end of the day a parallel move is dumb unless you have huge extenuating circumstances.
SWA isn't the same. SWA is a single type LCC with no transoceanic flying (excluding Hawaii). They are also in upheaval being effected by the death of the ULCC/LCC business model. What worked great for them 20-30 years ago doesn't work in today's market. There's no telling what they will be in 10 years.
I faced the same decision leaving allegiant for AA. Allegiant is a profitable carrier doing well and I was a mid seniority CA with about 10 years in but I worried where that company will be in 10 years or so. At best I calculated they would plod along with little improvement. So I made the jump and have no regerts. I'm a fairly senior FO making almost as much as I made as a G4 CA and working a whole lot less. I could upgrade if I wanted to.
UAL has a lot more to offer you long term so unless you're close to retirement I think it would be foolish to turn down the CJO. In fact I'd say you made a huge mistake postponing it twice and losing seniority.