Originally Posted by
Perfectpotato
I’m lucky enough to have a CJO with both companies with classes starting next month. I’m having trouble deciding between the 2.
I live in Pensacola and for the next few years minimum I will be commuting from there family reasons. Tracking my best options would be PNS->IAH for United and PNS->BNA for Southwest.
I’m also in the mil reserves so I plan on staying in Pensacola until I’ve had enough with that. After we plan to move to MCO.
Im looking for some insight on which of these companies will provide the best career for the next 25 years (obviously no one has a crystal ball) assuming a start next month.
United was my #1 but now seeing how many people have been hired prior to me and not a huge presence at MCO has me rethinking.
Thanks in advance - and I know this is a great situation to be in!
My two cents.
I know this isn’t everything that goes into your decision, but it is worthy of consideration.
I’ve got 5,000 in the 737 and in my opinion it’s an absolute POS and I couldn’t even imagine being stuck in that plane for 25 years. Again in my opinion, but what a miserable work experience that would be. Yes, they could get another type or types but how long will that take to have plenty in the fleet with zero on order today.
SWA is like going back two or three decades technology wise. Not that a website matters that much. I can tell you they are just going AQP today not like more than 26 years ago for the other legacies. Heck they didn’t even use VNAV until 5 or 7 years ago. The entire company is very behind the times technology wise.
Most importantly today SWA is going through big changes in their business model as they have out grown what has worked very well for them in the last 3 - 4 plus decades. Not that they’re going anywhere, but I’d say their financial security and future is nowhere as secure looking forward like it has been in the decades of the past. What’s the old financial saying past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. That doesn’t mean they’re going out of business. But you may see long periods of stagnation and not the growth historically they’ve seen there.
Nobody knows the future, United could be out of business in five years. But given you have a 25 year career and looking what the realistic odds are moving forward. You would have a much better overall career at United vs. Southwest. I personally think you would regret deeply not going to United in five, ten or fifteen years.
How do you know in five or ten years Orlando is gonna be that important to you? Life happens and priorities change. You asked for opinions, that’s my two cents.
Either way best of luck!