Originally Posted by Boeing Aviator

Ex CAL.

My two cents:

For every one of the approximately 12,000 UAL/CAL pilots at the time of the merger, you’d probably get 12,000 different answers.

Most CAL pilots didn’t want the merger, not that we had any choice.

My opinion was the first five years would absolutely suck but in the end it would be the absolute best long term future for all pilots - both sides. I think I was pretty much spot on.

Both sides will spend millions of dollars. The only ones that truly make out are the arbitrators, attorneys and paid experts.

It’s a several year nasty battle which has 99% chance it will untimely end up in binding arbitration after a few years of positioning by each side. The actual arbitration will take several months like a court type case - not being negotiated between both MEC’s or unions. After the arbitrators or arbitrator deliberate for several months (absolutely nothing happens fast in a merger) the order and award - new seniority list will be published.

When the merged SLI (new seniority list) comes out most will think they could have done better. All will know that pure internal growth and no merger always yields far better seniority results by a long shot.

Reality, Not that a JetBlue - United merger can’t happen. It’s far more likely in my opinion that JetBlue embarks on a massive international widebody expansion (not very likely), than actually merging with the United. But if it did happen, there would be major fences on the United side and most JetBlue pilots wouldn’t see a United flight deck for least a decade. The 2/3rd’s of United pilots that have been hired since the UAL/CAL merger have a far superior career expectations to every single JetBlue pilot. That’s a fact.

There simply is very real little reason for United to embark on a merger with JetBlue. Far too much risk/cost/pain vs any long term gains.

But like everybody else said, do your homework. Start with the Northwest - Republic merger in 1986 that created three types of new Northwest pilots. Red book (former NWA), green book (former Republic) and blue book (new hire NWA after the merger) and the 20 year fence on NWA widebodies to Republuc pilots..

In the short term mergers suck for everyone.