B200 Hawk

Currently in the left seat at a ULCC, around 45% company wide. Being displaced out of my current base and into a 2 leg commute. Current base is indefinite reserve, even if I can get back soon. The 2 leg commute I’ll be a fringe line holder and could potentially drop/swap or pick up out of base.

options:
-deal with the awful commute and potentially be sitting reserve for a bit and hope to get back to original base which will be indefinite reserve but a drive to work
-downgrade to stay in original base but easily hold whatever I want
-leave the ulcc behind for a legacy that will always be around in the original base (tough seniority pill to swallow)

Kickers: Said ULCC is merging with LCC. Downgrade might hurt SLI standing. Also, have an infant at home. Still 30 years left in career (well hopefully 20-25 lol)

Appreciate the advice.

WHACKMASTER

OMG. No decision to be made in your situation. Get to the legacy ASAP.

JoeFever1

Who cares about seniority if you don’t have to commute

Otterbox

Unless you hate yourself and family, I’d go to a Legacy. 30 years is a good long time,

2 leg commute sucks, don’t do it.

Downgrade probably will hurt for SLI depending on when they take the snapshot. If you’re going to be an FO again go do it at a legacy.

If your company is downsizing a base, oof. JetBlue is good company for passengers and all, but there’s a really good chance that they’re going to close some Spirit bases to double down on network frequency. Unless you’re at a current JetBlue base, I wouldn’t feel comfortable. Spirit management has seen the JetBlue playbook… downsizing your base may be telling about its future.

hindsight2020

Given I'm a schedules over money guy, I would pick option #2 on your list: downgrade and regain the seniority in base until you get hired by whatever legacy has your domicile. Posterity has never done anything for me, and justice delayed is justice denied, especially when it comes to children. Grab the marshmallow today, every time. And yes, I'm a take a SS at 62 guy as well lol. Posterity is overrated, as is extra shekels in infirmity.

"SLI standing" potato falls in that posterity camp. If there's no crying over spilt milk, there's also no sense in fretting over unrealized gains/losses. Things are about to come to a halt here in 2023, or not; I'd personally be hesitant to restart at a legacy right now, SLI or no SLI kerfuffle on your current employer notwithstanding. What I do know is you have the ability to retain your domicile today at a pretty comfortable seniority on the right seat, that's the bird I'd want in the hand. But that's putting schedules and domicile as my #2 and #1 considerations respectively, and pay very much a trailing third. YMMV depending on what you ultimately value. A 30 year horizon is just not important to me, if the years of child rearing/marriage sustainment, fail. I've taken and continue to take a paycut in life (bypassing 121) in order to prioritize that, and have zero regrets over it. But I'm me, I'm not you. Good luck on your decision.

rickair7777

Retirement-induced seniority progression opportunity at the legacies is unprecedented... not only long term, but short term as well. Get on a junior fleet (guppy) and you'll have weekends and holidays off in no time.

I don't think the economy will cause legacy furloughs, so far the consumers have been prioritizing life (experiences, travel) over stuff so that bodes well for us. Legacies don't want their training systems moving in reverse when the rebound occurs... much easier to spool up if training is moving forward or worst case idle for a while.

Personally (under age 50) I'd take the legacy, even with a slight risk of furlough.

LeakyStrut

The Wall Street Journal posted a vid on YouTube recently regarding Spirit & JetBlue vs. Big Four. With the expected merger of JB & Spirit their combined pilot pool is just under 6,600. The legacies all have 12,000-13,000+ pilots. A definite seniority swing indeed as you already have a decent seniority percentage where you are. Does JB currently have a base where you are? If so it may be worth giving it a year or two and see what becomes of the merger. If at that point you don’t like what you see you’d still have plenty of time to have a long healthy career at a legacy. The newborn at home situation may be a good time to sit on reserve for awhile too.

PotatoChip

I left JB for a legacy last year. The merger was the nail in the coffin. I left when I had a newborn and two other children under seven. I had over three years seniority.
Absolutely no regrets.