Very true, tho 30-ish year career a seat lock is a wash. And idk about much diff to hold WBA DLvUA. Great analysis done by Pilot Pulse https://youtu.be/L862YuBTM8U?si=QHXPgYmb1_jf166N

UA WBA shows 18-27 years (obiv dynamic) depending on base & fleet, with IAH being very senior (and intl growth likely non-existent in IAH). My guess would be ATL growth intl. is more over IAH over 30 years + much more career opportunity, but who knows.
UA has done a substantial amount of hiring of 20+ yr olds like DL don’t forget, overall retirement data saying it’s a +\-5 diff in seniority over career right now at either withstanding a black swan (which will hit UA much harder if UA next goes as planned), unless you know you’re gonna get WBA 10 years earlier it’s pretty negligible.
Don't count on UA being 30k (still holding my breath for 20k in 2020 as they “planned” it would be) it won’t happen. Doubt there will ever be a 1,000 pilot differential between the two at any point in time honestly

Get both CJO’s and see if you vibe with ATL/SLC more than IAH

The only thing I want for Christmas is for that guy to get a bypass to 350A and then keep doing his thing on 717B at 350A rates.

That would be a pretty awesome way to round out a career.

Doing 4 legs a day with a 10 hour layover in -Ville airport Holiday Inn? I guess it takes all kinds.

Daytime flying, minimal circadian disruption, actually being busy enough to stay engaged, no customs and immigration, and all for 350A pay? Sign me up!

drop your sked and crediting surf to 40 hours at 350A rate sounds like bliss.

I’ll bet as the #1 guy he gets ~21 hours/month of 23m7 pay for no work just for keeping a WS in and being the harmed pilot when they skip coverage.

You're looking at the wides and bid packets, when you need to be looking at the schedules after the fact or daily coverage. If I'm flying a trip with a 4 leg day or 10 hr overnight, it's for a GS. I don't even fly that many 3 leg days. Getting paid 350A to fly day turns with < 6 hr TAFB and sleep in my own bed every night...that's a dream come true.

I've noticed all the AEs have that buyer beware message, essentially saying don't bid a seat because you think you'll be withheld, then come complaining to us when we send you to class.

At what point would the company withhold you?
Obvious situations like a 64 year old 73N A with 11 months to go who bids and is awarded A350 A?
Were there situations during COVID where certain A or B seats were short staffed and they weren't letting people leave? Or even today - there are a ton of B717 B slots for newhires....are they letting folks whose seatlocks are up bid out of those seats?
Other situations like base closures and they try to keep a certain amount of staffing to the end.
Anything else? They just emphasize it so much, I suspect in the past it probably happened more often.

back in the post Covid chaos I saw a 220B get a bypass for 350A. Had like a year to go. I imagine he killed it during that time.