Yes, no, not really. This is predicated on our 52 777 PW’s coming back online. The company is counting on that and there back in the schedules starting in late May.

Can’t speak for DAL or AA. But UAL has more widebodies then AA & DAL combined. Our CEO wants to grow and dominate. Just like he’s buying 500 narrowbodies most of which are for growth. UAL will most likely place a large widebody order in the next 18 to
24 months. Many of those orders will be for growth and not just replacements.

Today I’d guess you’d need to have about 15 years to hold a good widebody long haul FO line. Based on retirements, massive hiring and possible significant international growth. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that a new hire today at UAL would be able to hold a good long haul widebody line at the 5 year mark (or less). Yes at that longevity they obviously wouldn’t have the significant vacation component.

But all else I described would hold true. Also a new hire today who lives in base can today hold reserve widebody (hiring into 777/787). If they just want to get paid and sit at home on reserve guarantee and maybe fly a trip every month or two (or even less frequent).

Additionally, today a newhire who wants to maximize days off could be a very senior narrowbody FO on the coasts in 3 to 5 years holding very productive trips and 18 or more days off a month.

https://liveandletsfly.com/united-ai...2GK9E-uqxWI8w8

I’ll chime in, at Flexjet (DRL) domestic red label which is all Challenger and Legacy/Praetor fleets you can build your own schedule (absolutely zero company interference). It is the only reason I’m here. I can work my schedule out to get my kids bdays off and our anniversary off guaranteed. I’ll work every 3rd holiday annually. If you team up with the right crew some want New Years and 4th of July off and are willing to work family holidays. It’ll take years on any fleet at a major to guarantee those days off without a sickcation. Retirement is way better at any major or lcc but we can literally fly two 5 day rotations a month and keep all our benefits. Family of 4 I pay 99 bucks a pay check for exceptional healthcare. What do you legacy guys pay for healthcare?

I spent 11 years in the fracs. I managed to get Christmas off once. Thanksgiving 3 times. And so on and so forth.

5 years at the airlines and I’ve been home for 3 Thanksgivings and 2 Christmases with late departures on two more Christmases meaning I saw my family more in that short time than in a decade plus at the fracs, and I’m not on the road 6-8 days at a time to do it.

Granted, that’s not on a 3 man team building my own schedule. But that takes several years to get into as well as you’ll serve time in the right seat before enjoying Phenom captainship first.

Wide body life is nice I’m sure. It is also a long way from reality for most pilots today. I don’t think anyone applies anywhere hoping to to live that sweet life 20 years later. The movement is such at the majors right now that good schedules where you actually see people you care about on important days isnt hard to attain. That’s wasn’t always the case.

Is DRL luck of the draw?

TC

Seniority based. Currently around 3.5 years on both fleets.

No, it’s seniority based. Right now challenger 300/350 is just under 4 years. Legacy/Praetor is about 4.5 years. Most Jr Phenom CA was on property for 11 months

I don’t believe AA’s 777 have any PW. Correct me if I am mistaken.

Definitely not PW. I believe a combination of GE and RR Trent.

I would gander that the QOL of someone that is 4 years in at a major will far outshine the QOL of someone at Flexjet on the red label side of the business, plus be making a lot more money with way better retirement. Plus red label could go away with one wave of Ken Ricci's hand.

As would the pilot group and airline, DRL is the only major asset that Flexjet has regarding retention of it's pilots. He *could* do it, sure. But I just have to assume he's not interested in destroying his company so it's not in his interest to do so.