Former Legacy Guys at NetJets?
 

Any former Legacy-Carrier guys now flying at NetJets? If so, which do you like better, and which do you think has the staying-power for the long-haul? (ie, Oil at $180 a barrel in Dec 2008).

Did you go there by choice, or because of furlough?

I am not one, but we are not sensitive to the price of oil. Our owners pay for a high end service and as long as they are happy, they pay up. These folks are the economic class that does not change habits based on $5 a gallon fuel even if it comes to that. On the other stuff, I'll let others answer. All I know is I talked to enough unhappy DAL, UAL, AA guys to take a serious look at NetJets and then came over here when the opportunity arose.

Good luck.

EVERYBODY needs to be sensitive to fuel. In reality, the frax aren't AS sensitive as the airlines, but trust me, airlines and frax providers WILL see higher fuel. (I've heard of $8.00/gal being charged at certain signatures this week for non-bulk purchasers.)

Even if owners are happy, there WILL come a point where cost considerations become a factor. Rich people don't get rich by spending frivilously.

I think the frax have staying power (more so than airlines, especially given the current environment). However, that said, if the frax (and their pilots) aren't taking actions now to save the customer money (including changing the apparent state of mind that Tim showed), they will begin losing customers when the time comes that it is cheaper for them to either purchase their own aircraft or go into a partnership outside of the major fractional providers.

FlyerJosh -

I understand what you're saying about being sensitive to the cost of fuel and such, but I'll wager to bet that what Tim is saying is that some of these same people flying the fracs are the same ones I watch on 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous' who install $10,000 sinks when they remodel their bathrooms in their Bel Aire homes or the yacht. Then they throw the angry teenager daughter a sweet sixteen birthday party at the cost which most people could go to at least a 4 year state university on!:eek: If they were truly worried about spending friviously, I'll gladly help them save some bucks in other areas IOT allow them to keep enjoying the luxury air travel they have become accustom too!:D

USMCFLYR

Ever wonder how people in this "economic class" got that way?

No idea how many left a legacy gig to come to NetJets, probably a few, specially from US and NW. But we have a bunch of refugees (furloughs) from the majors who turned down the recall, and that was before we got our latest pay increase in 12/2007.

As far as oil prices, recession and all that stuff, I guess it would hit everyone, but it won't hit the Frax as hard. One of our union guys said
" even during slow periods/off seasons, NetJets still makes money".

The fact of the matter is, even the "darlings" of today like Southwest, NetJets, or Continental could all be gone 10 years from now. Is not likely, but...........

Today's Carrier of Choice....
 

UCLA:

You hit the nail on the head.

When I was a new-hire at UAL, I was on the 727 panel. As we reach cruise altitude, the crusty-old Capt asks me if I was civilian or military. "Military." He says 'Me too." Short discussion on the merits of our respective services.

He asked:

"Your squadron buds...what are their 4 top-choices for carriers?"

This was 1999, so I said "Depending on the guy, the order may change, but usually Delta, United, Northwest, or American."

He asked: "What do you think the top-4 were when I was in your shoes?"

I lied and said I didn't know, but I had a good guess.

He said "Pan Am, Braniff, National, and Eastern."

At the time, I kind of dismissed him as a crackpot, but a few months later, I realized his wisdom: today's "dream-job airline of choice" is tomorrow's footnote in history.

I never thought American would end up being the biggest carrier, or that all of my top-4 choices would end up in the toilet. My 5th choice was Continental--hindsight is everything. So now, when I see guys ready to chase the airline dream, I share that little story and my naievete, to illustrate how quickly it can all change.

It's not the company so much as the nature of the business that determines long-term success. Post 9-11, everyone started banking on Jet Blue, AirTran, FDX, and UPS. AirTran has slowed considerably and uses RJs now--same for JB. This quarter, even the stalwart freighters are reporting revenue down, and UPS is displacing guys.

NetJets is a fundamentally different kind of passenger business. Just not sure if I want to keep plugging away, or start over.

The Rich...
 

From what I have studied of history, and especially American history, it usually was by doing something dishonest, illegal, or immoral.

William Hearst and his publishing monopoly, Standard Oil and the Teapot-Dome scandal, The Kennedys and their supposed running of booze during prohibition, Bill Gates buying-out (or stealing) software inventions that get claimed under the Microsoft banner...airline CEOs making $40 million a year, with free travel, a chaffeur, and stock options, even when the company loses money...it goes on and on.

It seems very few people make it rich purely through hard work, innovation, and integrity. I guess that's why I'm still poor.

My take;

Before 9-11, not many guys wanted to go to Fedex, UPS, Netjets or Southwest. I heard NetJets really struggled to find pilots. Southwest was a stepping stone for some. A friend of mine interviwed at Fedex late 1999, he said two people who interviewed with him turned down the job, they went to the airlines. One guy did not show up for the interview at all. In those days, a major airline was the ultimate gig.

Now it seems to me like Fedex, UPS, Southwest and NetJets are the best to places to be work at.

UAL T38, this is NOT a good time to start all over again, not unless you have to. They say you shouldn't change horses in the middle of the race.

just my opinion

When did we start using RJs? Our latest projection is 5% growth, still not bad.