GucciBoy

Tipsy

How does UPS currently determine who goes to what seat during training? Is it based on experience and UPS selects for you what aircraft and seat, or is it based on senority in the class (most senior picks first and so on until all slots are filled)?

Thanks,
GB

Rocket Man

Seniority rules.... and that is determined by your age. Old guys pick first. That being said, I've heard that mgmt must "approve" your choice. They don't want to put someone in an unfamiliar environment where a training failure is likely. For example, they probably would like a new MD-11 FO to have some heavy time with intl experience.

TipsyMcStagger

Rocket Man is pretty much spot-on. When the classes were all SO’s, you knew what you were going to get (you didn’t have a choice of a/c). Now that the classes are mixed SO and FO or all FO, I’ve heard they will call you ahead of time and ask your seat preference. They will then consider those in seniority order but like Rocket Man said, if the fleet manager or whomever they coordinate with doesn’t like your numbers, you will end up someplace else.

Personally, I’m so happy and appreciative to be where I am, I simply couldn’t care less what seat I was hired into (I was hired into the back seat). The company I left is on the brink of failure and we all have friends who got that dream job at UAL (or wherever) 5 years ago who are now selling insurance, etc.

No one here looks down at SO’s (most were SO’s at one time or another) and it’s good experience. Not to mention you can frame your certificate in 10 years or 20 years when there’s no such thing as a back seat a/c.

I realize you question didn’t say something like “I hope I don’t end up in the back seat,” and I don’t mean to sound like I’m preaching. I’m simply trying to say that any seat is a good seat as long as the skin on the outside is painted Brown. We’ve all got a bunch of years remaining in our careers and this company is poised for lots of international growth, as well as considerable attrition for retirements.

Hope this helps!

Tipsy