1. I think others will chime in, but I don't think that means you wouldn't get hired next time.

2. With all the great opportunities in aviation right now, how can JB be the only acceptable option for you?

 

Not interested in Legacy and really didn’t want to go to SWA......maybe Hawaiian?

 

Not sure what your reasons are for not wanting to go to a legacy, but there’s a reason we lose about 60-80 a year (outside retirements) to mostly legacies with a few to SWA/FDX/UPS. If it’s bc of BOS, I suspect DL will have a crew base there soon. They will have 260 flights a day out of there before long. If it’s for culture, it doesn’t pay bills when it exists, and it’s existence is debatable. I have friends who left blue for all airlines, and not one regrets it besides missing some of the guys they flew with. And joining here at 4,100 on the seniority list with less than 900 retirements in the next decade won’t see as much seniority movement as at a legacy.

Not to say this place isn’t and can’t be a good career. Several of us came here planning on bailing for greener pastures and stayed. Some tried to leave and never could. Some never wanted to be anywhere else. If this is where you want to be keep trying, do interview prep, and keep apps out elsewhere. I know several who took a couple interviews to get on here (including a pilot executive). If you want it be persistent. With over 6k pilots behind hired next year by the big 6 airlines, and us trying to hire over 500, I don’t see JB being able to be picky for very long.

 

Keep trying. I know a few that didn't get past their 1st interview that are now here.

 

Why not Delta or UAL?

Industry best pay, lots of retirements/career movement, good work rules and good/great profit sharing.

What in your opinion outweighs those realities?

Legitimately curious?

 

I don’t think I’ve met anyone that’s interested in working for just Jetblue or Hawaiian. Two totally different domicile locales.

 

Believe it or not, money and international flying are not the highest priority for everyone. I can see not being interested in a legacy if you don’t live in one of their bases. If you’re a Floridian dead-set on staying put and don’t want to commute, you start running out of options quickly.

Garage to gate for me at JB can be done in as little as 45 minutes. My wife and I love our home and where we live. I flat out refuse to commute and taking a legacy job (with the exception of AA) means uprooting our lives. Not worth it.

I also have no desire to fly a 777 around the world. I did all that fancy international pilot stuff before I came to the airlines and I find it unremarkable and tiresome. I’d fly east coast turns for the rest of my career if I could and after 6 type ratings I’m perfectly fine with the Airbus being my last. I haven’t touched a plane in almost a month and the beach has been mighty fine the past few weeks.

Not saying this is the case for OP, but just my perspective.

 

I know you didn't direct this at me, but I figure I will add my 2 cents.

I wasn't chasing a paycheck, didn't want to live in a DAL base, have been all over the world and am not interested in international flying (though the ability to non-rev there is a plus!), and after passing many, MANY senior DAL pilots in the terminals over the years, had decided that I did not want to be part of a pilot group who think they are better than everyone else. (not saying all of them are like that, but many are). QoL was much more important to me, so I choose JB.

 

Wow, had I read your post before I posted, I could have just quoted it. One small difference is that my garage-to-gate time for me is more like 18 minutes.

Kudos to you for being where you want to be in life. It certainly does make the job much mo betta. The first round is on me should we ever meet in person...

 

They don’t even have 140 yet.

Did you mean 160?