UPS or UNITED
 

Just wondering what some of you would do?

Come off of bypass and go back to UAL on year 5 pay or go with UPS as a new hire.

Live in LAX.

Gambling
 

Since you are a little senior to me at UAL, I would recommend you go to UPS- ha. Seriously, if you have to ask-then I wonder if you would enjoy UPS. Otherwise, its probably an industry no brainer-go brown.

I have flown both pax and boxes and it is a different job/lifestyle. What I don't know is if 20 years into it, the intangibles make any difference. The huge difference is career risks-virtually none at UPS and a significant amount at UAL. The unknown is how the airline risks will materialize. One of my buds left Fed Ex in 2001 with about 9 years seniority to be a Sky Nazi- of course he soon realized his huge mistake when the cowardly ragheads attacked. However, at the time, he was not enjoying the freight dog life.

Do you double down on an 11 in blackjack?

Best wishes.

Freight is where it's at!

Considering at year two you would be money ahead at UPS vs. UAL AND have an A plan there isn't a choice for me. $83K 5th year UAL pay vs $104K UPS 2nd year pay is kinda of a no brainier. For job security, I'd go with the company that has a market cap greater than all the legacy, LLC's, and regionals - combined (and makes about a BILLION dollar profit each quarter).

Plus, you know you'd look good in Brown - Good Luck.

A friend of mine left United as a B-737 captain for UPS, and is lovin' life flying the MD-11 now-- for almost as much pay.

FWIW, I think the comraderie is better at UPS, especially on the intl fleets. If money/stability is your deciding factor your choice is obvious. If QOL and enjoying your job is the key thing I would still say UPS. The pilot group here is superb and more than makes up for the uneducated manglers.

To understand out mgt you have to look at the background of the typical UPS non-pilot manager. They are almost always career UPS, meaning that they have had no mgt/leadership skills developed anywhere else. They are almost always a community college grad "working" on their 4 year degree and have a major chip on their shoulder when dealing with pilots who are more educated, smarter, wealthier, and better looking than they are.

Greater stability with UPS than UAL. Go for it and don't look back.

I almost left FedEx for UAL in '97-'98. I am very, very thankful I didn't. No complaints from the back. If your flight level is bumpy, who cares? We even have a lot of day flying if that's your gig. It boils down to more money,less whining, more stable company vs more status at your kid's ballgame, looking cool in that nifty hat. Good Luck with your choice.

UPS, no doubt. Sometimes you have to take a step back in pay to move forward.

Well United isn't really any better off than US Airways now. I'd leave US for UPS, Fed Ex, Alaska, or Southwest. Then again, I wouldn't listen to me because, I was stupid enough to get into aviation.

Plus Ups' ONT base is rather junior, so it should be easy to get to.

Quit UAL in 05' w/ 7 years & loving life on 3rd year at UPS.

:cool: if ya go with UAL you may need to be drug tested........

UPS is definitely more stable. FedEx and UPS basically have the market locked up and there are several barriers for a new entrant into that type of market. Even in United's good years they made about 2 billion dollars for the entire year. UPS is making that now in half a year. They pay difference is temporary for about 1 year. Then you will surpass what you would have been making at UAL year 5-6-7.

I've flown both freight and passengers. Right now I'm flying passengers and long for the days of flying freight. I'm actually getting a little sick and tired of smiling at the customers and saying thank you when they are paying $79 to get from NYC to Florida and I have very little disposable income.

Take the UPS job.

GP

I had the same debate with DAL and World. It is a choice that only you can make.

Go with the boxes over pax, when the ragheads shoot a shoulder launched missile at a plane in the US (a "when", not an "if") the only planes generating revenue for the following 5 years will be cargo....

Except they've already shot a missle at a DHL bird. Knocked off an engine, but the crew got it home.

Yes, but your example happened in a "war zone" i.e. outside the US, didn't cause Grandma to think about getting on a domestic flight. Play the same scenario at LAX and nobody is getting on a domestic flight for a long, long time. And the fact that they got it home (miraculously by all accounts) ain't gonna make Grandma feel any safer.

Missiles
 

I heard a rumor that some larger American carriers were going to be acquiring missile defense systems soon. I think all El Al jets have them.

My .02 ---> cargo. Not even a question.

Not with tix under $100.

Ya El Al has missle defence systems on their aircraft, read an article on it a while back.
They also got two re-enforced flight deck doors. Tons of the Israeli equivalent to air marshals. And probably the biggest defence..... the PASENGERS, a plane load of current/ex Israeli soldiers(since ALL Israeli citizens must serve in the military). Makes it hard to hijack a plane full of soldiers.
Gonna never see any terrorist activity on El Al

All the reasons given are valid, but the biggest reason is that they profile all the passengers. If you fit the terrorist profile, you're getting interviewed and cavity searched prior to boarding.

Of course, in America, profiling is strictly prohibited.

Especially in SFO

I'm here to tell you that I have personal experience with IRCM. One size doesn't fit all. In otherwords, what is effective against an older missile system is not effective against another. It will be effective in raising the profits of those who sell the systems and effective in making pax feel good however:cool:

Unless you wear a Pilot uniform or are 90 years old with your walker.......:eek: