Looking for insight on the QOL at United right now. I live in Northern Cali, about 45 minutes from San Francisco, so curious about flying out of SFO. I was wondering what schedules are looking like with days flying per month and time sitting reserve. Also how much is medical coverage for myself and the family. I have friends who are former United guys telling me don't do it, wondering if anyone has any insight out there. Thanks.

 

19 years at United. Sorry , You're not going to hear alot of good things about United from Alap or United until a contract is agreed on,and it's not going to be until 2010. Biut if I can give my 5 cents, United, American, Delta will still be around for a while. But don't expect anything nice for a few years. Write to me directly if you want more direct answers.

 

You’re credentials should be enough , if this inexperienced captain can not verify you’re status as a pilot then he surly should not have been in the position of the captain.

 

sorry, wrong entry

 

I'm at AA. Your location 45 minutes to SFO is perfect. As a new hire at any major you'll be on reserve and my buds at UAL in SFO say that you'd be on reserve a very long time.
Say you're on 6 days of reserve. Nothing on the first day, then a 2 day trip followed by a 3 day trip. barely enough time home to kiss the kids goodnight. then off you go again.
All holidays gone. You might get lucky and get home on xmas day at 230 pm in the afternoon.

When you finally get off reserve, your seniority will only get you the trips you hated flying on reserve.
The saving grace is living in base which you do. You might/will get to fly trips that commuters can't do. That is the GOOD news.
Here at AA on reserve you either get xmas off (not likely) or New Years off.

I think now would be a good time to get on at UAL, things will get better there.

Or stay in the military fly as long as you can. Make good money, job security and retirement.

This airline job just isn't what it used to be. Very difficult to avoid all nighter flying, security and customs immigration long lines, morale is bad everywhere. Threat of Bankruptcy, foreign ownership.

Best wishes.

 

Considering the management at UAL and their track record, I would respectfully disagree with that statement!!

 

Fireman - Do you think things will improve once Tilton and Co. move on? I see him as a slash and burn type who is in it for the deal and will move on. I hope there is something left when he/his cronies get what they want.

 

United has had a long history of management malaise and frankly, incompetence. Wall Street analysts in the past were always skeptical of United management, who had almost always presented a very “arrogant we know best” face to Wall Street. However, I don’t know what they think of the current management “team”.

Ted is an example. Shuttle by United another. Back in the early 80s there was a shuttle type operation – cannot recall it’s name. The “talking boxes” campaign was a real beauty! Coming up with not well thought out “programs” and then dropping them. Wasting millions of corporate funds.

They looked at the ESOP more as a tool to reduce wages than a device to make a better product by improving employee relations. Greenwald deserves the blame for that!!

They don’t keep their “eye on the ball”, which is running the airline. This was a MAJOR reason United “fell apart” in 2000 – their “eye” was not on the ball, but rather trying, then trying to drop, their acquisition of US Air.

Because of their actions, or lack thereof, United imploded. That must be laid directly at the feet of Jim Goodwin and the then Board of Directors. They utterly failed to meet their responsibilities.

Jim Goodwin, by the way, was strongly endorsed by the unions. He was an extremely nice, pleasant and very courteous person, and I’ve always felt sorry for him, but he was simply not up to the job.

Anyway, the ONE hope you have is that United becomes successful in the merger mania wishes of senior management and that Tilton and his band become history and are replaced by competent management more interested in running an airline than being “portfolio managers”.

JMHO.

Good luck!!

 

Thanks for your insight

 

Bring on Gordon Bethune! He isn't doing much lately