United New-Hire Severely Beaten in Training
 

Just think, for $26K a year you too can pay for your own hotel while in training and "roll the dice". It's amazing to see good pilots and good people apply at this crumbling house of cards. UA invests in things, not people.....and it shows.

You guys be careful out there.

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To: United Pilots

From: Captain Steve Wallach, Chairman, United MEC

Re: Security Incident Around Training Center

On Thursday evening, one of our new hire pilots was brutally assaulted by three men on the west side of Quebec Street across from TK. He was returning from that day's training when he was beaten and robbed. The pilot may have been spared further harm when a driver of an approaching automobile pulled over to assist him.

The pilot, who suffered a broken jaw and injuries to his eyes, is recuperating at home and the company is keeping him on pay status until he is able to return to training.

United pilots in training staying at the Doubletree Hotel on Quebec Street are advised to NOT go out alone at night to the restaurant area just north of TK. I also urge you to become aware of the security situation in the neighborhood around TK.

For more information regarding personal security issues at and around the training center, we urge you to contact MEC Training Committee

That is absurd. Even at my lowly regional we're put up in a hotel in a decent neighborhood.

I'm going to assume that he's new enough that health bennefits have not kicked in. If there's anything that can be done via to help if this is the case, please let me know. Nothing worse than seeing a brother/sister in need.

It's a pretty rough area down there. It's just north of Martin Luther King, Jr. BLVD, which hasn't always been the nicer side of town. The area where the hotels isn't bad, but a block south you gotta watch yourself.

I hope the guys ok. I didn't realize the United training center was in a bad part of town.

Luckily he wasn't a Continental newhire (No Insurance for 6 months).

In all fairness, UAL guys aren't the only ones with this problem.

As I understand, a couple of Delta guys were held up at gunpoint on the main drag no more than a couple of blocks from the Delta hotel a few weeks back.

Where we(EGL) and AA stay, at the Admiral in Arlington TX isn't the nicest area either. I wouldn't go out at night. There have been vehicles stolen in the parking, somebody held up at gun point across the road at the gas station/subway, and there is a reason that there is a police presence there in the wee hours of the morning. I have personally been chased back across the road to the hotel from a friendly visit, during the day, to the subway. Guess it could be worse though.

Newhires are insured from day one at UAL.

I'm all about joking around, but that's a pretty cheap shot and extremely sophmoric. The poor kid was beaten and I can assure you that if that circumstance happened at CAL training, CAL would certainly take care of him - insurance benefits or not.

Insurance benefits for the first six months - CAL 0 / UAL 1

Being at an airline with documented growth, new airplanes over the next few years, making money AS OPPOSED to bleeding money profusely, Forbes #1 airline the past 5 years straight, semi-decent quality customer service, and better pay rates (not that either are great) - CAL 1 / UAL 0

I'll take the second bullet anyday.

Great point - unfortunately the rest of UAL is heinous.

I lived in Aurora (next to Stapleton) for two years in the late 70's while in college and that whole area was touch and go. Colfax Ave was lined with strip clubs and apartments in that area were "low rent" in every sense of the word.

But the "personal safety" lesson this young man has had to learn is also a strong reminder to all of us everywhere we go, especially on trips. All this cost cutting directed at air crew has placed us all at increased risk. We can't even carry pepper spray anymore, so my advice it to learn how to "use your hands" for your defense, should it come to that.

It's really not that hard to learn, requires some practice, and may make the difference one dark night. Some close quarter combat knowledge is also a good idea for crew while on the airplane. I know the company is supposed to hit on this stuff at recurrents, but most are simply checking the box. Check with a local martial arts school and pay someone to train you, it will be much superior to anything recurrent has to offer.