HotMamaPilot

nope. that's it. and considering that CAL has scab's, I would go to FEDEX (ps. have you tried UPS?)

RedeyeAV8r

Both places are getting new aircraft and are currently hiring. When the company is in a growth mode and you are moving up the list at 30-70 or more Pilots a month........that is as good as it gets (Unless you are #1 on the list)
Are you happy at Continental?
(You will find that the grass isn't as green in the other pasture as often thought no matter who you work for)

Do you live in EWR (the NY area) or IAH?
Do you plan to stay there if you got hired at FedEx?
Do you commute now?
Are you the FDX hiring pool currently or just starting the hiring process at FDX?

How many Pilots do you have below you at CAL?
How many will you have in say 6-9 months?( Assuming you don't have a job offer from FDX yet that is probably the minimum time to a job offer unless you are well into the process.)
Is it a big deal to you to to give up all those #'s and start at the bottom again?

Would you (and your Family) consider Living in MEM or ANC? or prefer it over where you live now?

Commuting Sux no matter who you work for.

Currently FDX is one of the premier places to work.......the operative word is currently. Our outlook currently appears to be great, but anyone who has been in this industry for 10 or more years can tell you that could change in a heartbeat.

I remember a few years ago many young guys considerd leaving FDX for United, because at the time UAL was the Place to work. At that time UAL newhires were upgrading to the 747-400 within 6 months and pay was awesome. Some did an now they regret it.


Weigh all the +'s and the -'s. Only you and your family can make that call.

Currently you can't make a bad call..........it is all a gamble anyway.
Current odds make FDX a good bet but the odds change everyday.
Ever play craps???

RedeyeAV8r

Fedex has scabs too.......former CAL and EAL and a couple wein air.......

DiamondZ

Just left CAL after 11 months to start w/FedEx. CAL was great and the CP and ACP in domicile were supportive of my decision. Both guys were class acts. Ill tell you if I made the correct choice....in about 20yrs.

Good Luck

Z

bluebravo

I really think fdx is the best place to go, now and in the future. Boxes will always need to be pushed, the pax market flex is alot to deal with sometimes.

RogAir

I recently left a legacy carrier for FedEx for the following reasons:

1. Boxes aren't menopausal and constantly complaining about the temperature in the back.

2. Terrorists don't want to blow up boxes. The entire pax industry is one shoulder launched missile away from collapse.

3. Any idiot with $150 million can start Jet Orange, Jet Pink, etc and stick it to the rest of the pax industry for a few years--it would cost billions more to compete with FedEx.

4. Gas prices. Raise ticket prices $10 and bookings plummet, raise the cost to send a box 35 cents and no one bats an eye.

5. Back side flying? The big bucks at both companies are wide-body int'l flying. When you go through 8 time zones in four days, it doesn't matter what time of day it is, your'e still sc*ewed.

grumman

Redeye,

I am mostly a lurker here, but I just thought I would offer my two cents. I, and I'm sure many of us out here in the silent majority, appreciate your honesty and candor. FDX is no doubt a great company. Like you said though, freight was not always top of the wish list. Many "Purple' posters on this site and others profess how cargo is and always was the only way. However, your honest observations are right on.

I too would go for FDX at this point. But, back in the late 90's when I was hired at one of the "legacies', FDX was not the top of the dream sheet. At the time, Fedex had no contract, no ALPA and no USPS deal. Also, numerous guys were leaving FDX to go back to work at their "legacies" when recalled after early 90's furloughs. I spoke to a guy as a new hire who came back to my airline after 2 1/2 yrs with FDX while furloughed. He told me the FDX captains he was flying with talked him into coming back. Not because they were worried about their finances, but because the job suc*ed. Life was great on the days off, but night freight suc*ed.

So, times have changed. Besides 911, USPS, day sort, and obvious pax airline economics. FDX is the way for sure now. I would have tried to join you guys years ago, but apparantly the FDX chief pilot does not have the same view of change to our profession. Capt. Lewis decided that we must have thumbed our noses at Fedex back in the day so it's his turn to return the favor. I heard he retires soon. Hope for all of us.

Appreciate your posts redeye.

G

Sasquatch

That reason alone should make your decision easy.

Choose FedEx, you'll love it here.

Albief15

Terrorists are bad. The industry is in shambles after 9/11. But all you guys on mil leave doing something about it are "scammers" and "dirtbags".

Anyone else see the irony in this? Our ALPA MEC newsletter reminds guys to avoid using mil leave in the peak season, and Continental is under heat on another board for harrassing guys on mil leave.

FWIW...I don't mil leave much at all anymore--senior enough to bid around or drop...I am not part of the issue...

But...to those guys busting their a$$ this holiday season away from family at Base X or slugging it out training those guys that do...thanks...

ToiletDuck

I think FedEX has prettier planes.