What would it take for you to stay
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2021
Posts: 199
Yep, no doubt I fly to less places in general at the airlines. If varied airports is a top priority, airlines are NOT the place for you. I flew into some really cool spots at NJA and other 91/135 jobs, but I also flew into a lot of worthless crapholes too. Defiantly a much larger spectrum of airports, so many of which are super cool and unique places to fly depending on the fleet you're on.
Like a bus route.
Yawn.
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,907
Yep, no doubt I fly to less places in general at the airlines. If varied airports is a top priority, airlines are NOT the place for you. I flew into some really cool spots at NJA and other 91/135 jobs, but I also flew into a lot of worthless crapholes too. Defiantly a much larger spectrum of airports, so many of which are super cool and unique places to fly depending on the fleet you're on.
Second problem. The Hampton Inn only had the one clerk on duty so he couldn't come get us. The taxi service closed at 10pm and by now it was around 2315. So we had no way to the hotel. Another call to the management pilot and he authorized paying cash to anyone who would take us. So we asked the hotel clerk to call his buddies and tell them we'd pay $40 to someone who'd come take us the 4 miles to the hotel. So well after midnight two sketchy guys showed up in a beat up minivan. One of them was talking to us on the way and he mentioned he knew who we brought in and how that person's father owned half the town. He said he was at the father's car dealership the previous week and got arrested for trespassing and how unfair that was. We vigorously agreed
And it was about 20F outside while all this was going on and all doors were locked. We waited about 45 minutes for the minivan. Of course on the next day ride back to the jet the taxi driver wanted $40 LOL.
Probably the best deal I had was 3 nights in a Ritz-Carlton resort in Puerto Rico, including New Year's Eve. Weak battery I had kept warning Mx about, they kept saying use the GPU. Guess what? Nearest GPU was 2 hours away at San Juan Intl. We were at the former Roosevelt Roads Naval Base which had very limited services. Huge CF bringing us a new battery.
#14
Speed, Power, Accuracy
Joined APC: Sep 2007
Position: PIC
Posts: 1,693
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2021
Posts: 168
What’s even better is the hotel clerk saying we gave you a beautiful city view. My reply is I don’t see squat but my eyelids after I close the drapes.
#16
My god there's some real cry babies on this forum. Nothings ever good enough. "My free crew food was cold, my all inclusive hotel didn't have any favorite IPA on tap, the ocean waves were too loud in my hotel room."
Wahh!
The next time you fly over the 405 freeway on the approach to LAX, you should look down at all the poor b.stards stuck in traffic commuting to their crappy jobs. I'm sure the majority would tade their jobs for ours in a heartbeat.
Go ahead with the usual childish responses. My give an F meter is already pegged at zero!
Wahh!
The next time you fly over the 405 freeway on the approach to LAX, you should look down at all the poor b.stards stuck in traffic commuting to their crappy jobs. I'm sure the majority would tade their jobs for ours in a heartbeat.
Go ahead with the usual childish responses. My give an F meter is already pegged at zero!
#17
On Reserve
Joined APC: Aug 2021
Posts: 11
Regional to Netjets
Been reading through about as much as I can on these pages. Passed the “phone interview” and invited to hiring expo. Currently on the commuting grind and if I stay 121 whenever and wherever I can go will still be commuting until senior enough to hold where I live. Obviously with enough seniority life gets better and the money is great and the more I read through some of these threads the crazier it seems to leave 121 for fractionals, at the end of the day QOL is most important to me. Anyone on here that can maybe talk about leaving 121 for Netjets? Glad they did it and happy? Regret it and trying to get back?
Much appreciated!
Much appreciated!
#18
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2016
Posts: 63
Been reading through about as much as I can on these pages. Passed the “phone interview” and invited to hiring expo. Currently on the commuting grind and if I stay 121 whenever and wherever I can go will still be commuting until senior enough to hold where I live. Obviously with enough seniority life gets better and the money is great and the more I read through some of these threads the crazier it seems to leave 121 for fractionals, at the end of the day QOL is most important to me. Anyone on here that can maybe talk about leaving 121 for Netjets? Glad they did it and happy? Regret it and trying to get back?
Much appreciated!
Much appreciated!
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2017
Position: Retired NJA & AA
Posts: 1,907
Been reading through about as much as I can on these pages. Passed the “phone interview” and invited to hiring expo. Currently on the commuting grind and if I stay 121 whenever and wherever I can go will still be commuting until senior enough to hold where I live. Obviously with enough seniority life gets better and the money is great and the more I read through some of these threads the crazier it seems to leave 121 for fractionals, at the end of the day QOL is most important to me. Anyone on here that can maybe talk about leaving 121 for Netjets? Glad they did it and happy? Regret it and trying to get back?
Much appreciated!
Much appreciated!
I was flying 121 from 1989 to 2005 and had to commute most of that time. Then I did NJA from 2005-2017.
NetJets is owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Deep pockets. Fairly recession proof, but not the 2008 disaster. Not dealing with commuting is HUGE. 7 day trips can get old as do frequent circadian rhythm jumps. In 2007 I was close to making Captain at NJA when USAirways recalled me. I passed and took early retirement from them. Looking over my shoulder I did better financially at NJA than if I'd accepted recall. And when I bailed on medical in 2017 at age 60 I had the Union's LOM plan which kicked in after my 3 years of disability from NJA. The benefit from the LOM will keep coming until I'm 68.5. And it's tax free as long as you didn't deduct the premiums from your taxes.
Now if I had to choose between being a lineholder here in CLT with AA or doing NetJets that'd be a more difficult call. There were a few times where I could hold CLT, once as the #2 B727FE on reserve and years later as an A320FO. Being a lineholder or senior reserve when you live 20 minutes from the airport is very nice. The problem is I'd have to stay as an F/O a long time at AA before I could hold Captain in CLT.
Seniority is not as critical at NJA as it is at airlines. Basically it matters for vacation dates, bidding bigger jets, bidding a start day on the 7/7, and of course Captain upgrade. Airlines it really matters because of bidding a line and being able to drop/add trips. With seniority you do have a lot more control over your schedule at an airline. Control over your schedule is one of the biggest drawbacks to Fractional vs. Airlines.
#20
I will fully admit I do love the idea of going places I have never been, but that is for a hobby, not a profession. For me personally, I will take the same 15 airports. All the hotels are nice, and I never have to worry about some truck stop hotel in the middle of nowhere.
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