Quote:
Originally Posted by deus ex machina
UAL.. most WB jets, better QOL than Memphis style.
FedEX pension.. on the chopping block
AA contract... complete POS.
I don’t live in MEM, nor would I want to. The only time I spend in Memphis is when I have training. Granted, as a newhire you’ll spend at least some time in Memphis on reserve. Crash pad life is a reality when you’re junior at FX unless you move to MEM. I have stated that our reserve is the absolute worst in the industry. That being said, our product comes with a time definite money back guarantee unlike our friends at the passenger airlines. This guarantee we make to our customers is a driving force behind the company’s desire to manage reserves the way that they do. Could it be changed to offer better QOL to the pilot without sacrificing product reliability? I hope so but “we’ve always done it that way” mentality and “you’ll be senior one day” permeates throughout Purple.
The pension comment isn’t accurate. You do realize that we have a multifaceted retirement plan though. Both an A Plan and a B Plan.
Night flying is a big factor. People should not take it lightly. It took me a full year at FX to really figure out how to make it work in the least painful way for me. That being said, it can still be painful. It takes some dedication to taking care of yourself to offset it as much as possible. Sort of like the same self control one probably needs to use to avoid eating fast food in the terminals 15 days a month.
Lastly, Purple has the most restrictive and punitive system bidding (seat changes) language in the industry. The senior guys really sold the farm in this section in the last contract. With more than 20 years remaining I would really consider this. Simple contractual language that is just now being understood by even our Union is costing pilots a lot of money because as it turns out timing can be more important than seniority.
So my point is this. Purple, lots of good. Lots of not so good. You have to balance it all.
Living in an AA base would probably lean me towards AA. Once you can hold your hometown on the day side at Purple life is really good. BUT, in a large city like DFW, PHX, CLT a lot of stars have to align and you’ve got to have really serious seniority to get to that point.
UA