Given the choice which would you do?

NWA made 1.3 billion last year and plans to hire like crazy. With it's monopoly hubs, huge Asian presence, and shoestring budget, it will probably plod on until it merges with someone (Delta?) The DC-9s are going away, but huge attrition should make up for the airframe loss. All signs point to the Compass E-175s eventually being flown by mainline.

UAL: Undevoted management, huge labor trouble, losing money, moderate Asian presence, fierce competition in its largest hub. But great potential with the right management team. Great group of employees I fit in well with. Lots of great contacts. My hometown airline. Titanic watch, or hit rock bottom?

So what would you do? Please no "are you nuts, they both suck" comments, because we've already heard all of that here. If you had to choose one of the other, which would you choose and why?

Id go with either one.

I've wrestled with the same debate over and over again. When I talk to the older guys in the industry that have 'been there done that' they generally agree that it's best to take whomever offers you the job first, or whichever minimizes your need to commute. With nearly everyone hiring, I'm basing my decision nearly entirely on who has the most retirements planned and ranking them in that order. That being said, I don't think we've seen the last of the mega-mergers and who knows how 65 will pan out. The real answer to your question: I haven't a clue. But good luck to you either way. I've just accepted at this point that wherever I end up there will still be both good and bad times ahead. And on a side note, I do disagree with you regarding your Compass E-175 statement, though I wish it weren't so. Any regional jet that gets larger and larger only delays my transition to a legacy. Too bad most people (I'm not referring to you) don't seem to grasp that.

I'm not in the know about United, but I jumpseat and dead head with NWA all the time. From a consumer stand point, the service there stinks--not just a little bit either. There's has been a noticable decline in services and employee attitudes over the past two years. I'm concerned about whether they will survive or not. You can't continue to treat your customers like crap and expect to survive.

The employee attitude (talking about flight crews here) has also had a very noticable change. You abuse people long enough, like management at NWA has it's own people, and it's going to be reflected in how your employees do thier jobs. These folks are not happy, it's obvious to the most casual observer that they are not having fun going to work. I just don't know if that's the kind of place you want to hang your hat right now. I hate to be that harsh, but it's how I feel. I hope they can turn things around and be successful. I live near MSP and depend on them to get me where I'm going, but unless management at NWA realize how much they have turned off customers and made the entire crew force unhappy---and then tries to turn that around with real change, not just words---I would really avoid considering employment there. Just my two cents.

Jolly

I agree. I saw a compass e175 the other day and I truly can`t believe how large it is and why people consider compass a regional. It's one thing to see a 76 seat jet flown by a regional for RESPECTFUL wages but its another thing for them to be flown at 50 seat RJ wages.

All airline pilots really do need to grasp the fact that the fast growing 50 to 100 seat market is hurting the hopes of any regional pilot looking to get a job at the majors. ALPA“s stance seems to be... let it happen.

Go to UA since you think you'll fit in better. Otherwise, I think NW has a better future, however that being said, UA never ceases to amaze me. They've got staying power for all sorts of situations.

I do not think NW will merge with Delta. I think NW "merge" plans are in the acquisition of MidWest (through TPG deal), and enhanced code shares.

I also think NW will book extraordinary income at some point in the future through the IPO of Compass or Mesaba.. which will undoubtedly provide them with alot of cash and some income for providing this regional lift. But, since there is a apparent pilot shortage, perhaps CPZ will become part of NW which will be great for LIFE and myself - so long as we don't have to see year 1 NW pay!

How is ALPA suppose to stop it??? They don't run an airline, they run the Union.

And pilots comprise the union...a fact many forget. After all, its easier to blame an entity for your problems than yourself.

Mainline pilots, not ALPA National, sold scope on 70/90 seat jets for various reasons in and out of BK. That scope is gone, and those jobs will likely never return to the mainline. The entry-level mainline aircraft is now the top-level regional aircraft.

What's the "solution" to this? There isn't one, most certainly not a quick, easy, and cheap solution. Legacy pilots must absolutely refuse to give up scope any further, and regional pilots must absolutely be willing to fight and strike for payrates and workrules more befitting aircraft of that size.

Working together and supporting each other through unity is the ONLY way to effect positive change...pointing fingers or spreading blame won't do anything.

Oh yeah...it seems from everything I've read NWA currently has better work rules than United currently does.

I have been a NWA pilot for almost 12 years. I can't vouch for anything at UAL but, I can unequivocally state that the NWA work environment is dispicable. The "general" status in the cockpit is deeply divided. Everyone was effected by the bankruptcy. However, NO ONE WAS SHAFTED AS BADLY AS THOSE SPORTING 3 STRIPES!!!!! Capts. will be able to get by on their frozen pensions. First Officers however, will be working at K-Mart to feed themselves.

To begin with, there are three distinct NWA pilot groups. The "Red Book" (pre-merger NWA pilots) "Green Book", (Merged pilots) and "Blue Book" (post merger new-hire pilots). NWA ALPA is owned and operated by the Red Book wide body pilots. EVERYTHING is for the benefit of the wide body pilot at the expense of the narrow body pilots, particularly narrow body F/O's. Where else can a wide body Flight Engineer (mostly Ropes) earn more than a 757 F/O?? Additionally, SENIOR Red Book wide body Capts. have filed a law suit to prevent a 401K Defined Contribution program that would be especially beneficial to the junior pilots that lost the most in terms of retirement benefits.

Granted, UAL pilots lost ALL of their pension to the PBGC. However, this places ALL UAL pilots on the same playing field in terms of pension. NWA on the other hand is DEEPLY DIVIDED. We have had fist fights on the property. It's that bad!!

And, believe me when I state that NWA management has only just begun to defile their employees. There is more to come. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES TRUST NWA ON ANYTHING!!

Go to UA! Hopefully they will be smart enough to dump ALPA and establish an effective work environment.