Can anyone offer any insight as to what they are looking for in a cover letter? Is it anything more than, hey, I want to work for JB because...?

That basically summarizes it. Give them a reason to want to call you.

Did this come right out of Mao's playbook? It sounds like a collectivist's manifesto. Seriously. Read what you wrote again.

I go to work to make money to pay for the rest of the stuff I do in life. Hopefully, bluejet makes a profit from my efforts and rewards me for my time and expertise.

Go fly a leg or two for free...It's good for the company, you know.

I stand by it...the point is, all I ever hear negative about jB is no Union and no money. When asked why no union is bad, they say no money. I served for 22 years in the AF and was compensated well, but I worked long hours, helped clean my jet, and worked as a team. I had friends who got out to chase the almighty airline dollar, while I chose to stay serving. I would rather work at a place that isn't at the top of the pay scale, but instead people are happy and not in stovepipes worried about only themselves.

I get your point and agree with it to some extent, there is something noble about believing in something bigger then just individualistic needs. A concept or organization can fill that void/desire. Just remember they call it work for a reason.

djepage, your heart is in the right place. However, it's not appropriate to compare your military service to working at an airline. Here's why:

Military service is military service. Your bosses are the American people. They pay your salary with their taxes, on a nonprofit basis

An airline employs you strictly for the purposes of making money. The executives and shareholders make a lot of money off you. You work a lot harder than they do while they put the money in the bank and tell you that you're overpaid.

It's completely understandable to think the way that you do. Most military retirees feel this way, especially with that pension check rolling in. However, the rest of us aren't so lucky and therefore reality has kicked in much sooner for us. I suspect it will for you soon as well when you compare pay checks with your bros at DAL/UAL/SWA

Welcome to the world of hourly labor...

Btw, thanks for your service!

Also, two things thing to consider. No union has nothing to do with no money. Lots of non union airlines pay well, especially overseas. However, you don't realize how important a union is to you until you find yourself in a predicament where you're being forced to do something and you feel like you can't say no (ie exceeding a duty day, or not taking your full min rest, or missing a commute etc etc) for fear of termination.

The second thing I'll point out is working smart. I admire your desire to clean airplanes and cross seatbelts, but i think pilots should not be expected to do it, because we have more important things to do. Those things are not beneath us, that's not the point. The point is if your company is going to pull seats off an aircraft so they pay one less FA, and you're expected the pick up the slack, then you should be paid more. Self-worth is a big deal in this industry.

Thanks for your service. I also enjoyed my time in the military.

Please keep in mind you are now a cost unit. You are a liability, not an asset--nothing more than a ledger entry to keep as low as possible. You are an hourly worker.

There is no "greater good" at jb, nor anywhere in the industry. You are seeking a higher purpose where none exists, and accepting substandard compensation from a management team that is manipulating you.

Look at it this way: every payday, you and the company are even. They don't owe you anything, and you don't owe them anything.

If you're looking to continue your service to others, there are multitude of options in your community. You are only making it tougher for the rest of the industry to improve if you allow yourself to be suckered into taking less money to complete the "mission."

Since you know so much about JetBlue I think you missed the fact that pilots are not required to clean when operating a flight encouraged yes, required no.
If we non rev all crew are expected to help out.
Also they didn't get rid of the fa because they knew the pilots would help it was to create even more room between the seats which led to the even more product. (And it saves money)
I am not trying to be a dick but I can't help by reading some of your posts you are not a fan of the JetBlue model, which is fine but do a little more research about the things you think you know.