My last trip was a 6-leg 3-day, 2 legs each day. Sounds easy enough for two pilots.

Due to delays and tail swaps and cancellations, by the time we were done it took JetBlue 16 pilots to fly those 6 legs. That’s staffing efficiency.

I did one a few weeks ago with 6 pilots, 4 2hr limo legs, and 2 ferry flight legs to complete a turn on a 321 with 83 and 100 pax respectively. Oh, and were all on VDA.

You just don’t have the big picture. I appreciate you singing up for VDA so I can coach my kids team.

any update from internal comms about the merger? what the extra states siding with the doj means? whats the feeling from management. any mention of bases?

I get, from the other forum why you're asking these questions. Just understand that they will say anything they need to to get the merger approved, but after it's approved they will do whatever they want/need to do as long as it wasn't a written commitment to do otherwise. Counting on ORD to stay a base for Blue forever, with what we know now, is a risky bet. There could be a large gate acquisition in ORD, and honestly I hope it happens, and think it should, but unless and until it happens, it's unlikely.

And how's your seniority gonna look when many JB dudes who live in Chicago or commute from the Midwest get their opportunity to bid it?

Use your upcoming ORD legacy interview accordingly.

yeah fair enough, actually i dont need to be in ord for forever but certainly lets say the next 5 years. apparently NK is moving over to the G gates so combined with JB it should make 6.5 gates.
Seniority atm is pretty good in chicago as an FO. I mean im a few years in and people have left in front of me.

unfortunately ive already got a class date with UA which kinda sucks as by now what was assumed was that a new contract was going to be out there. Now on the UA boards they are saying a new contract is going to be 1-2 years away.

yeah the choice is not easy.

In the same boat but only a year in at NK. Really struggling with the decision. I've turned down one legacy to this point and sitting on another waiting to see when/if the contract rolls out.

One of the UAL guys said recently 100-150 planes a year for the next 5 years, and 2,600 pilots a year. They will eventually get a new contract, 1-2 years is nothing over a career. With so little invested at NK I'm not sure it's a hard decision, but it's also a very personal one.

Good luck guys.

You turned down a legacy airline and delaying a decision on another to stay at NK right now? Really? May I ask which ones and why?

I'm 1 year in and I own my schedule. With our scheduling flexibility I am able to drop whatever trips I want to and pick up straight time on days I want to fly or list for premium and get it regularly when I want it.

AA, and waiting on UA.

I chat with AA and UA pilots regularly and most of them are quite jealous of what we can do with our schedules. There is no transparency at either of those airlines in regards to reserve minimums or dropping trips. Company can do whatever they want.