I've seen several wags about remaining hiring in 2016 and projections for up to 600-900 next year. However, I'm wondering if anything is becoming more solid on expected #s/class, or total numbers. Additionally, what's currently going on with respect to "avail dates" vs. when folks are actually getting the call for interviews (I heard on or after avail date, but that's not substantiated). I've got a Feb '17 avail and I "assume" "IF" I'm lucky enough to get a call, it won't be until the fall of this year or later. Thoughts?

From what we are being told from our hiring officials, they are planning on hiring approximately 900-1000 per year, for the foreseeable future. This is what has been stated officially.

I've asked a few of the FO's I've flown with who were upgrading soon after we flew to let me know what they heard during Captain Indoc which is conducted at headquarters in Chicago. They get briefings from senior management and even Oscar Munoz our CEO usually visits.

Don't shoot the messenger, I'm just reporting back what I've heard. I know it's very optimistic and yes things can change in a NY second.

That being said here is what I've heard recently.

Current mainline fleet is 723, by end of next year 816 and up to 1000 in five years.

Planning on a 18,000 pilot seniority list in five years, current list just over 12,500.

Taking delivery of all 35 firm and 15 options of the A350's.

14 777-300's 4 to SFO rest to EWR.

40% of pilot group will be new hires in five years.

Most senior managers say they have never worked for a CEO like Oscar, very optimistic.

Almost hard to wrap my head around those numbers. Where will the expansion happen? I wonder what DL & AA's answer to this strategy is.

RJ flying is coming back to mainline and more direct flights to secondary Chinese destinations is where United will grow




Parking 22 744s at 2018

Receiving
65 new 737-7s
100 737 max 2018 -21
25 737-9 from now till end 2017
14 777-3 2016-17
12 more 787-9 from now to 2018
42 used Airbus 2016-18
35 A350 2018-2020


732-22 retirements = 710 plus 281 deliveries used and new the next 4-5 years IS 991 aircraft flying x 16.5 pilots per plane average

16,350 pilots per my math add vacation coverage and I guess 15 percent reserve


WE SHALL SEE either way a good growth and let's hope it stays that way

So between the growth of the seniority list over the next 5 years, retirements (BK states add 10% to those retirement numbers for medical and early retirees), United needs to hire at least 1200-1300 a year based on the expansion and retirements alone.

Are there any plans to somehow increase beyond the projected 1000 a year?

AND, by 2020, we have a bunch of 777-200's that are 25 years old, a bunch of airbus's 25-30 years old, some 757's and 763's that are over 35 years old. There are lot of mainland aircraft that can, and will, be sent to the desert in a downturn.

I do see 70 seat RJ's coming to the mainline, and that is the way forward to 18k pilots. Or, we buy somebody. I would have guessed Alaska until they paid 4B for VX.

UAL is sticking to seat mile growth of under 2% total. That doesn't get the mainline to 18k pilots in 4 years unless more of UAL flying comes to the mainline, and express shrinks.

It's probably not a coincidence that design work has already begun on expanding the physical number of sim bays in the DEN training center despite the previous plan that still had some room for growth even after moving everything up from IAH.

Don't worry guys, age 70 will fix the training problems for the next 5-10 years.

Well....that and the merger. Since the fleets are not compatible we're just gonna take the employees but not the airplanes.