My advice is to get to class as soon as you can.
If on terminal leave you should be good to go. Otherwise, you need to figure it out. I don't think you'll burn bridges, but I guess you told them when you were available, and they went with that.

 

There is no harm in deferring classes other than lost seniority. (assuming you told hiring what your true "availability date" was - do not defer past that date short of illness)

Commuting to a line - any line - is superior to reserve. You will have a far more enjoyable 2nd career in the military avoiding WB flying until you are either senior enough to hold a line reliably or live in base. WB reserve as a commuter you can expect to be gone 18 days per month and have days rolled off as required except for your 6 days off that the company can't easily move.

WB and NB pay the same first year and once you learn how United works it is pretty easy to move up to WB aircraft. The WB training for the most part - assumes you know how United operates.

 

SENIORITY IS EVERYTHING.

I don't know what you have going on, but sell your left nut if you have to in order to make that August class.

You'll thank me later.

 

I skipped a class in February of 2020! Got me 9 months of unemployment 👍

 

and how many seniority spots did you lose due to that? Unless it’s an absolute pressing matter, take the class and the seniority for this job


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Different situation for me and looking for any thoughts/advice. Got a CJO back in Oct 19 but COVID put a a quick end to my airline dreams before I could make it to indoc and I came back to military. Fortunately, it looks like United is still going to honor my CJO when I can get out (again) in the next several months. My last email from the hiring team said to reach out about a month prior to getting out and they would work a class for me, but the way things are, I feel like that's a little late. I'd love to get in the first class that I'm available for (start of Feb 23), and don't want to wait to Jan to ask the question only to learn I have to wait to late spring/early summer to get in. Not completely sure how long the wait is at the moment, but would it be a foul for me to email them in the fall asking for spot in a Feb class? Don't want to step on any toes before I'm even in the door, but at the same time, I don't want to sit around when there was something I could have done to get started earlier. Thoughts? Recommendations? Thanks!

 

I would follow along here and others places (Facebook new hire page) When you see or hear about late January early February classes being assigned. Email then.

 

If you already have paperwork in for a separation/retirement date, there is no time like the present to let them know. They don’t have classes that far out, though, so don’t expect a date that they don’t have. Of course, this may be a golden opportunity to get the best setup that you might not have had before. Did you have CJOs everywhere else also? You likely would today.

 

Hey, as a military guy I can say waiting and losing a few seniority spots is not the end of the world. DO NOT DO THIS (take the earlier class) IF YOU LOSE TIME WITH YOUR FAMILY FOR SUMMER. This job is in many respects more arduous than dealing with military deployment cycles so please think twice. You will most definitely hear many people say what is considered a commandment to them : "Seniority is everything" but hey, you're coming to a 14k plus pilot airline. a few classes will not make a difference, and may even benefit your initial assignment in some way which you won't know until it happens. Enjoy a break, especially if you get to do things you want to do. You will see being a civilian professional aircrew member brings with it a substantial loss of independence and scheduling certainty for a while.

 

This is the worst advice ^^


1 class can make the difference between getting furloughed or not getting furloughed. For some, it made the difference between getting furloughed only once instead of twice. It can make the difference between holding WB CA, or not. It can make the difference when it comes to getting above the G line in the left seat of a widebody. It can make the difference between getting Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, etc off.

Get there fast, take it slow. Take the first newhire class you can, then delay upgrade if you want, but don't delay the day that your seniority starts.