Depends on how qualified you are.

 

ORD has had unfilled assignments recently, but not as many as other locations. Any assignment that goes "unfilled" on a vacancy bid can be given out by the company to new hires for the next 90ish days. The company gets to decide which of the unfilled assignments are given out in which class, so they get to decide where their greatest need is and give out those assignments. So, they have been using that option to offer assignments in locations that are worse off than ORD.

What this means is that it is unlikely you will get ORD as your first assignment (though possible). However, we are having vacancy bids every 4-6 weeks, so before you are even done with initial training you will have an option to bid for an ORD slot. That bidding option comes with restrictions based on whatever your initial assignment is. You will be "frozen" on the aircraft associated to your initial assignment except if you are bidding to a hiring paying seat. So, if you get a 737 someplace besides ORD, you would be able to bid for 737 in ORD, as well as 756 and 787 at ORD on any vacancy bid that opens. You cannot bid from the 737 to the A320 while on your new hire freeze, as they are paid the same. If you get a 756 as an initial assignment, you would be able to bid for 756 in ORD or 787. If you get a 787, you would only be able to bid for 787 in ORD. If you get the 777 (that would be the worst even though the plane is awesome) you would be frozen on the 777 and we don't have a 777 base in ORD anymore, so your first opportunity to get to ORD would be by bidding to Captain in ORD after you are off probation. We have a rule that you can't take a Captain bid until off probation.

 

Thank you for the response, this helps a lot. I live in Chicago and it would be great not to have to commute for long. Application submitted, we will see if I get called for an interview, most of my turbine time is Part 91 and 135

 

If you follow 90% of the advice you read here you will bid NB. For most of your first year your award as a NB line holder will very likely be at or near the of the line construction cap (~90 hours). If you have 12-13 days off with 85 hours of flying, do you really want more? But the short answer is yes, you will be able to fly up to your FAR limits if you want to.

 

Not to hijack this thread but in terms of the united hiring boom etc. If hired today am at 50% of it 60%. Has the boom passed is what I'm asking ?
Thanks

 

what changes to your life plan would it make if it was vs wasn’t?

 

It’s not as easy a question to answer as you make it out to seem. As far as annual retirement trends, those are still increasing & will hit their peak in around 5 years; and in very broad terms it is still an excellent time to be hired at any major airline.

However, more of our “hiring boom” lately has been due to growth rather than attrition. Will that growth continue & for how long? Could UAL’s growth plan turn out to be too aggressive & lead to a “shrink to profitability” response? Also, career projections will vary significantly depending on how many years you have left in yours. More information about your age, current position, & career aspirations would help you get input more applicable to your situation. (Caveat emptor)

The old conventional wisdom was to hitch yourself to an airline you could spend a career at as a NBFO & be grateful for anything you got beyond that. I know it’s boom times now, but I still think that old mentality is at least a valuable consideration when making decisions about your future.

 

43 years old at a ulcc.
That's it really so yeah not sure.
I'd be fine as a nb fo for life as long as the schedule is good to go
Should prolly add I want to be done at 55

 

Again, “boom” is a pretty subjective term, but to get hired today & retire in 12 years (based on present trends) you’ll very likely have the chance to hold all seats except WBCA. Probably could make it to excellent seniority in NB right seat, or comfortable lineholder status as WBFO or NBCA; though the new contract could reverse certain seniority trends at the NBCA position- to what extent I won’t speculate.

Don’t know about your current position/QOL/living situation, so I won’t pretend to know if the move would make sense for your 12 remaining years, but if we do ever get that contract thing figured out, the extra pay might help out with your early retirement plan.

 

Thanks I appreciate the input. Current qol is great. Can drop anything I want or x list whatever if I feel like making extra money. Live in base as well but of course who knows about certain blue and yellow mergers. I just didn't want to apply after the wave is gone at the end of this year. Not throwing stones but currently at united what does seniority even matter if you can't drop or trade anything ... Honest question not trying to flame that.