Great perspective. Thank you!

Is UAL even running classes?

No more classes for new hires starting until fall at the earliest.

UAL want you want options. If you can drive to a SWA go there.

Either is a gamble. SWA isn’t the scrappy little start up they used to be, they’re a major carrier now with all the problems that go with being a major. My friends there tell me the culture has changed markedly over the last 10-20 years as well. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

Regardless of who you chose, FX/WN/UA/DL etc etc etc, all you can do is make the best desicion with the info available now because history has proven there is zero chance that anyone will predict with any certainty who will rise and who will fall. Anyone that tells you they can you most certainly should NOT listen to. The list of major airlines that have gone out of business is larger than the number in business now.

May the odds be ever in your favor.

My advice was based on driving and stability. UAL is buying a turnaround stock...payoff may be high, but...has a tad more risk if history is a guide. SWA is a dividend stock...dont' expect rapid growth, or flash, but you will get paid.

If this guy had a Reserve gig or wife had good prospects in a United town, I would have told him to base his choice on what he wanted to do 10 years from now and hope for the best. But--they are anchored--and that makes SWA a (as others pointed out) damn good job better than 95% of world has, and a great way to make a living.

Regardless of where you live/fly, I think having a diversified source of both money and joy is important. ANG, side gig, spouse job...all play into the mix. Strap on to just your airline job for your finances or your happiness, and you'll ride a few cycles up and down....

Thanks for the input--generally a pretty good discussion.

Motch,

That is the proverbial $64,000 question....I have 10 year recall rights so I have until Sept 2018 to return. Mind is pretty much made up to stay put with SWA -- I live in domicile, make great $ with a very financially stable company. The ONLY option that is remotely appealing is 777/787 FO out of SFO or LAX but that would mean commuting. The plus would be less days working for about the same $ I make now as a SWA FO. However, I am about 2 - 2.5 years away from upgrade where the $ will far surpass what I would make as a wide body FO at United. Also, I've never done the long haul wide body flying -- might love it, might hate it. But there is no going back. I have a very comfortable life now with the ability to just coast until retirement in 13.5 years.
Also, there is risk in the wide body flying that United does -- could the ME3 and others like Iceland Air and WOW crush them with a capacity war? Who knows but I do know that Southwest does not have to worry about competition from the ME3 poaching their domestic or even near-international flying. Could United shrink their wide body flying over the next decade due to competition from others?
So, long answer to an easy question -- 99% sure I am staying put.

Don’t get to comfortable.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-.../5000/all-info

0 co-sponsors. That bill will never see the light of day.

For the sake of all going forward, I hope you are right.

I hope your right as well, but this should be proof that there will be tons of money flowing to make this happen over time.

Proverbial "camels nose in the tent" and all.....