SWA or UAL?
02-25-2018 | 10:24 AM
#22
On Reserve
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 47
Likes: 19
Some of this talk is eerily like the same talk when I was fresh out of pilot training. New to my first flying squadron and guys would say “take the job at SWA and then leave when United hires you.” I had friends leave SWA for UAL in 2000-2001. It’s a mistake that probably cost them millions. They had a chance to fly international...when they got back on active duty after being furloughed. Some even got furloughed again during the Great Recession and had to fly at regional carriers. Now they are narrow body FOs in Denver. The guy who we all thought was a fool for staying at Southwest is a senior 737 Capt in Denver making $400k.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
02-25-2018 | 12:02 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 862
Likes: 0
Some of this talk is eerily like the same talk when I was fresh out of pilot training. New to my first flying squadron and guys would say “take the job at SWA and then leave when United hires you.” I had friends leave SWA for UAL in 2000-2001. It’s a mistake that probably cost them millions. They had a chance to fly international...when they got back on active duty after being furloughed. Some even got furloughed again during the Great Recession and had to fly at regional carriers. Now they are narrow body FOs in Denver. The guy who we all thought was a fool for staying at Southwest is a senior 737 Capt in Denver making $400k.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
Go to SWA............
02-25-2018 | 12:26 PM
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,508
Likes: 109
Some of this talk is eerily like the same talk when I was fresh out of pilot training. New to my first flying squadron and guys would say “take the job at SWA and then leave when United hires you.” I had friends leave SWA for UAL in 2000-2001. It’s a mistake that probably cost them millions. They had a chance to fly international...when they got back on active duty after being furloughed. Some even got furloughed again during the Great Recession and had to fly at regional carriers. Now they are narrow body FOs in Denver. The guy who we all thought was a fool for staying at Southwest is a senior 737 Capt in Denver making $400k.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
Full disclosure, I have a CJO from United and am waiting to hear back from SWA. I go back and forth on what I want to do. But some of the hubris from the United guys gives me the willies. It’s almost verbatim of what I was hearing this time in 2001. In the end, it might come down to when I can start soonest.
All things being equal, I would only recommend United from the stand point of variety and upgrade times. Comparing pay is a fools errand, there are sluts and sloths everywhere. How much you make is going to be entirely up to you, which is the beauty of this job. No one cares if you want to do a bare min month, or kill it the next.
If it meant living in a place you love and driving to work, or commuting in order to live where you want, I’d take the one that I can drive to all day long.
Take the first one that calls, take the one that fits your QOL if they both call. If you’ve got more than ten years, any airline is a gamble for longevity.
02-25-2018 | 02:27 PM
#27
Abused Spouse of PBS
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 455
Likes: 6
From: 756 CA
First post and stirring the pot....
02-25-2018 | 02:34 PM
#28
Line Holder
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Captain
Which of these airlines has always been profitable?
Which of these airlines has never furloughed a pilot?
Which of these airlines has never filed bankruptcy?
Which of these airlines is just now cracking into the international markets?
Maybe being “higher tier” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. BTW, as I’ve been figuring out asking around, a lot SWA guys are making more than the “higher tier” guys. Not bad for a “high paying commuter.” A guy showed me a captain in Chicago’s schedule. He made over $90k in a month.
Which of these airlines has never furloughed a pilot?
Which of these airlines has never filed bankruptcy?
Which of these airlines is just now cracking into the international markets?
Maybe being “higher tier” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. BTW, as I’ve been figuring out asking around, a lot SWA guys are making more than the “higher tier” guys. Not bad for a “high paying commuter.” A guy showed me a captain in Chicago’s schedule. He made over $90k in a month.
JetBlue??
Allegiant??
Tell me tell me...
02-25-2018 | 02:34 PM
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 3,076
Likes: 3
From: The GF of FUPM
Anyone who equates the last two decades of airline employment with the next two decades could be setting themselves up for serious disappointment. It wasn't all that long ago that the big three were Eastern, Pan Am and TWA. Now, there are plenty of guys from all three retiring from the current big three.
02-25-2018 | 03:18 PM
#30
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
Likes: 1
I love international flying, the variety at FedEx, and the options. I know some guys who got hired in the last 4-6 years at SWA who are shocked to find out "its a job too, not a family..." The guys who love it were hired in 2001-05 are in the left seat.
But...I think hired in 30s any of them are going to be work out okay. This guy's wife has a very unique and somewhat non-portable job. If she was an MD or nurse--c'mon....let's move to Denver! Or....Tahoe...and commute down the hill to SFO. But--since that isn't the case--and the next 4-5 years are probably much easier at SWA in MCO...my suggestion is to just sit tight.
Different guy--same area--left for another legacy for many of the reasons indicated here...seniority advancement, different jets to fly, and a bit of a bad taste about cartels and some SWA-isms. Nothing he couldn't stick with--just another factor weighing when the other offers came in.
Variety is good. I love the XX vs XX airline threads. Those beat the heck out of the "what can I do when furloughed?..." threads we endured in the mid 2000s. These are good times. Enjoy them.
But...I think hired in 30s any of them are going to be work out okay. This guy's wife has a very unique and somewhat non-portable job. If she was an MD or nurse--c'mon....let's move to Denver! Or....Tahoe...and commute down the hill to SFO. But--since that isn't the case--and the next 4-5 years are probably much easier at SWA in MCO...my suggestion is to just sit tight.
Different guy--same area--left for another legacy for many of the reasons indicated here...seniority advancement, different jets to fly, and a bit of a bad taste about cartels and some SWA-isms. Nothing he couldn't stick with--just another factor weighing when the other offers came in.
Variety is good. I love the XX vs XX airline threads. Those beat the heck out of the "what can I do when furloughed?..." threads we endured in the mid 2000s. These are good times. Enjoy them.
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