Seniority increase at United is pretty much a given due to large retirements.

Seniority increases at JB are way more dependant on growth which may, or may not happen.

You said you could move and are not stuck in South Florida. Go to United. Commute or move...your choice.

I've flown for both and United is light years ahead of "New York's Gayest Airline" in terms of operations and the way pilots are treated.

As far down on the seniority list as you are, this is a no-brainer.

Even if you only ever want to fly a narrow-body, your seniority on the narrow-body will increase dramatically quicker at United than at JB. Think about it. A320 captains at UA can bid off it to higher paying equipment (and they will). A320 captains at JB have nowhere else to go.

GP

 

90% of the UAL pilots retire in the next 20 years. I would make the move and never look back.

 

In addition, United has not hired all that much over the last few years. The hiring boom is about to start at United.

 

The economy is nowhere near a recession. Earnings are still strong though interest rates are moving up. The latest stock gyrations are due to having an unpredictable clown in the White House.

Come to United!

 

Summer 18 new hire......in 10 years I'll be at 50% based on retirement attrition alone.

 

I left B6 in September for UA, year 2 pay driving 30 miles to work (JFK) on the bus. Since you were wondering on a cultural basis, I’ll tell you that the first day I showed up to training at BI here at United, it made me realize that the “culture” at JetBlue was about as real as Santa Claus. From talking to the crew desk on the phone, to asking for time off because you need to be somewhere, this place definitely treats me better than JetBlue did, hands down. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed my time at B6, and everyone I worked with. But at UA you’ll be treated like an actual professional, not the B6 “everyone’s equal” colt. I’d say the ONLY place where B6 has UA beat is the reserve rules. But face the facts- at B6 if you’re on year 3 in SFL and plan on upgrading, you likely won’t see the left seat there for another 4-5 years, and will likely involve a commute to NY anyway. At United, you can be left seat in the Airbus/737 in less than 4, and be 50% up the list by the time you’re 50. The 401k/profit sharing alone after 2 years will, barring any downturn, more than recoup whatever salary you would’ve made at B6 during that timeframe. And at UA, we are actually growing. And I’m not talking replacing 320s with 321s “JetBlue growth.” Actual. Growth. Record setting growth.

In my honest, humble opinion, JetBlue is still riding the wave from the 2000s Neeleman era, a wave which is quickly fading, and has no direction for the future. I’m interested to see how the C-series might affect the airline, but I think a company like JetBlue faces an uncertain future 10 years out. Yes we might be in a “bear market” but oil is still cheap and getting cheaper, and people are still flying at record numbers.

Looking at these vacancy awards for 2019 I’m thinking this will be “the place to be” for now. Come on board and get a seniority number. You won’t regret it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I made the B6 to United jump a little over a year ago. Age and seniority status were similar to your own. No regrets. Granted, driving to work is great, but so is being on the front end of a hiring wave that is inevitable, which as someone stated earlier, is just beginning to form at United. I don't check this site regularly, but feel free to PM me. Best of luck.

 

Noticed no one has mentioned the turd in the punch-bowl possibility. B6 and UAL merge and the ISL is treated similarly to the AS/VX merger.

Probably a real long shot but worth mentioning if we're batting around what-ifs.

 

Still hungover (and underwater) from the last one. Please, no reminders.

 

LOL! Please take a look at the percentage of NYC MSA traffic each airline garners. Such a merger would require significant divestiture in order to pass muster. United had to divest some NYC market share in the last merger.

I know this pipe dream merger has been circulating in the blue juice rumor mill, but it is completely based in fantasy.