F9 captain offered an interview at UAL
01-19-2019, 11:37 AM
#1
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Airbus F/O
Posts: 333
F9 captain offered an interview at UAL
Hello,
After many years of trying I finally received the selection email. I’m excited but now I’m trying to figure out if it’s a good move. I’m in my mid 40s and a captain at Frontier about 44% up the current seniority. Taking the emotion out of it, does it make sense for me to make the jump? Financially it does not seem that way. Culturally, right now United management treats their pilots far better than at F9. There are also wide body, international non rev perks, better contract, etc.
I have been told to stop chasing it and I could be content at F9, I also know I would be very happy at United. I’m just trying to get some thoughts from current UAL pilots.
Thanks for your feedback.
After many years of trying I finally received the selection email. I’m excited but now I’m trying to figure out if it’s a good move. I’m in my mid 40s and a captain at Frontier about 44% up the current seniority. Taking the emotion out of it, does it make sense for me to make the jump? Financially it does not seem that way. Culturally, right now United management treats their pilots far better than at F9. There are also wide body, international non rev perks, better contract, etc.
I have been told to stop chasing it and I could be content at F9, I also know I would be very happy at United. I’m just trying to get some thoughts from current UAL pilots.
Thanks for your feedback.
01-19-2019, 11:47 AM
#2
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Joined APC: Jan 2010
Posts: 246
We had a F9 CA in my newhire class back in June.
Can’t answer if it’s the “right move for you”, but I too made a switch to come to UAL - AND - it’s been the best decision for me AND my family!
Let me add, if you’re a DEN dude...both the 737 and 320 dudes that wanted it from my NH class have been awarded it with this 19-05 bid. YMMV
Can’t answer if it’s the “right move for you”, but I too made a switch to come to UAL - AND - it’s been the best decision for me AND my family!
Let me add, if you’re a DEN dude...both the 737 and 320 dudes that wanted it from my NH class have been awarded it with this 19-05 bid. YMMV
Last edited by BAe3100FO; 01-19-2019 at 12:16 PM.
01-19-2019, 12:08 PM
#3
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Joined APC: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,803
Ya spin the wheel and ya take your chances. Nobody can answer the questions you're asking for you. I'm sure you're doing all the comparisons of pay, bases, progression, benefits, financial health of the corporation and growth potential. At UAL you'll equal the top captain rate at Frontier in 2-3 years and have a few more points in the B fund to boot. The financial piece seems like a no brainer, but you'd know better what your situation looks like.
I can tell you that United is going to lead the industry in horrible looking purple uniforms for a long time! Frontier will never, ever, be able to catch up in that metric.
I can tell you that United is going to lead the industry in horrible looking purple uniforms for a long time! Frontier will never, ever, be able to catch up in that metric.
01-19-2019, 12:29 PM
#5
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Joined APC: Mar 2008
Position: Airbus F/O
Posts: 333
Thanks for the quick replies. Of course no guaranteed yet. I still have to make it through the interview and be offered a class. I’m planning on preparing and see what happens.
I guess purple is the new uniform standard
. Heck I’ll wear pink if it pays the bills.
I have often been told you never know you made the right decision until you retire. It’s so hard to know what the right answer would be. I did DH in an UAL flight and a senior captain said I should stay put. He’s been at UAL for 35 years.
I would love to work for a legacy no doubt, but that’s an emotional argument. If I get on this summer, realistically speaking when can I get to the left seat, or wide body FO?
I guess purple is the new uniform standard
. Heck I’ll wear pink if it pays the bills. I have often been told you never know you made the right decision until you retire. It’s so hard to know what the right answer would be. I did DH in an UAL flight and a senior captain said I should stay put. He’s been at UAL for 35 years.
I would love to work for a legacy no doubt, but that’s an emotional argument. If I get on this summer, realistically speaking when can I get to the left seat, or wide body FO?
01-19-2019, 12:39 PM
#6
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Joined APC: Jan 2012
Position: B737
Posts: 141
I took the job in 07. Furloughed a year later. Still best decision I’ve ever made. You have to play the long game in this career path. Retirements alone will keep you safe even at the bottom of the list. New airplanes arriving every month with new orders being announced as well. The most miserable people I know are the ones who never took a step forward.
01-19-2019, 01:11 PM
#8
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Joined APC: Mar 2014
Position: Bus FO
Posts: 82
I went from a 4th year NK captain to UA. I was relatively young, it was/is my dream job, it gave me a chance to live in base, we don’t have kids and my wife has a good career so our furlough risk tolerance was high. If I had been driving to work at Spirit, in my late 40’s, a house full of kids, and a spouse that couldn’t support us it would have been a much more difficult decision. It has worked out pretty good for me and I havn’t had any regrets. But you need to evaluate the life impact on your own.
01-19-2019, 01:27 PM
#9
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Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 698
Go through the process, see what you think of the interview experience/company culture vs F9. I think financially you’d take 1 step back and 3 forward, with year 4 FO pay potentially well over your top CA pay. And our contract is currently in negotiation, seemingly in good faith....
Congrats on interview invite, good luck!
Congrats on interview invite, good luck!
01-19-2019, 01:28 PM
#10
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Joined APC: Sep 2010
Position: EWR 777 Captain
Posts: 1,715
The problem with our industry is that nothing is predictable. Obviously your age plays a role in the choice, but the truth is it a roll of the dice either way. We all know the industry will go through a down cycle sometime in the future and when it does the question will be which airline afforded you the better protection. Honestly I don't think anyone can answer that question.
On the other hand I think you can definitely say QOL at United is more secure and 21 years is not a short time.
On the other hand I think you can definitely say QOL at United is more secure and 21 years is not a short time.
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