Hey guys
Just got an interview call. If all goes well, going to have some crucial decisions to make.
Already have a CJO at Delta, waiting on class date... but UA is no. 1 choice due to more potential seniority and eventually flying heavies. Already asked some of this in Delta forum but want to compare the specifics here. Here's my situation-
- Live in NJ. EWR is 45 minutes drive, LGA about 1.5 hour and JFK 2-3 hours.
- Looking for best fleet for QOL and picking premium trips.
- Also interested in flying the 756 before they retire, if it's practical.

737 questions-
- Movement looks great on the 737. What's reserve like on it? Good opportunities for picking open time trips?
- How are trips split between the 3 airports? Mostly EWR?

​​​​​​756 Questions-
- What's the retirement plan like for the fleet?
- Reserve experience? Open time picks?
- Mostly international out of EWR? Or decent amount of domestic as well?
- Do new hires get stuck being the relief pilot for a while or get decent amount of hands on flying?
- How long to hold a line?

General-
- Do you get parking provided at all 3 airports?
- How does short call reserve work for 3 airports? Jave to be able to reach any of them in 2 hours or just the 1 closest to you and "do your best" for the other? Hope that makes sense.

Any other good/bad about these fleets specific to NY?
Appreciate the info!!

 

I'll answer a couple of your questions.
757 fleet for now is stable. Until the A321XLR's come along, they will be around. This is a couple of years at least.
Reserve in base at EWR shouldn't be too bad. the 757 flying there is some of the best of the airline. Lots of choices. Sitting reserve short call at home is being paid to stay home. As the Covid recovery continues, expect to be used more on reserve, but right now, working hard in the summer, less starting in the fall.
There is a good mix between international and domestic. However, if you fly international, you will be bunkie for a very long time. Domestic trips are mostly hands on. It will be a while to hold a line. To hold a line, the 737 should be the quickest.

Again, I can't emphasize this enough, reserve in base is not bad. Paid to stay at home. Commuting to reserve is a nightmare.

 

I would recommend starting off on the 737, then bidding up to the 756. It's what I did, and it worked beautifully.

I was quickly a lineholder on the 73, and was able to manipulate my schedule, pick up open time/premium pay trips, etc. Around year 3 (currently), you could slide over as a junior lineholder on the 756 and avoid global reserve. I did some global reserve, and while it wasn't bad, I really enjoyed being able to improve my quality of life while maximizing compensation by picking up premium pay trips.

I was glad to have flown the 737 first because it allowed me to concentrate on not only one aircraft type, but also how to be a United Airlines pilot. While you could do the same on the 756 fleet, that fleet is like learning 4 different airplanes on top of learning how to be a United pilot. We have guys & gals who do it straight out of BI, but even as one who is not as sharp as a dagger but still not a blunt butter knife, I'm glad I only had to concentrate on one aircraft type out of BI.

BTW, some of the best flying in the system for both the 73 and the 756 fleets is out of EWR.

 

Thanks! Good to know they'll be around for a while. Is the flying mostly out of EWR?

 

That sounds like a good plan. I was thinking along the same lines.
Noob question- What is global reserve?
Is most of the 737 flying out of EWR?

 

Global reserve is the reserve rules when a plane is used for global flights. Typically widebody planes, but the guppy is going to somewhere that qualifies now. It’s being crewed out if cle at the moment, so cle guppy is considered global reserve. I can’t remember the exact definition of global, but Europe and Asia qualifies. Can’t remember if Deep South America does. Different rules, the main one is there is a 6 day block of hard days off that can’t be moved for a trip. Rest of the days off can be rolled for a global trip.

 

I'm at DL and randomly saw this. If you are in NJ without a doubt I'd do UAL. They haven't hired 7000+ since 2014, or roughly 50% of the list. Have much more international on their own metal(for better or worse), has a CEO that seems to want to run a major international airline. DAL was in the lead pre-covid but chaos is a ladder and UAL has climbed it during and thru the exit from COVID. All things being equal I'd say the drive wins it out for UAL. DAL is still great but the wind is at UAL's back now(from this DL pilots view).

 

Thanks for the input! Yeah, definitely a big factor for me as well. I think the shorter drive and quicker seniority building with make UA a better place for QOL

 

If given a choice - 737.

As a new hire you will have a much higher quality of life - faster - on the narrow body fleets. 756 is a great airplane (intercom excluded) and the flying is great but there is a reason we force new hires into that seat on a cyclical basis. Seems like we force tons of new hires on it and exactly two years later they all bid off so they can have seniority on 737.

Reserves will get put in whatever open seat needs assigned. There are some line holders that bid for the IRO position exclusively but most tend to prefer the flying seat and therefore IRO is typically a junior lineholder. Many junior line holders will be in pickup requests to trade up if the flying seat becomes open but many just don't care - it all pays the same but first break makes for some really long nights on the backside of the clock.

Reserve doesn't get to play in the premium pickup/trip trading. Seniority gets you more time off, better vacation options, the option of bidding reserve in the slower months etc.

This could all change in a month or two depending on what is in the TA and if it gets ratified.

If you live in NJ - don't go to DAL. Newark isn't a great base but by living there you will have tons of opportunities for premium pay as a LINE HOLDER.

 

Seems to be the way to go. Thanks!
How is parking at each airport? Employee lots given at each airport or reimbursed for parking?