Yes, a very junior pilot got awarded the 756 Left Seat in LAX last bid.. but THAT is not the norm and don't believe it will be the norm.
Keep in mind- When/IF we get our ILC23 in the Spring of '23, that includes some much needed Reserve rule fixes.. watch how people in mid pack (middle Group) and some senior WB FO's finally take the plunge into the Left Seat. Wouldn't surprise me if there isn't a thread on this Forum about "It's gonna be years till you can upgrade at Untied"

As expected. Many of us have stated that there is no way the 76's AND the 75's last past this decade. This order is good for our Airline and Pilot Group... but ya know what is even better-
A Happy Pilot Labor Group~

It does. BUT-
Until we actually park a 76-3, we still have the aircraft on the line and we need to have it pay correctly.
As many of us stated over the years- at numerous RoadShows for UPA2012 (back in October/November 2012) our own union stated that "we didn't want to waste negotiating capital on an aircraft that is leaving".. fast forward to 2016 and the extension- "we didn't negotiate the 76-3 payrate because this was just an extension.. we'll have a New UPA on time, in 2019"

We better not loss sight of the big picture.
the 76-3 IS a Widbody and needs to pay like one and-
We need Trip/Duty rigs with these much much faster aircraft in mind.
(otherwise... there will come a day where pilots are flying EWR-MCO turns worth 5:30 a day and doing it 16 days a month!)

New Bases- Great
New Aircraft Orders- Great
United Next, Leading the Way- Great
But an Honest, Fair UPA for the Pilot Group- Priceless

Till then,
Fly Safe, Fly Professionally and
Fly the Contract

Motch

 

more importantly it even states on FT

”Approximately 100 planes of the new widebody order are expected to replace older Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 aircraft”

there is no WB growth with the firm order of 100 aircraft. It is a fleet replacement only.

 

I think the growth comes from borders opening.

we don’t have the airplanes currently to fly our China operation.

growth will happen with this order….it has too because we can’t fly to where we used to fly.

 

We only had 50 total orders for the 787 originally. 25 United and 25 CAL. We had 50 options as well.

We’ve taken delivery of all of the original 50 orders and we’ve also exercised options on 32 more 787s, of which 16 have been delivered and we still have 16 more to be delivered, 5 of which are coming in the next month. The reason we aren’t getting the new order until 2024 is because its going to take all of 2023 to get the remaining 787s from the original orders. Kirby said he plans on getting all 20 787s. The company pays an option fee up-front, so if we don’t get them, we lose that fee. Its to lock in the price at today’s dollars and also give us an out if there is some major economic event. Bottom line is we will have 182 787s by 2032 and probably over 200 by 2035.

What’s better is that these are replacing 767s (higher pay/bigger planes) and more for growth.

Now we just need a contract.

 

No that’s incorrect. Kirby and Nocella both said that these planes are only replacing 767s and growth. They aren’t the 777 replacement. Kirby specifically said “we don’t have to replace any 777s until 2030 so this give us time to find a suitable replacement for the 777.” So you can downplay this as much as you want, but replacing 767s with top pay 787s and more growth planes is good in my book.

 

More importantly, as has happened before with the rumored 767 replacement, this deal provides flexibility.

Meaning, as the new 787's come, UAL can choose to delay the retirement of the other wide bodies, as was recently done with the 767-400's. It's only money to keep them flying. There is really nothing long term wrong with the 777A's, They are holding up pretty well. So, flexibility. (Now that we have reasonable assurances the engines won't come apart!)

Also as was stated, with the current fleet, I do not believe we have enough planes to fly China once the market reopens. Where will those planes come from?? I still think, at some point, we have to order some more new 777's. I don't think more 777-300ER's will do. We might launch the 777-8??

 

And even if it was a 1 for 1 swap we care about is flight hours. New aircraft with more range have higher utilization rates and less maintenance so more flight hours which equals growth in flight hours.

 

The 777-8 is smaller than the 777-300ER. The -8 will have crazy range that we probably won’t need. Instead of a 777-9 flying once a day to Hong Kong, wouldn’t it be better to have 2 787’s a day flying to Hong Kong? They both pay the same. More WB pilot jobs.

 

Thats what it says verbatim on FT - look it up.

 

Agreed! They manage we fly. I demand and industry leading contract Delta plus. FUPM!