Airline Pilot Central Forums - UAL vs DAL vs AA

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Quote:

Originally Posted by AR1978 (Post 3730239)

So the exact words that have been said to me by Captains at the ULCC I am at is that "United hires deep and then furloaghs deep". However I just want to fact check that on here with the experts.

Is the consensus on here that is out of date information that does not apply to the current situation at United with the hiring and aircraft purchases? I live in Chicago and would love to come here, it just makes me a bit nervous so that is why I'm asking.

Do you think that at the end of your career that you would say to yourself "Gee....I'm glad I didn't reach for the top rung and kept working for Walmart Airlines all this time". I bounced from the left seat with much trepidation but am very glad I did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuck D (Post 3730275)

There are no sure things. United mgmt and our union made specific successful efforts to avoid furloughts during Covid. Not every airline can say that. Present management has been vocal about wanting to make all efforts to avoid furlough in the future as they acknowledge it clearly affects employee goodwill. That statement is probably worth what you paid to post here - they also fully acknowledge that any major black swan is an all bets are off scenario but they look to those as opportunities to bounce back hard. We are also clearly trimming regional lift while buying boatloads of planes.

It sucks to jump to the bottom of a seniority list. But to me there are high risk moves and low risk moves and the jump to the big 3 and a few others seems like a pretty reasonable risk. I have a good friend at a regional who has shied away from making this jump for the past 10+ years due to risk aversion. Now he is actively thinking of applying again. That's 8-10k pilots ahead at every major in that timeframe. They're all good moves. Really they still are even for someone who waited that long. FWIW at UAL we hit I think 2500 newhires this year and we have a massive new training building going up with I think a dozen more sims coming online next year. I don't think that was a billion dollar plus vanity project.

Thanks Chuck for the information. Can anyone elaborate on the Airbus orders and which West Coast bases are Airbus. I assume DEN, LAX, SFO correct? Any chance of Captain on the bus out of INDOC like the 73? Thanks guys for all your help. It's a big decision for some of us starting at the bottom of the list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilot124 (Post 3730360)

every base has Airbus, except Orlando, Vegas, and Guam, which are 737-only. I have no idea what the overall plan is for Airbus orders, but I think Chicago is first for the 321.

there aren’t any unfilled bus captain positions, so you won’t see them in indoc. Newark had like 80 unfilled 737 CA last vacancy, though, so I’d expect to keep seeing that one, along with probably SFO and DEN.

Just hold your nose and dive into the 737 pool. It's a ridiculous plane in many ways but it gets the job done and we've hitched our wagon to it, so all things will move more quickly on it. It's not that bad really, kinda fun to master and the Maxes have an additional coffee holder in a reasonable place that doesn't hide next to the trim wheel and your knee, which is probably as big an improvement as the new radar.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AR1978 (Post 3730239)

So the exact words that have been said to me by Captains at the ULCC I am at is that "United hires deep and then furloaghs deep"

There was a lot of truth to that statement up through our CEO named Jeff. Things are very different under current management. Kirby has his downsides, but the guy knows his business and has made some brilliant moves that are probably going to slingshot us ahead of AA and DAL in most respects... because we ordered aircraft in bulk at the bottom of the trough. Meanwhile, AA/DAL will be waiting towards the back of the line for aircraft they probably had to pay more $$$ for. If you really want to be here, you need to get your app in yesterday to build some seniority/security.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JTwift (Post 3730376)

Actually the last vacancy bid had unfilled A320 Cap positions in DEN, EWR and ORD!

Now to date they have not been offered to a new hire class, but the company has 92 days from the vacancy award to do that so they could be offered in any class before Feb 22nd.

As far as 321 NEO orders go, we are suppossed to have 43 of them by the end of 2024. Whether Airbus will be able to actually deliver them that quickly we will see. Only 2 have arrived thus far and we were originally suppossed to have received 16 (of the 43 listed above) this year. Don't think we are getting 14 this month, so Airbus is obviously behind on the schedule. (I think we have something like 130 firm orders for NEOs)

And then 50+ 321 XLRs starting in 2025. The certrification process seems to progressing finally on that, but still not done, so we will see when those deliveries start coming. The XLR is planned as a 757-200 replacment