Switching between AAL and UAL: Any regrets?
03-20-2024, 10:00 AM
#11
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2005
Position: 18%er but I’ll enforce UPA23 to the last period.
Posts: 436
Originally Posted by elmetal
I'm a post merger hire and I hear about UAL/CAL EVERY single trip in one fashion or another. EVERY trip. (756)
I'm in a LUAL (IAD) base that is fairly close to a LCAL base for reference (EWR)
I'm in a LUAL (IAD) base that is fairly close to a LCAL base for reference (EWR)
03-20-2024, 02:16 PM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2023
Posts: 418
Originally Posted by VforVendetta
Now the main cultural difference between the 2. AA pilot body is made up of several different airlines which after being merged into AA now make up the pilot group at AA. Legacy AA, TWA, USAIR, AMERICA WEST, and some smaller less notable outfits plus the newbies hired in the last 5 years. They all hate each other with a passion, except the newbies. Due to various issues. Seniority integration being just one of them. Each airline historically hires a typical personality and type of person. All these different hire types being mixed makes a very disjointed group. None of these groups I mentioned likes any of the others. Ive never seen and heard so much negativity about the company and the other pilot groups which make up this merged AA pilot group. Strength comes from unity and at AA these different groups are not united. They can't stand each other. UA pilots get a better deal because of their strength in unity. AA pilots don't.
I also disagree with your point about unity. I think you can make an argument about disunity at AA. However, it's not because of different pilot groups, it's because of our demographics and APA. During negotiations, AA had the largest blend of pilots in the first five years of their careers and pilots in the last five. Pilots from those two groups are looking for very different things. That will change over the next few years as the record retirements continue and the next generation continues to join the pilot group.
APA really is the one that messed it all up. I won't go into all of that, but I think ALPA will show up here soon enough.
03-20-2024, 05:46 PM
#13
off weekends (if Reserve)
Joined APC: May 2023
Posts: 289
Originally Posted by Handwrite4024
I understand if you groan at the mention of UAL vs. AAL once again, but this time, I'm specifically reaching out to pilots who've transitioned between these two companies.
Originally Posted by Handwrite4024
Currently, I'm in the situation of recently having completed OE with AAL (my initial "Plan B") and facing an upcoming class date with my original "Plan A" company, United.
If it's the former I think you've really already answered your own question, if it's the latter you may as well be gambling.
03-20-2024, 06:38 PM
#14
New Hire
Joined APC: Mar 2024
Posts: 2
Anyone have input on UAL vs AAL at DCA? I prefer to live on the western side of VA, so Dulles is closer to where I want to live and I'll live in base. However, my understanding is that both airlines cover IAD, BWI, and DCA. I'm assuming I'll be on the 737 initially for both companies, but UAL has more widebody opportunities in the long run. Will lifestyle in the near term be basically the same? Thanks!
03-20-2024, 07:45 PM
#15
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Position: Gear slinger
Posts: 2,900
Originally Posted by jkbe400
Anyone have input on UAL vs AAL at DCA? I prefer to live on the western side of VA, so Dulles is closer to where I want to live and I'll live in base. However, my understanding is that both airlines cover IAD, BWI, and DCA. I'm assuming I'll be on the 737 initially for both companies, but UAL has more widebody opportunities in the long run. Will lifestyle in the near term be basically the same? Thanks!
03-21-2024, 08:11 AM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 471
Originally Posted by elmetal
I'm a post merger hire and I hear about UAL/CAL EVERY single trip in one fashion or another. EVERY trip. (756)
I'm in a LUAL (IAD) base that is fairly close to a LCAL base for reference (EWR)
I'm in a LUAL (IAD) base that is fairly close to a LCAL base for reference (EWR)
03-21-2024, 08:41 AM
#17
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2023
Posts: 418
Originally Posted by JurgenKlopp
Very few to no talk about this from post merger hires I fly with. Lately new guys don't know what a scab is and that is education I'm happy to give.
03-22-2024, 04:09 PM
#20
Line Holder
Joined APC: Apr 2021
Posts: 59
Originally Posted by VforVendetta
I made exactly this move a few months ago. From AA to UA. No regrets. I knew both companies intimately already and there were zero surprises for me.
I was at AA for 1 year and 10 days before moving to UA. Gave up 2000 seniority numbers to do it.
Grass is greener in some regards but not others. As you mentioned there's a lot going into the weeds about what different people find better ot not. Ill try to keep to what youve asked for.
Each airline has a distinct character and personality. Its own culture. Some think its all the same but it is not. Its just that some aren't observant enough to notice.
United is much more detail oriented compared to AA. The operation and procedures are more detailed and in some cases overthiniking which is adorable in its own way. AA is a much more loose operation. As one senior captain put it at AA "it's very loose goosy here, isn't it?". UA SOPs are more structured. Not as structured as I think they should be, but I have a feeling that's about to change for the better.
The reserve system is hands down better at AA. Same with commuting policy. UA loses talent on a regular basis due to this alone. But if you plan on living in base, it's not an issue besides the fact that unlike AA which has no defined reserve callout time, UA is 2.5 hrs. At AA one guy had 32 missed assignments siitting reserve in DEN for LAX, each time they called him he said he'll be there in many hours later. 10 hours, 12 hours etc. It took 32 missed assignments before he was called into the CP office for a chat. HR manager at indoc told us the story. UA will be fast to pull the trigger on you. Probably fired after 2 MA.
It is almost impossible to get fired at AA. UA is much quicker.
AA is mostly a domestic airline with some international flying sprinkled in. UA is a proper international airline.
At AA 320 fleet has much better flying than 737. It's the opposite at UA. However with change of plans and 320 fleet growing at UA as a result of boeing 737 debacle, that's going to change to some extent.
At AA it's 5 years to hold widebody right seat, at UA its a year or less. Was immediate in initial class until just a little while ago.
Now the main cultural difference between the 2. AA pilot body is made up of several different airlines which after being merged into AA now make up the pilot group at AA. Legacy AA, TWA, USAIR, AMERICA WEST, and some smaller less notable outfits plus the newbies hired in the last 5 years. They all hate each other with a passion, except the newbies. Due to various issues. Seniority integration being just one of them. Each airline historically hires a typical personality and type of person. All these different hire types being mixed makes a very disjointed group. None of these groups I mentioned likes any of the others. Ive never seen and heard so much negativity about the company and the other pilot groups which make up this merged AA pilot group. Strength comes from unity and at AA these different groups are not united. They can't stand each other. UA pilots get a better deal because of their strength in unity. AA pilots don't. This was on public display during the recent negotiations. AA pilots got what they got on the coattails of UA pilots. I'd rather be at the source than downstream.
If you travel internationally on a regular basis then it's a no brainer that UA will be better. Having higher priority on your own airline wether JS or in the back makes a big difference. I traveled internationally on AA a few times while I was there. It was much more complicated having to connect and to be at the bottom of some other airline id90 list restricted to the very last row of economy. With UA I have own airline direct flight options on which I can have a hope of biz class.
I'll be happy to answer any more questions. Don't hesitate to hit me up.
I was at AA for 1 year and 10 days before moving to UA. Gave up 2000 seniority numbers to do it.
Grass is greener in some regards but not others. As you mentioned there's a lot going into the weeds about what different people find better ot not. Ill try to keep to what youve asked for.
Each airline has a distinct character and personality. Its own culture. Some think its all the same but it is not. Its just that some aren't observant enough to notice.
United is much more detail oriented compared to AA. The operation and procedures are more detailed and in some cases overthiniking which is adorable in its own way. AA is a much more loose operation. As one senior captain put it at AA "it's very loose goosy here, isn't it?". UA SOPs are more structured. Not as structured as I think they should be, but I have a feeling that's about to change for the better.
The reserve system is hands down better at AA. Same with commuting policy. UA loses talent on a regular basis due to this alone. But if you plan on living in base, it's not an issue besides the fact that unlike AA which has no defined reserve callout time, UA is 2.5 hrs. At AA one guy had 32 missed assignments siitting reserve in DEN for LAX, each time they called him he said he'll be there in many hours later. 10 hours, 12 hours etc. It took 32 missed assignments before he was called into the CP office for a chat. HR manager at indoc told us the story. UA will be fast to pull the trigger on you. Probably fired after 2 MA.
It is almost impossible to get fired at AA. UA is much quicker.
AA is mostly a domestic airline with some international flying sprinkled in. UA is a proper international airline.
At AA 320 fleet has much better flying than 737. It's the opposite at UA. However with change of plans and 320 fleet growing at UA as a result of boeing 737 debacle, that's going to change to some extent.
At AA it's 5 years to hold widebody right seat, at UA its a year or less. Was immediate in initial class until just a little while ago.
Now the main cultural difference between the 2. AA pilot body is made up of several different airlines which after being merged into AA now make up the pilot group at AA. Legacy AA, TWA, USAIR, AMERICA WEST, and some smaller less notable outfits plus the newbies hired in the last 5 years. They all hate each other with a passion, except the newbies. Due to various issues. Seniority integration being just one of them. Each airline historically hires a typical personality and type of person. All these different hire types being mixed makes a very disjointed group. None of these groups I mentioned likes any of the others. Ive never seen and heard so much negativity about the company and the other pilot groups which make up this merged AA pilot group. Strength comes from unity and at AA these different groups are not united. They can't stand each other. UA pilots get a better deal because of their strength in unity. AA pilots don't. This was on public display during the recent negotiations. AA pilots got what they got on the coattails of UA pilots. I'd rather be at the source than downstream.
If you travel internationally on a regular basis then it's a no brainer that UA will be better. Having higher priority on your own airline wether JS or in the back makes a big difference. I traveled internationally on AA a few times while I was there. It was much more complicated having to connect and to be at the bottom of some other airline id90 list restricted to the very last row of economy. With UA I have own airline direct flight options on which I can have a hope of biz class.
I'll be happy to answer any more questions. Don't hesitate to hit me up.
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