Leave DL for UA?
10-24-2024 | 06:31 PM
#61
On Reserve
Joined: Mar 2023
Posts: 153
Likes: 19
From: Neutral
Boom is set to break M1.0 later this year, and then the jet goes to Udvar Hazy and they have to develop the “actual aircraft.” I can tell you Boom will be closer to 2036 than 2026. Ask me how I know. Sorry for the off subject post; good luck on your decision. Everybody’s different.
10-24-2024 | 07:36 PM
#62
off weekends (if Reserve)
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 97
Boom is set to break M1.0 later this year, and then the jet goes to Udvar Hazy and they have to develop the “actual aircraft.” I can tell you Boom will be closer to 2036 than 2026. Ask me how I know. Sorry for the off subject post; good luck on your decision. Everybody’s different.
10-25-2024 | 10:17 AM
#65
Line Holder
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 429
Likes: 9
From: B767
My advice is as good as what you paid for it:
One thing I have seen over the last 20 years of flying at charter companies, private 91 jets, regional airlines and now at major airlines is planned aircraft deliveries are mostly just empty promises. I wouldn't leave living in base with more than 10% of the pilot group behind me for promises of new airplanes and growth at another airline. These promises can vanish overnight.
I think you need to keep in mind how bad things can get. This is going to make me sound so old but when I was your age I had to walk my resume into multiple flight schools to get them to hire me as a flight instructor. None of the majors were hiring. The job market was ugly. You have to keep in mind that things will get that bad again. Would you rather be in your safe position now and ride out the storm comfortably holding a line and living in base? Or on the street hoping to get your job back at the airline that just cancelled all the aircraft orders you were so excited about?
We are in the "winners curse" phase of the economic cycle. Everything is awesome. This won't last forever. It may be 2-3 years but things will change. Your move would mean maximum risk to your career and your earnings. Put away the max into your 401K, your ROTH IRA and you HSA. I promise you this money will absolutely be life changing in 30 years when you are 56. Think of what happens if you leave Delta and move to UA and are furloughed for this time. You lose out on so much retirement potential. Not to mention day to day pain of unemployment. Are you willing to risk all that? For what? Everyone is different and it is your choice to make but to me leaving a job at Delta for growth at another major seems like a massive risk for very little reward.
One thing I have seen over the last 20 years of flying at charter companies, private 91 jets, regional airlines and now at major airlines is planned aircraft deliveries are mostly just empty promises. I wouldn't leave living in base with more than 10% of the pilot group behind me for promises of new airplanes and growth at another airline. These promises can vanish overnight.
I think you need to keep in mind how bad things can get. This is going to make me sound so old but when I was your age I had to walk my resume into multiple flight schools to get them to hire me as a flight instructor. None of the majors were hiring. The job market was ugly. You have to keep in mind that things will get that bad again. Would you rather be in your safe position now and ride out the storm comfortably holding a line and living in base? Or on the street hoping to get your job back at the airline that just cancelled all the aircraft orders you were so excited about?
We are in the "winners curse" phase of the economic cycle. Everything is awesome. This won't last forever. It may be 2-3 years but things will change. Your move would mean maximum risk to your career and your earnings. Put away the max into your 401K, your ROTH IRA and you HSA. I promise you this money will absolutely be life changing in 30 years when you are 56. Think of what happens if you leave Delta and move to UA and are furloughed for this time. You lose out on so much retirement potential. Not to mention day to day pain of unemployment. Are you willing to risk all that? For what? Everyone is different and it is your choice to make but to me leaving a job at Delta for growth at another major seems like a massive risk for very little reward.
Fantastic advise.....the older you get the less room for gambling there is. At 26 at Delta OP won the lottery.
The economic outlook and cyclical nature of airline economics is the reason I didn't leave UPS for United one year ago, and at that time I had 4 years of seniority or 73%. I'm 35 now so a lot less room to gamble, I am of the few on this side of the fence that actually enjoyed flying people.
10-25-2024 | 10:26 AM
#66
Line Holder
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 741
Likes: 39
\
Fantastic advise.....the older you get the less room for gambling there is. At 26 at Delta OP won the lottery.
The economic outlook and cyclical nature of airline economics is the reason I didn't leave UPS for United one year ago, and at that time I had 4 years of seniority or 73%. I'm 35 now so a lot less room to gamble, I am of the few on this side of the fence that actually enjoyed flying people.
Fantastic advise.....the older you get the less room for gambling there is. At 26 at Delta OP won the lottery.
The economic outlook and cyclical nature of airline economics is the reason I didn't leave UPS for United one year ago, and at that time I had 4 years of seniority or 73%. I'm 35 now so a lot less room to gamble, I am of the few on this side of the fence that actually enjoyed flying people.
10-25-2024 | 05:01 PM
#67
On Reserve
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
I’m in a very similar boat. Year 3 at SWA and just coming back from mil leave. Have a CJO with United and waiting, but it seems like I won’t get in until 6-8 months from now. Sitting now at 45% in MCO. Originally from IND and all my family is there. I’m planning on moving back to IND for family. Currently, my Commute to MCO (tons of direct flights/mil unit is in FL) is easier than MDW for me (no direct flights, but 3hr drive).
If I go to United I could have both ORD/MCO options. ORD works a lot better from IND than MDW. I turn 30 next week. At this point I feel like the best thing is to enjoy SWA in the meantime and whenever United gets back to me I can make a decision then…any advice? I still have the itch to fly WBs but I know I’m taking a seniority hit, but then I look and see I have 35 yrs left and I feel like I’ll be fine if I switch, plus having ORD in my backyard makes it very doable. Thoughts?
If I go to United I could have both ORD/MCO options. ORD works a lot better from IND than MDW. I turn 30 next week. At this point I feel like the best thing is to enjoy SWA in the meantime and whenever United gets back to me I can make a decision then…any advice? I still have the itch to fly WBs but I know I’m taking a seniority hit, but then I look and see I have 35 yrs left and I feel like I’ll be fine if I switch, plus having ORD in my backyard makes it very doable. Thoughts?
The only thing that has kept me from leaving this long is the possibility of furloughs, otherwise I really like the possibility of wide-boddies in the future. Not to mention the earlier upgrade at a larger company with more variety in the narrow body flying (not just up and down the east coast with a bunch of carrib overnights). I know I missed the boat and should've left 2 years ago, but hindsight is always 20/20. If I stay, I know I'll be in an ok spot if only for the seniority, but I've been losing sleep (not literally) over the decision for a while. B6 has been great to me so far, but with our stagnation/shrinkage, I feel like our lack of ability to acquire another airline just means slow growth for the rest of my career while all my peers move up by the thousands year after year.
10-25-2024 | 06:12 PM
#68
Line Holder
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 406
Likes: 5
From: A320 FO
Not sure if it would have been better to just start my own thread, but I'm somewhat in the same boat. 32 no kids, not married, debt free. Haven't gotten the CJO yet, but I should know by Monday night if I got the Job or not. I'm currently at B6 MCO based 50% in base with 1200 below me company-wide.
The only thing that has kept me from leaving this long is the possibility of furloughs, otherwise I really like the possibility of wide-boddies in the future. Not to mention the earlier upgrade at a larger company with more variety in the narrow body flying (not just up and down the east coast with a bunch of carrib overnights). I know I missed the boat and should've left 2 years ago, but hindsight is always 20/20. If I stay, I know I'll be in an ok spot if only for the seniority, but I've been losing sleep (not literally) over the decision for a while. B6 has been great to me so far, but with our stagnation/shrinkage, I feel like our lack of ability to acquire another airline just means slow growth for the rest of my career while all my peers move up by the thousands year after year.
The only thing that has kept me from leaving this long is the possibility of furloughs, otherwise I really like the possibility of wide-boddies in the future. Not to mention the earlier upgrade at a larger company with more variety in the narrow body flying (not just up and down the east coast with a bunch of carrib overnights). I know I missed the boat and should've left 2 years ago, but hindsight is always 20/20. If I stay, I know I'll be in an ok spot if only for the seniority, but I've been losing sleep (not literally) over the decision for a while. B6 has been great to me so far, but with our stagnation/shrinkage, I feel like our lack of ability to acquire another airline just means slow growth for the rest of my career while all my peers move up by the thousands year after year.
I left JetBlue in 2013. I had been there 6 years and was captain. I remember a lot of people telling me I was going to get furloughed if I left and United was going bankrupt anyway in a few years and the new contract United just got would be wiped out. I never really looked back. Leaving JetBlue (an airline that lost it way and waisted the last 6 years once the virgin America merger didn’t happen) is a lot different then leaving Delta or even southwest who is turning a profit and making changes that will target JetBlue passengers. I think it would be a much wiser move to leave then stay. You will eventually get back to Orlando if you want to but in the meantime you can go play on the different fleets at United for a few years.
good luck with your decision. I spent a fair amount of time considering the options when I was leaving but once I decided I didn’t look back.
10-26-2024 | 08:34 AM
#69
Line Holder
Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,616
Likes: 180
From: B747 FO
Yet another similar situation!. 42 yo, 1.5 years at AA, 1900 pilots junior to me. I moved out of Denver to an AA base and I miss living there A LOT.
Airbus driver right now, flew 737 in the past, not a big fan but wouldn’t mind too much if I could live in Denver.
Would I be too crazy to even try going to UA?. We haven’t hired in a while, classes start again in January so some movement coming.
No kids, no wife, and I miss flying WB, but I understand DEN WB is extremely senior, probably like DFW WB for us.
Thoughts?
Airbus driver right now, flew 737 in the past, not a big fan but wouldn’t mind too much if I could live in Denver.
Would I be too crazy to even try going to UA?. We haven’t hired in a while, classes start again in January so some movement coming.
No kids, no wife, and I miss flying WB, but I understand DEN WB is extremely senior, probably like DFW WB for us.
Thoughts?
10-26-2024 | 08:53 AM
#70
off weekends (if Reserve)
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 1,160
Likes: 97
Yet another similar situation!. 42 yo, 1.5 years at AA, 1900 pilots junior to me. I moved out of Denver to an AA base and I miss living there A LOT.
Airbus driver right now, flew 737 in the past, not a big fan but wouldn’t mind too much if I could live in Denver.
Would I be too crazy to even try going to UA?. We haven’t hired in a while, classes start again in January so some movement coming.
No kids, no wife, and I miss flying WB, but I understand DEN WB is extremely senior, probably like DFW WB for us.
Thoughts?
Airbus driver right now, flew 737 in the past, not a big fan but wouldn’t mind too much if I could live in Denver.
Would I be too crazy to even try going to UA?. We haven’t hired in a while, classes start again in January so some movement coming.
No kids, no wife, and I miss flying WB, but I understand DEN WB is extremely senior, probably like DFW WB for us.
Thoughts?
At 42...which is how old I am....you likely know what area works best for you and those around you. Narrow body DEN is not senior at all.
I cannot and will not speak for the Seven Hundred Thirty Seven but for da bus: if you are flying a widebody at AA, it's going to be VERY Sobering comparatively.
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