What Would You Do?
03-12-2025 | 02:58 PM
#21
Don't Get Weekends Off
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 204
Likes: 0
From: Part 121
You’re 32 now - when you’re 55 in 23 years it’s most likely going to be single pilot, or they’ll open up the sky’s and Aeromexico will be flying domestic flights because they can’t pay pilots 2
million $ a year. I wouldn’t enter this profession or suggest it to someone about to graduate high-school.
million $ a year. I wouldn’t enter this profession or suggest it to someone about to graduate high-school.
03-12-2025 | 03:18 PM
#22
Line Holder
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,865
Likes: 179
Yet another "Stay or Leave" post.
I've been at B6 for coming up on 4 years now, based in MCO. I came here because I wanted to live in FL, and I didn't want to be furloughed. I'd been holding out on leaving because of fears of a furlough back when everyone in my class left. Now it's been years, and all my classmates that went to legacies are having a ball while we've been struggling to grow. I was feeling, a bit optimistic back when I thought we might gain Spirit's route network, but now that thats all fallen through and with all the downgrades coming, I just feel like I sold myself short. Now don't get me wrong, B6 has been good to me, but I'd be lying if I said I really look forward to the next 30+ years at this moment in time. Now with an april class date offer from UAL, I'm stuck wondering if the possibility of a furlough in the near future is worth the risk. The economy isn't looking great right now, and hiring is starting to slow down. I've got good senioriy at B6 with 1,200 below me, but I'm not sure if thats saying much when I fly with 12+ year captains on reserve.
Things worth noting:
- 32
- no kids
- no wife
- no debt
- no mortgage
- widebody flying seems cool, but isn't a main driver
- don't mind commuting for now if I know it'll be worth the long-term gain
All things being equal, I feel relatively good about JetBlue's future, but thats only because I think we will be bought in the next 2-4 years. Is it worth staying to find out? WWYD?
I've been at B6 for coming up on 4 years now, based in MCO. I came here because I wanted to live in FL, and I didn't want to be furloughed. I'd been holding out on leaving because of fears of a furlough back when everyone in my class left. Now it's been years, and all my classmates that went to legacies are having a ball while we've been struggling to grow. I was feeling, a bit optimistic back when I thought we might gain Spirit's route network, but now that thats all fallen through and with all the downgrades coming, I just feel like I sold myself short. Now don't get me wrong, B6 has been good to me, but I'd be lying if I said I really look forward to the next 30+ years at this moment in time. Now with an april class date offer from UAL, I'm stuck wondering if the possibility of a furlough in the near future is worth the risk. The economy isn't looking great right now, and hiring is starting to slow down. I've got good senioriy at B6 with 1,200 below me, but I'm not sure if thats saying much when I fly with 12+ year captains on reserve.
Things worth noting:
- 32
- no kids
- no wife
- no debt
- no mortgage
- widebody flying seems cool, but isn't a main driver
- don't mind commuting for now if I know it'll be worth the long-term gain
All things being equal, I feel relatively good about JetBlue's future, but thats only because I think we will be bought in the next 2-4 years. Is it worth staying to find out? WWYD?
03-12-2025 | 03:24 PM
#23
SrFOorJrCAisthe?
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 1,625
Likes: 259
If living in FL is high importance for you than stay at JB and apply to AA and get to MIA.
If not, sprint to UA. You're 32 with nothing rooting you anywhere from your given factors. Yes risk is inherent everywhere. But stay at B6 and be "safe" but stagnant or have lots of options of at United and make more $$$ regardless in the long run. I'd venture to say if UA is furloughing, you'd be furloughed at B6 as well. Me, I'd rather be furloughed, mid-thirties on UA's list than B6's with Ichan's nose in the tent and financial uncertainty going on. Good luck!
If not, sprint to UA. You're 32 with nothing rooting you anywhere from your given factors. Yes risk is inherent everywhere. But stay at B6 and be "safe" but stagnant or have lots of options of at United and make more $$$ regardless in the long run. I'd venture to say if UA is furloughing, you'd be furloughed at B6 as well. Me, I'd rather be furloughed, mid-thirties on UA's list than B6's with Ichan's nose in the tent and financial uncertainty going on. Good luck!
03-12-2025 | 03:44 PM
#24
Line Holder
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 353
If living in FL is high importance for you than stay at JB and apply to AA and get to MIA.
If not, sprint to UA. You're 32 with nothing rooting you anywhere from your given factors. Yes risk is inherent everywhere. But stay at B6 and be "safe" but stagnant or have lots of options of at United and make more $$$ regardless in the long run. I'd venture to say if UA is furloughing, you'd be furloughed at B6 as well. Me, I'd rather be furloughed, mid-thirties on UA's list than B6's with Ichan's nose in the tent and financial uncertainty going on. Good luck!
If not, sprint to UA. You're 32 with nothing rooting you anywhere from your given factors. Yes risk is inherent everywhere. But stay at B6 and be "safe" but stagnant or have lots of options of at United and make more $$$ regardless in the long run. I'd venture to say if UA is furloughing, you'd be furloughed at B6 as well. Me, I'd rather be furloughed, mid-thirties on UA's list than B6's with Ichan's nose in the tent and financial uncertainty going on. Good luck!
03-12-2025 | 03:47 PM
#25
On Reserve
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 60
Likes: 1
From: Sitting on my couch
Ill add my $0.02....
Without any responsibilities I'd be chomping at the bit to take that class date with UAL.
Yes their is uncertainity right now and its scary but your still so young and should retire within the top 1500ish. Thats good enough to be a WB CA in your base of choice.
Best of luck and let us know
Without any responsibilities I'd be chomping at the bit to take that class date with UAL.
Yes their is uncertainity right now and its scary but your still so young and should retire within the top 1500ish. Thats good enough to be a WB CA in your base of choice.
Best of luck and let us know
03-12-2025 | 04:00 PM
#26
Line Holder
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 1,571
Likes: 353
Yet another "Stay or Leave" post.
I've been at B6 for coming up on 4 years now, based in MCO. I came here because I wanted to live in FL, and I didn't want to be furloughed. I'd been holding out on leaving because of fears of a furlough back when everyone in my class left. Now it's been years, and all my classmates that went to legacies are having a ball while we've been struggling to grow. I was feeling, a bit optimistic back when I thought we might gain Spirit's route network, but now that thats all fallen through and with all the downgrades coming, I just feel like I sold myself short. Now don't get me wrong, B6 has been good to me, but I'd be lying if I said I really look forward to the next 30+ years at this moment in time. Now with an april class date offer from UAL, I'm stuck wondering if the possibility of a furlough in the near future is worth the risk. The economy isn't looking great right now, and hiring is starting to slow down. I've got good senioriy at B6 with 1,200 below me, but I'm not sure if thats saying much when I fly with 12+ year captains on reserve.
Things worth noting:
- 32
- no kids
- no wife
- no debt
- no mortgage
- widebody flying seems cool, but isn't a main driver
- don't mind commuting for now if I know it'll be worth the long-term gain
All things being equal, I feel relatively good about JetBlue's future, but thats only because I think we will be bought in the next 2-4 years. Is it worth staying to find out? WWYD?
I've been at B6 for coming up on 4 years now, based in MCO. I came here because I wanted to live in FL, and I didn't want to be furloughed. I'd been holding out on leaving because of fears of a furlough back when everyone in my class left. Now it's been years, and all my classmates that went to legacies are having a ball while we've been struggling to grow. I was feeling, a bit optimistic back when I thought we might gain Spirit's route network, but now that thats all fallen through and with all the downgrades coming, I just feel like I sold myself short. Now don't get me wrong, B6 has been good to me, but I'd be lying if I said I really look forward to the next 30+ years at this moment in time. Now with an april class date offer from UAL, I'm stuck wondering if the possibility of a furlough in the near future is worth the risk. The economy isn't looking great right now, and hiring is starting to slow down. I've got good senioriy at B6 with 1,200 below me, but I'm not sure if thats saying much when I fly with 12+ year captains on reserve.
Things worth noting:
- 32
- no kids
- no wife
- no debt
- no mortgage
- widebody flying seems cool, but isn't a main driver
- don't mind commuting for now if I know it'll be worth the long-term gain
All things being equal, I feel relatively good about JetBlue's future, but thats only because I think we will be bought in the next 2-4 years. Is it worth staying to find out? WWYD?
There is risk in leaving as well as risk in staying.
There is more of a furlough risk at an LCC right now than United. Just look at Spirit. Is Jetblue even hiring right now? A downturn will affect all airlines. The only potential hiring at Jetblue now is because pilots like yourself are leaving.
United has had 2 furloughs in the last 45 years. One was 9/11 and the other was the GFC. Even Covid didn't cause a furlough. With retirements growing evey year and staying over 500 for a decade as well as 700 planes on delivery there is an extremely low chance of a furlough. Even the 21 airplanes being announced to be parked early are being replaced by 65 new planes being delivered in 2025. I have not flown with one former JB/NK/F9 etc pilot that has said they regret coming to United. My last FO (late 30s) left Southwest to come to United and he said it was by far the best move.
JB has zero 320s being delivered in 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029. The only reason they will hire is to replace the people leaving for other airlines.
I hope that if you decide to stay you let United know so they can put someone else in that class that wants to be here.
If you are ambivolent stay at Jetblue and let someone that really wants to be here have the job.
03-12-2025 | 04:26 PM
#27
Line Holder
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 1,226
Likes: 29
From: baller, shot caller
Full disclaimer: I don't work for either company.
I would take the class date at UAL and move to a real city that has a better young professional scene. Orlando sucks for a single man your age (been there, done that, and it was kinda lame).
Secondly, don't wait around for a potential merger announcement. Even if it does happen, there's a solid chance that B6 managment completely flubs it up just like they did with NK.
You don't want to waste years of seniority movement elsewhere while some coward like Robin Hayes fakes a health condition to avoid being accountable for why he's so bad at running an airline.
I would take the class date at UAL and move to a real city that has a better young professional scene. Orlando sucks for a single man your age (been there, done that, and it was kinda lame).
Secondly, don't wait around for a potential merger announcement. Even if it does happen, there's a solid chance that B6 managment completely flubs it up just like they did with NK.
You don't want to waste years of seniority movement elsewhere while some coward like Robin Hayes fakes a health condition to avoid being accountable for why he's so bad at running an airline.
03-12-2025 | 05:00 PM
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 3,191
Likes: 161
This!!
But, iahflyer said with good reason that MCO will never be a widebody base. However, it strongly appears that we will be moving over to Terminal C next year (and JB is leaving. Source was a plannng doc posted by the MCO airport authority showing terminal C airline revenue streams next year - JB was zeroed out and UAL was in its place.). Maybe the move will never happen. But if it does, the pieces will be in place for UAL to fly significantly more widebodies into MCO and all that might entail (my understanding is we currently only have one WB capable gate in MCO). We already have a big maintenance base in MCO, so expanding flying should be easy with more capable gates. I'm saying there's a chance, maybe one in a million (ok, better than that but you get the joke).
Perfectly understandable to stay where you are. But, if you do you will always wonder what might have been. If you are okay with possibly moving to a UAL hub or commuting, plus being exposed for a few years to possible stagnation and/or furlough - I say make the leap.
But, iahflyer said with good reason that MCO will never be a widebody base. However, it strongly appears that we will be moving over to Terminal C next year (and JB is leaving. Source was a plannng doc posted by the MCO airport authority showing terminal C airline revenue streams next year - JB was zeroed out and UAL was in its place.). Maybe the move will never happen. But if it does, the pieces will be in place for UAL to fly significantly more widebodies into MCO and all that might entail (my understanding is we currently only have one WB capable gate in MCO). We already have a big maintenance base in MCO, so expanding flying should be easy with more capable gates. I'm saying there's a chance, maybe one in a million (ok, better than that but you get the joke).
Perfectly understandable to stay where you are. But, if you do you will always wonder what might have been. If you are okay with possibly moving to a UAL hub or commuting, plus being exposed for a few years to possible stagnation and/or furlough - I say make the leap.
https://flymco.com/media/press-releases/item/new-lease-agreement-with-united-airlines-brings-valued-aeronautical-development-to-region/
Besides probably moving over to Term C, this was announced back in October. I believe MCO is primed for WB flying (not necessarily a hub, but who knows). United is investing in MCO and won’t be going anywhere.
I would say to take the jump. It’s a total night and day difference from the LCC/ULCCs. Competent management, good people and a solid contract makes this place an awesome place to work at.
I know the rule is to not trust CEOs, especially airline CEOs, but Kirby reaffirmed that he doesn’t plan on furloughing anyone and in fact, wants to to continue to hire more people through the slow down. This is a tune he’s been humming since before I should up on property. Whether he sticks to his word or not, is yet to be seen, BUT he’s the only saying this publicly (which is pretty bold). So take that for what it’s worth.
Hope some of this stuff helps!
03-12-2025 | 05:13 PM
#29
line slug
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 360
Likes: 7
From: B787 Captain
