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-   -   What Would You Do? (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/united/149755-what-would-you-do.html)

Anonymous2092 03-12-2025 04:54 AM

What Would You Do?
 
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?

TOGALOCK 03-12-2025 05:03 AM


Originally Posted by Anonymous2092 (Post 3891855)
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, 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?

Where do you live? Where do you want to live? Would you move to a UAL domicile or commute? What’s the commute like?

It’s all a very personal decision, but all things being equal I would say that your biggest risk is starting over at the bottom of a new seniority list (furlough fodder). However, No wife, no kids, and no mortgage really ease that hardship if it were to happen.

If it were me, I’d say go for it. Even the simple ability to change fleet type can make this seem like a whole new exciting job and airline every 5 or 10 years.

Put your app in. You may never even get a call to interview and the answer is decided for you, but you don’t win a game you never even tried to play.

Anonymous2092 03-12-2025 05:22 AM


Originally Posted by TOGALOCK (Post 3891863)
Where do you live? Where do you want to live? Would you move to a UAL domicile or commute? What’s the commute like?

It’s all a very personal decision, but all things being equal I would say that your biggest risk is starting over at the bottom of a new seniority list (furlough fodder). However, No wife, no kids, and no mortgage really ease that hardship if it were to happen.

If it were me, I’d say go for it. Even the simple ability to change fleet type can make this seem like a whole new exciting job and airline every 5 or 10 years.

Put your app in. You may never even get a call to interview and the answer is decided for you, but you don’t win a game you never even tried to play.

I live in Orlando, and I already have a class date offer. Wouldn’t mind commuting in the short term (less than 5 years). Also probably wouldn’t mind moving.

ugleeual 03-12-2025 05:24 AM


Originally Posted by Anonymous2092 (Post 3891877)
I live in Orlando, but I'm not as married to it as I thought I would be when I left Chicago. Wouldn't mind commuting for the right reason, and I have a class date offer already.

id stay… I think you would be stagnant as we (and the economy) are starting the cyclical downturn that happens every 10 years or so. We also hired a ton of young (than you) pilots over the last 5 years… thousands that won’t be moving either as the airline shrinks a bit.

AMC190 03-12-2025 05:53 AM


Originally Posted by Anonymous2092 (Post 3891855)
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?

Everything comes with a risk! I left b6 after 4 1/2 years in 21’ !
No regrets at all!
Won’t go into personal details! But I was scared and unsure too, coming out of covid times.

Clearedtocross 03-12-2025 06:35 AM


Originally Posted by Anonymous2092 (Post 3891855)
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?

It's difficult to judge someone else's decisions with the required detail and nuance required, but that said I would go for it. United is a really great place to work, is well run, and still has a blob of retirements looming that could help insulate you from a downturn. This is a company that will likely be around for a while. The biggest reason of all though, is that I've seen some who didn't make the jump when it was presented and really regretted it.

zerozero 03-12-2025 06:47 AM

With four years of seniority, 1200 below you at your age I WOULD STAY AT JB for now and re-evualate career life goals closer to when you're 40 years old.

At 40, you can still have a solid 25 year career whatever you decide to do.

You have done well at your age to get where you are. Historically, the average age of a legacy new hire was closer to 40. The last few years have been exceptional, not the norm.

At your age, you can still afford to make a mistake and recover by age 40 to have a full career. If staying at JB turns out to be a mistake, so be it and move on. But I think the next year or two might be kind of uncertain in the airlines and in times like that it is usually best to ride the horse on you're on rather than taking a risk.

ThumbsUp 03-12-2025 06:52 AM


Originally Posted by zerozero (Post 3891926)
With four years of seniority, 1200 below you at your age I WOULD STAY AT JB for now and re-evualate career life goals closer to when you're 40 years old.

At 40, you can still have a solid 25 year career whatever you decide to do.

You have done well at your age to get where you are. Historically, the average age of a legacy new hire was closer to 40. The last few years have been exceptional, not the norm.

At your age, you can still afford to make a mistake and recover by age 40 to have a full career. If staying at JB turns out to be a mistake, so be it and move on. But I think the next year or two might be kind of uncertain in the airlines and in times like that it is usually best to ride the horse on you're on rather than taking a risk.

Yeah… don’t stay or go for this reason.

VacancyBid 03-12-2025 08:30 AM


Originally Posted by Anonymous2092 (Post 3891855)
- 32
- no kids
- no wife
- no debt
- no mortgage
- ?

Setting aside personal preference considerations, that’s an easy answer, go. You can afford a bump in the road and any reasonable estimation of a career at United versus JetBlue has less downside risk, and more Upside potential for United.

even if a big 3 buys jet blue you are unlikely to have some huge seniority windfall

Yes, it’s possible you could be furloughed briefly.
It is highly unlikely the nasty stuff from the lost decade repeats. The industry was undergoing a lot of structural changes that are now done and can’t be repeated. There are a lot retirements coming up over the next decade.

take the class

iahflyr 03-12-2025 08:32 AM

The most important thing to consider is where you want to live and where you would be based.

MCO is not a hub for United. It is only a 737 base that recently opened. It won’t ever be a wide body base. It could close at any time (United has closed SEA, HNL, and MIA pilot bases in recent memory). Plus it’s unlikely you’ll get MCO based initially, so you’ll have to commute for a period of time regardless.

I personally would not come to UAL unless you are comfortable with committing to IAH or IAD for the rest of your career. Otherwise I would stay at JB.


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