Leave AA for Fedex?

[Soku39]

If automated aircraft ever come to fruition I don't think the cargo carriers will be the only places affected. I'm much more worried about the general future for US airlines and the horrible management team at AA. The only thing Parker seems to be worried about is outsourcing and making the stock price higher.

Dude, we're getting new uniforms. Don't worry about it.

 

[Trip7]

You do remember being a regional copilot, right?

I'm stoked to have the chance to do something different, in a new place, making more money. There are a LOT of reasons why I'm exceedingly happy to try my hand at being a CRJ Captain. Without airing too much in the way of the details of my life, this couldn't have happened at a better time.

Edit: The fact that it'll be largely Southernjets Innanashunul-Connection flying, even to such exotic locales as Bemi...however you spell/say that...is also welcome.

Congrats! Hopefully you get the SJI call soon. IMO there will be a generous uptick in Civilian hiring due to MLOA issues putting serious staffing pressure on the narrowbody operation, especially in NYC.

SJI has been hiring 50/50. I see them moving towards United like 70% civ 30% mil.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Congrats! Hopefully you get the SJI call soon. IMO there will be a generous uptick in Civilian hiring due to MLOA issues putting serious staffing pressure on the narrowbody operation, especially in NYC.

SJI has been hiring 50/50. I see them moving towards United like 70% civ 30% mil.

Excellent. Thanks. I know I have been scored this year, so we'll see.

 

[ian]

Congrats! Hopefully you get the SJI call soon. IMO there will be a generous uptick in Civilian hiring due to MLOA issues putting serious staffing pressure on the narrowbody operation, especially in NYC.

SJI has been hiring 50/50. I see them moving towards United like 70% civ 30% mil.

Don't see it the same way at all. Staffing issues fall on the company...not the pilots no matter if they are in the guard/reserve or not.

 

[Seggy]

SJI has been hiring 50/50. I see them moving towards United like 70% civ 30% mil.

Those UAL numbers are wrong.

 

[Dan208B]

Those UAL numbers are wrong.

Not sure what the true average is, but my UAL class was 85% MIL and the classes directly before and after me were similar. We heard that wasn't always the case though.

 

[Trip7]

Those UAL numbers are wrong.

My apologies then was misled by ALPA mag

 

[Seggy]

My apologies then was misled by ALPA mag

Those are old.

 

[Trip7]

Those are old.

Gotcha. What are the current stats? 50/50?

 

[EastBay]

Christ Seggy throw the guy a bone.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Don't see it the same way at all. Staffing issues fall on the company...not the pilots no matter if they are in the guard/reserve or not.

I like this, but not because of applicability to SJI, but to us.

 

[flyeagle111]

Those are old.

Did the numbers change that much from a few months ago?

 

[ASpilot2be]

Not sure what the true average is, but my UAL class was 85% MIL and the classes directly before and after me were similar. We heard that wasn't always the case though.

You over at United now?

 

[OneNineHundy]

What's that @Seggy guys issue? So much negativity!

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

So I've been at AA for 3 years this summer. 30 years old and single with no kids. Got an interview invite at fedex and I'm trying to decide if I want to go. I know I don't have a choice to make until I get an offer but it's going to be a lot of studying for the interview so I don't want to waste my time. So here goes

Reasons to stay at AA
-I have over 500 junior to me on the airways side, I think close to 1500 if you add in the American side
-will retire #5

Reasons to leave
-I'm 3 numbers junior to @L-16B
-NAI and flag of convenience airlines. I know they're not a huge deal now but could become a major issue, or maybe not
-along the same lines of NAI I highly doubt we can protect cabotage for the next 35 years. Globalization is a very strong force and all people care about are prices
-ME3 threat
-horrible customer service. It's embarrassing and makes me cringe watching how our employees treat our customers
-horrible contract and work rules. I mean horrible. 11 hour 3 days. Absolutely pathetic.
-no way to make extra money. We are capped at 85, 90 or 95 hours each month. Only way to go over is get a premium trip which. I've flown 3 in 3 years.

Fedex pros:
-good contract and pay rates with opportunity to credit more than your line value
-established business model
-commuter friendly (I have no plans of moving and no airline has a base where I live)
-junior 757 captain was hired July 15
-never went through bankruptcy and work rules show it. 6 hour credit per vacation day, 150% for flying on days off
-tons of widebodies. More opportunity to sit in the highest paying seats compared to the legacies
-don't have to deal with flight attendants or pax

Fedex cons:
-night flying. No getting around that. But we have plenty of red eyes at AA. Not to mention all the Europe/SA/ Asia trips fly through the night. If you want to fly widebodies you're going to be flying at night no matter where you work
-no 117
-may be first to reduce required crew members on longhaul flights. But I'd guess the pax airlines would be right behind
-3D printers if they ever catch on, shipping via rail/cargo ships, belly freight on ME3

My main concern wth staying at AA is Parker seems content to have the max number of RJs while reducing mainline as much as possible. Couple that with flag of convenience airlines, chipping away at cabotage, the ME3 and ULCC airlines dumping capacity everywhere I don't see a rosy future for US legacies. I wouldn't be surprised if AA, UA and DAL slowly shrink by furloughing from the top in the near future. We just can't compete in the global marketplace and I think that's a fact. Everyone loves to hate US airlines no matter if it's justified or not.

Fedex seems to have a pretty solid future and I would probably make more money there over my career (I'm a credit ). I just don't want to be that guy who left FedEx for United in 2000, or SWA for USAir in 99. This industry is ridiculous. I should have gone to med school.

So you were 27 when hired at US Airways, will retire #5 at the new American, 30 yrs old today, no wife and no kids? Did I get all that right? If you're seriously thinking about leaving, see a psychiatrist man!

 

[L-16B]

So you were 27 when hired at US Airways, will retire #5 at the new American, 30 yrs old today, no wife and no kids? Did I get all that right? If you're seriously thinking about leaving, see a psychiatrist man!

There were at least 6 or 7 of us in our 20s in his class.

He's also got a hot gf he needs to send more pics of to me.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

There were at least 6 or 7 of us in our 20s in his class.

He's also got a hot gf he needs to send more pics of to me.

Oh I believe it. I was 27 too when I applied to that particular US Airways window. Never heard anything though, only VX called. I was 27 when I started there and scheduled to be #3 here before the Alaska merger. Even with the Alaska though, they don't hire too many guys in their 20s. I should be in the top 5 I would think. Not that it matters much.

Honestly if Fedex had a EWR base I'd probably through in an app. I jumpseated DTW-EWR on Fedex and that crew was doing DTW-EWR-DTW the entire week, and day 1 and day 6 were deadheads from MEM-DTW. A trip like this would be great. But still, EWR isn't a base like how IND is a base.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I want your struggles.

EDIT: Also, you got hired at AA at 27 years old?? How??

US Airways had a large window open in 2012.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I would go to FedEx or UPS over a pax airline. The reason being they actually will benefit from increased open sky flying, where as the pax airlines will get slaughtered. Why? FedEx and UPS don't haul cargo, they are a logistic solution company. They have an incredible ground network that the airlines cannot replicate. Just ask DHL.

I would not go to an ACMI over a pax carrier, but FedEx and UPS are vastly different from an ACMI.

Yes, but that comes with a pitfall for pilots. Just ask DHL pilots (Astar types).

 

[learhawkerbe400]

So you were 27 when hired at US Airways, will retire #5 at the new American, 30 yrs old today, no wife and no kids? Did I get all that right? If you're seriously thinking about leaving, see a psychiatrist man!

Yea I never thought about leaving until recently. I'm just worried about passenger airlines in general. And right now making money is my priority and fedex seems to be the place for maximizing earnings.