Leave AA for Fedex?

ERfly said:
So were you shot down at Airways?

I don't think I was just anyone when I was interviewed and subsequently hired. There were a lot that wanted to go to Airways.

You can step down off your pedestal now. I was asked @learhawkerbe400 about his qualifications and why the FedEx hiring matrix (designed by the Delta shrink) picked his app. I have heard through the grapevine that if you didn't have some sort of instructing/check airman/etc experience, FedEx wouldn't even look at you.

Thank you for your opinion, though. I'd like to think the people I work with, in my seniority range, on the LUS side, are some of the finest men and women aviation has to offer.
Click to expand...
No I was hired under the Airways system

The nice thing about their system is anyone had a shot. And they honed in on one's attitude not your volunteer work ethic, check airman background, etc. Under their board I saw AF guard guys get shot down, and commuter guys hired left and right. In a way I'm happy for the merger due to pay but I'm saddened because of the loss of the people that made the place so nice. They had a lot of good people at corporate who are now gone.
 
Last edited:
Derg said:
"Deltas" shrink designed the "hiring matrix"?

Do tell!
Click to expand...

From what I understand, the former VP of Ops and the former Chief Pilot over there contracted the Delta Doc to design the new hiring program and design the matrix in Pilot Credentials so that the computer picks the "perfect pilot". It completely removes the sponsor/internal recs until after the interview. If you don't fit into the tight criteria of what they believe to be true, you'll never be called.
 
ERfly said:
From what I understand, the former VP of Ops and the former Chief Pilot over there contracted the Delta Doc to design the new hiring program and design the matrix in Pilot Credentials so that the computer picks the "perfect pilot". It completely removes the sponsor/internal recs until after the interview. If you don't fit into the tight criteria of what they believe to be true, you'll never be called.
Click to expand...

That would not be factually correct.
 
ERfly said:
So were you shot down at Airways?

I don't think I was just anyone when I was interviewed and subsequently hired. There were a lot that wanted to go to Airways.

You can step down off your pedestal now. I was asked @learhawkerbe400 about his qualifications and why the FedEx hiring matrix (designed by the Delta shrink) picked his app. I have heard through the grapevine that if you didn't have some sort of instructing/check airman/etc experience, FedEx wouldn't even look at you.

Thank you for your opinion, though. I'd like to think the people I work with, in my seniority range, on the LUS side, are some of the finest men and women aviation has to offer.
Click to expand...

But say the guys hired at Delta in their late 20s are not some of the finest men and women aviation has to offer?

Man, I guess some literally do take that sign at DFW HQs seriously: "Through these doors walk the finest men in aviation." Or whatever crap it says.

You gotta like when a pilot says, "this group here is the finest in this industry!" Newsflash: take that same look at Delta, American, Alaska, the same thing can be said. Pilots are people, and like people, you have all walks on earth. The majority of pilots in this country are good people, fun to talk to and good to get along with. Every group has its few-percent d-bags and those are also present at all airlines.
 
mwflyer said:
Exactly! The numbers are for 2015 and from ALPA no less, which Seggy obviously reveres. We're not even half way through 2016 so no "new" numbers to be had. Just a cheap way of taking a shot at trip7, who once again is right.
Click to expand...

The stats are the stats, he was wrong with the current stats.
 
learhawkerbe400 said:
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

It seems to me that all the things you list as pros and cons are transient, and could change at any time. Pretty much every major/legacy carrier, at one time, or another, has been both "the place to be" and "the bottomfeeder."

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.
Click to expand...
learhawkerbe400 said:
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.
Click to expand...

First off, go to the interview. You've got nothing to lose except a few hours of time. Your young and single, so you've got plenty of that.

That said, it seems to me that the things you list as pros and cons are transient. They can, and probably will, change. Every airline out there, at one point or another, has been both the place to be and the bottom feeder. Moreover, every industry has its competitive threats. Changing jobs is not going to eliminate that threat.

Ken Mattingly, Command Module Pilot on Apollo 16, was asked once if he regretted not getting to walk on the Moon. His answer was, in essence: "I had the opportunity to do an incredible thing. I'm not going to complain because I didn't get to do something even more incredible."

You've got good things going on. And by all means investigate new opportunities. But don't allow yourself to fall into the trap of thinking that you're losing out on something by being where you are.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Dacuj
Industry Turn
5 6 7
Replies
130
Views
9K
phill1174
phill1174
GypsyPilot
Latest offer from FedEx management: We know it sucks here, we worked out an offer for you guys to go to PSA instead!
26 27 28
Replies
547
Views
35K
Minuteman
Minuteman
Murdoughnut
Dry January Follow-Up
Replies
5
Views
917
Beaker
Beaker
barchaim
40 Year Old Career Changer - Looking for Advice
2
Replies
34
Views
3K
///AMG
///AMG
Ian_J
Captain Positions Offered to New Hires
9 10 11
Replies
200
Views
13K
guywhoflies
guywhoflies
Back
Top