learhawkerbe400
Well-Known Member
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.
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.
