Which Legacy/Major do you want to work at and why...

Choose one...

  • American

    Votes: 29 11.8%

  • Delta

    Votes: 59 24.0%

  • FedEx

    Votes: 32 13.0%

  • Southwest

    Votes: 33 13.4%

  • United

    Votes: 58 23.6%

  • UPS

    Votes: 7 2.8%

  • Alaska

    Votes: 10 4.1%

  • Hawaiian

    Votes: 7 2.8%

  • JetBlue

    Votes: 11 4.5%
  • Total voters
    246
mastermags said:
The one that calls first?

*I know, I know, that's no fun.*
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Eeeeeeeyup!

The industry is in a semi-temporary "boom" but there will absolutely be periods of boom (now) and periods of bust.

A couple "old man" points:

a. Never choose an airline because of their bases. They open and close with regularity, especially secondary bases. AMR will probably always be in DFW, UAL will probably always be in IAH, Delta probably isn't leaving ATL but exactly everything else is in limbo. DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF.

b. Money comes and goes as well does contractual language. The grass is always greener. It is.

c. Personally, I'd suggest trying to find a social "fit". These are going to be your coworkers for the rest of your career. You're going to have to fight with them and fight for them, but it always has to be what's right without respect to your ego. But there's no way that you, on the outside, are really going to be able to determine that.

d. Fleets? Forget about it. It's porous. "AMMAH FLY THE (whatever) TILL I RETAARRRE!" — ha! Unless you're five years from retiring, you can forget about that idea. I'll be in the single-digits when I retire so some of my copilots say "OMG! You'll be a 777 captain!" Crap, in the mid-2030's, if the coolest thing we have is a 45 year old 777, well, "Woo."

e. Routes? They come and they go and they change.
 
BobDDuck said:
It could still happen, but management has stated their intention to merge them.
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Yes, they've stated to merge them. Honestly, they paid a pretty penny for VX and this is the first merger since the TWA/AA merger in which the economy is good, profits high, and oil low. I think to fully realize synergies, they have to merge the two together. Currently working on the process/protocol agreement which should be done June/July. Then joined negotiations begin towards a JCBA.
 
Derg said:
Eeeeeeeyup!

The industry is in a semi-temporary "boom" but there will absolutely be periods of boom (now) and periods of bust.

A couple "old man" points:

a. Never choose an airline because of their bases. They open and close with regularity, especially secondary bases. AMR will probably always be in DFW, UAL will probably always be in IAH, Delta probably isn't leaving ATL but exactly everything else is in limbo. DO NOT FOOL YOURSELF.

b. Money comes and goes as well does contractual language. The grass is always greener. It is.

c. Personally, I'd suggest trying to find a social "fit". These are going to be your coworkers for the rest of your career. You're going to have to fight with them and fight for them, but it always has to be what's right without respect to your ego. But there's no way that you, on the outside, are really going to be able to determine that.

d. Fleets? Forget about it. It's porous. "AMMAH FLY THE (whatever) TILL I RETAARRRE!" — ha! Unless you're five years from retiring, you can forget about that idea. I'll be in the single-digits when I retire so some of my copilots say "OMG! You'll be a 777 captain!" Crap, in the mid-2030's, if the coolest thing we have is a 45 year old 777, well, "Woo."

e. Routes? They come and they go and they change.
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This. Even the best airline is one bad CEO away from bankruptcy.

If you have to choose an airline based on location, make it based on their HQ city. (ATL, IAH, DFW, etc), but you can even get skunked there...ORD, MSP, ATL (ask some Tranny folks about that one).

I wouldn't waste time on anything else. Fleets, bases, culture, or anything else comes and goes.

Richman
 
Richman said:
This. Even the best airline is one bad CEO away from bankruptcy.

If you have to choose an airline based on location, make it based on their HQ city. (ATL, IAH, DFW, etc), but you can even get skunked there...ORD, MSP, ATL (ask some Tranny folks about that one).

I wouldn't waste time on anything else. Fleets, bases, culture, or anything else comes and goes.

Richman
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Exactly.

How many guys chose NWA because of MEM and MSP?

MEM be dead and MSP be senior because it got shrunk and the "Khakis and Keds" crowd that crowed about driving to work at NATCO are now commuting to ATL and chilling at the Holiday Inn hotel bar in between training days.
 
If the stars and planets align I'd like to follow in my Dad's footsteps and end up at Delta. He was a CSA for almost 40 years between Western and Delta, my family had some great experiences with Delta, the low times there were still higher than comparable troughs at the other big legacies. I like the company, appreciate the culture (its actually more casual these days, I had to wear a tie and coat to non-rev when I turned 15 and my Dad had to part with his beard on the effective date of the merger) and in over 30 years of non-revving was always treated fairly stateside. I still miss the wave of 727-200's at SEA permeated by the occasional SLC or ATL bound L1011.

That being said, I always have Plan B, C, and D because this is aviation, when does anything career wise go according to plan? But one can always dream and set a goal.
 
awbmof said:
If the stars and planets align I'd like to follow in my Dad's footsteps and end up at Delta. He was a CSA for almost 40 years between Western and Delta, my family had some great experiences with Delta, the low times there were still higher than comparable troughs at the other big legacies. I like the company, appreciate the culture (its actually more casual these days, I had to wear a tie and coat to non-rev when I turned 15 and my Dad had to part with his beard on the effective date of the merger) and in over 30 years of non-revving was always treated fairly stateside. I still miss the wave of 727-200's at SEA permeated by the occasional SLC or ATL bound L1011.

That being said, I always have Plan B, C, and D because this is aviation, when does anything career wise go according to plan? But one can always dream and set a goal.
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Probably worked with my Dad then, too.
 
FedEx is my only app out, but they still want 500 TPIC (not posted, but they're still firm on it).
 
awbmof said:
If the stars and planets align I'd like to follow in my Dad's footsteps and end up at Delta. He was a CSA for almost 40 years between Western and Delta, my family had some great experiences with Delta, the low times there were still higher than comparable troughs at the other big legacies. I like the company, appreciate the culture (its actually more casual these days, I had to wear a tie and coat to non-rev when I turned 15 and my Dad had to part with his beard on the effective date of the merger) and in over 30 years of non-revving was always treated fairly stateside. I still miss the wave of 727-200's at SEA permeated by the occasional SLC or ATL bound L1011.

That being said, I always have Plan B, C, and D because this is aviation, when does anything career wise go according to plan? But one can always dream and set a goal.
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Same for me man. My dad was NWA hired in '98 and he's on the 73N as a Captain now. I'm starting my career at Endeavor now and it would awesome to be able to fly with him. I get the pleasure of jump seating on his flight today.
 
Derg said:
Exactly.

How many guys chose NWA because of MEM and MSP?

MEM be dead and MSP be senior because it got shrunk and the "Khakis and Keds" crowd that crowed about driving to work at NATCO are now commuting to ATL and chilling at the Holiday Inn hotel bar in between training days.
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The option missing in the poll is really "the one that hires me, I'll figure out a few other things after that."
 
Autothrust Blue said:
Probably worked with my Dad then, too.
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Just curious was your dad part of the Western migration out of MSP?

Jordan93 said:
Same for me man. My dad was NWA hired in '98 and he's on the 73N as a Captain now. I'm starting my career at Endeavor now and it would awesome to be able to fly with him. I get the pleasure of jump seating on his flight today.
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That's awesome, I hope you get the chance to fly with him during your career.
 
JetBlue for me for culture /etc. That said, I'm picking up the phone regardless of who's calling.
I still have an odd love affair with United as well. I always flew them growing up and when I was in the military. Something about Rhapsody in Blue makes me nostalgic...yeah I know, all good reasons to choose an employer right?
 
ozziecat35 said:
JetBlue for me for culture /etc. That said, I'm picking up the phone regardless of who's calling.
I still have an odd love affair with United as well. I always flew them growing up and when I was in the military. Something about Rhapsody in Blue makes me nostalgic...yeah I know, all good reasons to choose an employer right?
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Well, if anything, you have good stories to tell the recruiters when they ask why you want to work there once you do get an interview.
 
Derg said:
Exactly.

How many guys chose NWA because of MEM and MSP?

MEM be dead and MSP be senior because it got shrunk and the "Khakis and Keds" crowd that crowed about driving to work at NATCO are now commuting to ATL and chilling at the Holiday Inn hotel bar in between training days.
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You don't get it. You didn't fly the 757 at NATCO. :D
 
Jordan93 said:
Same for me man. My dad was NWA hired in '98 and he's on the 73N as a Captain now. I'm starting my career at Endeavor now and it would awesome to be able to fly with him. I get the pleasure of jump seating on his flight today.
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One of the coolest things you could do, I remember the first time I rode with mine. Keep it up and it will happen before you know it. Except some people here don't think it's safe to fly with a parent...I personally can't wait for the day. @mshunter
 
@Derg @Richman
and others


What about the scenario of the new AS. Rumor is they may close the NYC base. I live 20 minutes to EWR and about 1 to 1.5 hrs to LGA/JFK. If the base closes, I'd have to commute 2,000+ miles to SEA, PDX, SFO, or LAX. I love the company and I'm sure I'll love the combined carrier. Now I get your points that one shouldn't leave an airline for another one for a base-only decision. But what about NYC? It's the most junior place at AA, DL, and UA. While bases come and go, NYC is the largest city in the country and arguably the most important strategically. Even Pan Am's last stand was in New York. If AA, DL, or UA were to abandon NYC in terms of basing, it would certainly be a suicidal-type move?

In this particular situation, would you say trying to leave to maintain a NYC base would be worthwhile? Moving is out of the question. I've already moved 3 times for an airline base, and I am not moving again.
 
And even if they do close NYC --- which I honestly can't see any of the big 3 doing --- then that would mean being displaced to another closer big place, which may very well be ATL, DTW, PHL, DC, CLT, MIA, IAH, ORD, etc.... Basically, 1-3 hr flights. Not the reality of a 2,000+ mile commute for my remaining 33 years in the industry.
 
Cherokee_Cruiser said:
And even if they do close NYC --- which I honestly can't see any of the big 3 doing --- then that would mean being displaced to another closer big place, which may very well be ATL, DTW, PHL, DC, CLT, MIA, IAH, ORD, etc.... Basically, 1-3 hr flights. Not the reality of a 2,000+ mile commute for my remaining 33 years in the industry.
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Have you been to the PNW? It's way better
I live in jersey now and took the "live in base it's great" regional advice, but man would I love to live out there
 
PSW is hands down the best place in the country to live. It's unfortunate my carrier doesn't have a base there or I'd be there in a heartbeat.
 
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