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Old 03-10-2023, 05:05 PM
  #1  
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Default AA vs B6 (BOS) (2023 edition)

There's a similar thread on the JB subforum, but I wanted to ask here.

I have upcoming interviews with both. In today's hiring environment, I think it's at least worth asking the question ahead of time.

I'm heavily leaning towards B6, because BOS is the focus. I've lived all over the country (and some shady parts of the world) over the last decade and a half, and I'm finally back home. The family and I have no desire to leave New England, and the NYC area would still end up being a commute as far as I'm concerned. BOS is just over an hour away. Despite its issues, Mass is the only place that has ever been home.

Pros for JB: mature and broad flying opportunities out of BOS, very high likelihood of getting assigned BOS out of training, Bus options, no games with DOH/401k stuff.

Pros for AA: WB, but I'm currently on a WB where I work and I do NOT want to crush time zone crossings for the rest of my life. One man's trash is another's treasure, and NB with shorter flights and fewer timezone crossings is good for me. So...maybe not a ton of pros to AA? 737 only, tiny tiny BOS base (some say it could go away, some say it's here to stay), I guess it's a "legacy" (I'm not convinced the title matters, but I could certainly be missing something).

Anyways, as you can tell, I'm mostly set on going to JB, but I'd like to hear any dissenting opinions and/or anyone who might have some info that'll change my mind.

Overall, what I'm mostly interesting in: reasonable pay, good life on reserve, a good group of guys/gals to fly with, and the ability to "hustle" when the time is right for the family and me.

Thank you
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Old 03-10-2023, 05:45 PM
  #2  
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Commuting changes the career. If you want to be Boston based, then JB without a doubt, but you already know that.
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Old 03-10-2023, 07:08 PM
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Originally Posted by chanandlerbong
There's a similar thread on the JB subforum, but I wanted to ask here.

I have upcoming interviews with both. In today's hiring environment, I think it's at least worth asking the question ahead of time.

I'm heavily leaning towards B6, because BOS is the focus. I've lived all over the country (and some shady parts of the world) over the last decade and a half, and I'm finally back home. The family and I have no desire to leave New England, and the NYC area would still end up being a commute as far as I'm concerned. BOS is just over an hour away. Despite its issues, Mass is the only place that has ever been home.

Pros for JB: mature and broad flying opportunities out of BOS, very high likelihood of getting assigned BOS out of training, Bus options, no games with DOH/401k stuff.

Pros for AA: WB, but I'm currently on a WB where I work and I do NOT want to crush time zone crossings for the rest of my life. One man's trash is another's treasure, and NB with shorter flights and fewer timezone crossings is good for me. So...maybe not a ton of pros to AA? 737 only, tiny tiny BOS base (some say it could go away, some say it's here to stay), I guess it's a "legacy" (I'm not convinced the title matters, but I could certainly be missing something).

Anyways, as you can tell, I'm mostly set on going to JB, but I'd like to hear any dissenting opinions and/or anyone who might have some info that'll change my mind.

Overall, what I'm mostly interesting in: reasonable pay, good life on reserve, a good group of guys/gals to fly with, and the ability to "hustle" when the time is right for the family and me.

Thank you
BOS is tiny for AA, and tiny can turn into non-existent if it’s deemed economical. Do you want to wake up in 5-10 years and realize you’re a commuter now because you hitched your future to AA’s smallest bid status, Boston 737-Domestic?

Also, it’s a domestic only bid status too. So every sequence begins with a leg to ORD, DFW, CLT, or MIA. From there you’re off to the races in the domestic system until it’s time to go home. No Caribbean, no Latin America.

Also, didn’t JetBlue just get a new contract? APC pay rates shows that they’re lower than ours (except 12th year CA), but I don’t think thats updated.
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Old 03-10-2023, 09:23 PM
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I'd go JB if BOS is where you want to be. Like others have said BOS is a small base for us and God only knows if it becomes a bigger base over time or we eventually close it. But for JB it's a pretty large focus base. Living in base trumps all else.
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Old 03-11-2023, 02:53 AM
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Originally Posted by El Peso
.

Also, didn’t JetBlue just get a new contract? APC pay rates shows that they’re lower than ours (except 12th year CA), but I don’t think thats updated.
B6 didn’t get a new contract. They did extend their current contract a few years, with pay raises and a few other small items sprinkled in.

Plan is to do the full up section 6 negotiations for the JCBA required for the merger.
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Old 03-11-2023, 04:46 AM
  #6  
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I left B6 for AA personally and am based in BOS. I have had a great time and don’t regret leaving. That being said I have a few friends still there and love it. B6 has the highest utilization of the fleet hence all their red eyes and a very young pilot group(I’m guessing spirit too) so movement could result in lots of red eyes for a while when you’re looking to jump to the CA seat. I wanted to take advantage of the retirement wave going on at AA because the average CA age is like in the 40s at B6 whereas the average age of a pilot at AA is 46 with CA at 56 respectively. We have speculatory “growth” with the XLR making it a bus base and it’s already 70% Airbus flying if you wanna think about rumors and the 20+ year rumor BOS is closing. I don’t think it’s going anywhere. You’re gonna be splitting hairs on the decision and gonna do well where ever you choose to go. Goodluck
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Old 03-11-2023, 05:47 AM
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Originally Posted by AviateLife
I left B6 for AA personally and am based in BOS. I have had a great time and don’t regret leaving. That being said I have a few friends still there and love it. B6 has the highest utilization of the fleet hence all their red eyes and a very young pilot group(I’m guessing spirit too) so movement could result in lots of red eyes for a while when you’re looking to jump to the CA seat. I wanted to take advantage of the retirement wave going on at AA because the average CA age is like in the 40s at B6 whereas the average age of a pilot at AA is 46 with CA at 56 respectively. We have speculatory “growth” with the XLR making it a bus base and it’s already 70% Airbus flying if you wanna think about rumors and the 20+ year rumor BOS is closing. I don’t think it’s going anywhere. You’re gonna be splitting hairs on the decision and gonna do well where ever you choose to go. Goodluck
Thanks for the opposing perspective. How long does it look like it’ll take to hold CA in BOS right now?

Seniority is something I meant to mention in my original post…of course AA has massive retirements coming up, but my concern was/is that I won’t really feel much of that at BOS.
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Old 03-11-2023, 06:37 AM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by chanandlerbong
Thanks for the opposing perspective. How long does it look like it’ll take to hold CA in BOS right now?

Seniority is something I meant to mention in my original post…of course AA has massive retirements coming up, but my concern was/is that I won’t really feel much of that at BOS.
The plug BOS CA is a 2001 hire right now but that's similar to a 2012 due to all the mergers. Rough estimate: At least 50% retire in the next 4-5 years and it goes way higher if you look out past 2030.

The company went as far as announcing an XLR base in BOS around 2024 but later retracted it. We have plenty of flying to justify a bus base but I think they simply don't have the training capacity for it right now.

End of the day AA in BOS is a gamble vs JB being a sure thing(as sure as airlines can be anyway) with the payoff being a probably massive seniority advantage over what you'd have at JB.
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Old 03-11-2023, 11:39 AM
  #9  
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Originally Posted by chanandlerbong
There's a similar thread on the JB subforum, but I wanted to ask here.

I have upcoming interviews with both. In today's hiring environment, I think it's at least worth asking the question ahead of time.

I'm heavily leaning towards B6, because BOS is the focus. I've lived all over the country (and some shady parts of the world) over the last decade and a half, and I'm finally back home. The family and I have no desire to leave New England, and the NYC area would still end up being a commute as far as I'm concerned. BOS is just over an hour away. Despite its issues, Mass is the only place that has ever been home.

Pros for JB: mature and broad flying opportunities out of BOS, very high likelihood of getting assigned BOS out of training, Bus options, no games with DOH/401k stuff.

Pros for AA: WB, but I'm currently on a WB where I work and I do NOT want to crush time zone crossings for the rest of my life. One man's trash is another's treasure, and NB with shorter flights and fewer timezone crossings is good for me. So...maybe not a ton of pros to AA? 737 only, tiny tiny BOS base (some say it could go away, some say it's here to stay), I guess it's a "legacy" (I'm not convinced the title matters, but I could certainly be missing something).

Anyways, as you can tell, I'm mostly set on going to JB, but I'd like to hear any dissenting opinions and/or anyone who might have some info that'll change my mind.

Overall, what I'm mostly interesting in: reasonable pay, good life on reserve, a good group of guys/gals to fly with, and the ability to "hustle" when the time is right for the family and me.

Thank you
Hey [MENTION=117968]chanandlerbong[/MENTION] good luck with your interviews and thanks for starting this! Pretty similar story to yours I'm on the other side of it with offers from both and trying to decide which to take. Available late July so still weighing options. Good luck with your decision.
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Old 03-11-2023, 02:17 PM
  #10  
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Originally Posted by ACEssXfer
The plug BOS CA is a 2001 hire right now but that's similar to a 2012 due to all the mergers. Rough estimate: At least 50% retire in the next 4-5 years and it goes way higher if you look out past 2030.

The company went as far as announcing an XLR base in BOS around 2024 but later retracted it. We have plenty of flying to justify a bus base but I think they simply don't have the training capacity for it right now.

End of the day AA in BOS is a gamble vs JB being a sure thing(as sure as airlines can be anyway) with the payoff being a probably massive seniority advantage over what you'd have at JB.
the junior CA in BOS come June is a 6/2014 hire
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