CatIIAutoLand

I too came from a Legacy carrier and have been having remorseful thoughts. Admittedly I wasn't at said spot long enough to get a full grip on what life would be like as I left while still on probation there. You're exactly right that FedEx is not the dream landing spot it was made out to be before I made the jump. At least not for me.

I keep telling myself that it will get better. Those extra weeks of vacation and the ability to avoid night hub turns will turn this whole thing around. Ultimately though I am waiting for the new contract to make my final call. I've been prepping my app at the other Legacies for about the past two months. If the new contract isn't up to par then I'll pull the trigger. What I mean by that is if our pilot group stupidly allows the Company to ram a non-industry leading contract down our throats. I'm not accepting any less and will be here to fight for everything we deserve, but if when the dust settles we are NOT at the top, then I'm out. I have far too many years left in this gig to accept lagging behind just because "FedEx is different".

If I knew then what I know now I wouldn't have made the jump. I would have stuck it out where I was. There are certainly positives and negatives to all of the jobs but the impression that I get it that too many pilots, management, and the hiring department at FedEx think that they are the best thing going....that just isn't true. We aren't doing any more new hire classes right now and management thinks they have a pretty big pool waiting on baited breath for their phone call. I would not be surprised to see a large percentage of that pool dry up and go with other Legacy offers. I would.

Nightflyer

Imagine the power we would have if there was a national seniority list.

You wouldn't have to decide if you made the right decision after 20 years.

All companies would have to pay competitively.

Like any other career, you could change companies without starting over.

You would be assigned your seniority number based on the date of your ATP.

HvypurplePylot

I'd say if you came here in 2020/2021 think that environment would last forever you were kidding yourself.

BlueMoon

yep the last half of 2019 was starting to look rough. Lines being bought up, planes sitting idle.

I do think the legacy carriers are in vastly different positions than they were in the 2000-2012 time. I just don’t see them furloughing even if we are in a recession. The mergers of the legacy’s has made the business much healthier. And retirements keep attrition moving.

windshearmaxthr

I came here from a legacy as well. Was fortunate to be on the front of this hiring wave so my seniority progression has been faster than anything I’ve ever experienced. Paused for now but I essentially skipped being a super JR FedEx pilot. I am keeping in mind that our contract is 7 years old and waiting for a TA to come out before I start thinking buyers remorse. Although you will not know if you made the best choice in your career until it’s over. We are being left in the dust, but I am waiting for a TA so I can fairly compare.

I cannot stress enough to my friends looking to come here how much it SUCKS to be junior at FedEx if you are a commuter. Our reserve rules are terrible. Think long and hard about what it will be like. Everyone’s experience here will be unique to the time they were hired.

The reason why I decided I wanted to work for FedEx was because of the business model, and the way FedEx management has run their business in the past. With a founder at the helm, and family in the pipeline, making decisions with the long term in mind and not Wall Street. What worries me more than anything is the new leadership and how they choose to steer this company in the future. Only time will tell if I made a good decision or a terrible one. You cannot predict the future and can only make decisions based on the information you have at the time. How quickly we all forget, It’s all sunshine and rainbows in the pax world till it’s not, I had to get off of that rollercoaster, for a hope of hopping on one not so extreme.

One thing that a did not foresee when coming here was how broken our pilot group is. We need to get it together in that sense and stop it with the me me me attitude and work as a group collectively cutting out short term satisfaction for long term gains. A unified group is powerful, and I think it is maybe changing with so many hired post 2015.

WearyEyed

You’re not the only one saying that. There are a lot of people here that were hired after leaving a legacy after several years on that property. Seeing as approximately half of the pilot group has been hired since the last contract, management needs to recognize that there could be an exodus of pilots if the contract isn’t industry leading. People have left legacies after several years to come here, so what’s stopping people from leaving here after several years to go to a legacy if the pay, benefits, and quality of life are significantly different? The blinders have been removed and people will go where they are most valued. Just within my own little bubble I’ve spoken to several pilots personally that are thinking about leaving but are holding out to see the contract, but they are growing less patient by the day.

ogarmyopar

Plus 1 with buyers remorse that left a legacy. Certain things like deviating for commuters here is great other things are awful. Reserve rules worse than the regional I flew at and zero ability to pickup extra if you need money to pay your bills after almost a year on new hire pay and going through covid at the regionals.

Really strange place to work. Enjoy starting your nights at 10pm and not finishing until 10am and not receiving any premium pay.

David Puddy

Breeze is hiring!

coryk

Yea, and so are Delta and United to the tune of about 2k this year, a piece. People have options. Why spend a 30-year career miserable.

magic rat

It’ll never happen, I’ve been saying that for 16 years…our unity is in the toilet. Wear your lanyard while on DFT!!!

If I were junior, I’d bail….