Originally Posted by SeamusTheHound

How old are your kids? If they are young enough that they’ll still be around the house for 10 more years, then I’d stay right where you are.

If they’re on the verge of going to college or are already out, I’d consider leaving.

Just 2¢

Originally Posted by clearskys

I’m 5.5 years at SW, maybe upgrade in a year or less, 49, young family, drive to work and hold weekends off. In my previous jobs I’ve flown in Europe and SA and really miss it. I had a class date at UA in March but because of life issues couldn’t do it. UA surprised me and said that’s OK and my CJO was valid for a year. Wow that’s cool. I’m finally in a position where I can think about it again but understandably, it’s a hard important decision. So I’m asking you guys, the grand intellectual wisdom of the internet WWYD?

It’s a hard decision because I’m finally a point in my seniority where I can bid weekends off and I can drop some (not all trips) and try and pick up premium. I drive to work and my QOL is good. But it’s an illusion since when I upgrade I’ll have to commute to a junior base (I’m in very senior base now). But living in a base will allow me to pick up trips in base, so that’s good. After 5 years, we get three weeks of vacay and since we do traditional bidding, a week turns into 3 weeks. I usually end up picking something up because you don’t get paid for all the days that were dropped, but it’s liberating picking up on your own time.

If I were to go to UA initially I’d be getting a pay cut. In addition, I would be commuting as an FO, on 1st year FO pay making it even harder on the finances ( my wife is totally against it because of this) I would try to get an upgrade right away. But there is a reason why it’s so junior, QOL sucks. I’d be on reserve forever on a plane that I’m already flying and not only that it’s flying to mainly the same domestic places I’m flying to now. Longer trips (the longest SW trip is 4 days) I’m also not thrilled about PBS. I think I’m too old to be able to hold anything else (as a capt at least) that goes down to let’s say, Brazil.

Would you stay at SW with 5.5 seniority, upgrade around a year, and for now a good QOL, not taking a pay cut, and with hopefully a new contract around the corner (more$). But with mind numbing flying . Or leave to UA be at the bottom of the list, commute with 13-14 days off flying the same plane going to the same places (and sometimes the same hotels), making a bit less, PBS, with the only thing being different is having the opportunity later on (gambling the next recession doesn’t hit and I’m out on the street) to get into something that flys to interesting places. Is there something anyone can add, pro or con?

Thanks for reading and if you respond!

Originally Posted by clearskys

good advise thanks, kids are young 7,6

Originally Posted by SeamusTheHound

How old are your kids? If they are young enough that they’ll still be around the house for 10 more years, then I’d stay right where you are.

If they’re on the verge of going to college or are already out, I’d consider leaving.

Just 2¢

Originally Posted by ACMIguy

I’m in a similar situation. 44, married two years ago. Bought a house three years ago in a former DL Midwest base. Been at Atlas for 13 years. Been a 767 captain here for 8 of those years. Drive 30 minutes to work. Get 15-19 days off a month (usually 17ish). I fly mostly turns or one night layovers. The most I’ve been away from my own bed in the last two years is two nights in a row. Usually one leg days, occasionally two. Decent to nice hotels. Gateway travel if I choose to base somewhere else. Im in the top 20% on the 767. I’d be in the top 1/3 on the 747 or 777. I’d be #2 on the 737 if I wanted to go that route. I feel insulated against recession, pandemic and war. The QOL is exceptional. The only trade off is money. 240k on min guarantee is kinda sad in the current industry. If I went to the 777/747 I’d be making in the 300-320 range but with longer trips.

Now all the legacies are knocking. AA, UA, SWA. The potential earnings are better with a quick upgrade at a legacy but the QOL would go down the crapper. My family owns an old house in central Jersey that’s a 45 minute drive to PHL and a 50 minute drive to EWR. So that would alleviate the crashpad issue but I’d still be commuting multiple times a month, in my 40s. At the very bottom of a massive seniority list. What little career ambition i have left tells me to make a move. My logical side tells me to settle, enjoy my seniority and enjoy the weird places we fly to. I feel like the legacy new hire lifestyle is a young guy’s game.

Originally Posted by Otterbox

100% stay. if you want to stay married and enjoy your life.

You’ll never find that work life balance and ability to hold the left seat on a widebody at UAL or AA. For an extra 50k a year you’ll be stuck on reserve getting min days off, sitting short calls in base, Flying 3-4 legs a day in the left seat of a Narrowbody with the only hope of being able to switch seats to the left seat of a slightly larger Narrowbody to fly 2-3 legs a day instead. It’s like a 4 year upgrade to NB CA in PHL at AA and 5 years to WB FO. You can be both almost immediately at UAL out if EWR but will be on reserve for 5 years give or take before you can hold weekends off on reserve or fly a line covering the weekends. schedules/QOL sucks so bad as a junior WBFO and Narrowbody CA at United, New hires are going to be involuntarily assigned both with UALs new TA (they’re already forced widebody). QOL for both is better at AA, but you’re looking at a 5 year pay cut before you get back to where you are now to commute to those seats in PHL. 777/787 FO or 737/321 CA that’d where you’re going to finish your career at, for both companies.

Yes, you’re missing out on the opportunity to fly an Airbus but I’m not sure it’s worth the QOL hit. The 17% DC on the 401k is more painful but you’re life is going to be significantly more miserable in return for it, combined with a lot more vulnerability to economic uncertainty.

Originally Posted by threeighteen

if you factor in the DC and the extra 50k or more a year in earnings (don't forget profit sharing), it's 100k a year or more left on the table if he stays at Atlas, but you're absolutely right about the QOL hit.