The new airline thread

[Runr6730]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:56 PM, HossHarris said:

Don’t discount the boring flying. It’s dreadfully boring. It’s seriously the worst part of the job. 
 

on the pro-20 year retirement side:

-the $50k+ per year just for breathing makes it a lot easier to deal with airline stuff … especially the first 4-5 years when that’s a significant portion of your total income. Furlough … meh. Drop a trip every month for Qol … meh.   You have a house payment and groceries as long as you’re breathing. That’s not nothing. 
 

-Tricare … “standard” is effectively free. Similar coverage (at delta) costs about $800/month for a family. Also good as long as you’re breathing (assuming congress doesn’t us). That’s not nothing. 

There’s a lot of peace of mind “$50K per year for breathing” can offer you.  I was diagnosed with and beat cancer as a young Capt.  The AF paid for every dime of my initial and ongoing treatment and has allowed me to continue flying to this day.  There are A LOT of medical issues that can torpedo your ability to maintain a FAA medical certificate.  It’s nice knowing that when I retire in 4 years my family will be taken care of if something happens (medical, furlough, etc) that prevents me from making a living in the airlines. 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Runr6730

[Hacker]

On 2/2/2022 at 10:11 AM, SocialD said:

use the extra cash to buy an RV-8 (better yet, a Stearman) for fun flying. 

'Merica.

I like flying someone else's airplane with someone else paying for gas.

[SocialD]

1 hour ago, Hacker said:

'Merica.

I like flying someone else's airplane with someone else paying for gas.

 

Fuck ya!  

...and insurance, hangar, oil, etc...lol.  It's hard to argue with that, especially since I have an open invitation to fly a few N3N's for the price of gas.  Though we do love having our own and we probably won't part with her, I sure wish we had a decent museum like that nearby.   Bring her to Galesburg this year!

[nunya]

12 hours ago, Runr6730 said:

 There are A LOT of medical issues that can torpedo your ability to maintain a FAA medical certificate.  It’s nice knowing that when I retire in 4 years my family will be taken care of if something happens (medical, furlough, etc) that prevents me from making a living in the airlines. 

I'm sorry you had to deal with that and I'm glad you recovered.  Point of order, though... disability insurance at major airlines is very good (generally all your pay for a period, then ~ half of your pay until 65), so losing your medical isn't an immediate detour to poverty. 

Lots of guys happen to lose their medical at about age 63.  Those last 2 years until retirement living on insurance payouts are probably pretty tough.  

[Swizzle]

9 hours ago, Hacker said:

'Merica.

I like flying someone else's airplane with someone else paying for gas.

Rear-stick flipping the bird!? Guess that's an F-yeah!!

[HuggyU2]

Haha... Hacker, it is good to see you doing what you were always meant to do.  

And finish your damn book!!!

[JimNtexas]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:06 PM, WheelsOff said:

1. One thing most young folk don’t think about/realize (and I didn’t either until a Reservist educated me), is that once you turn 65, under current law you have to pay for Medicare part A AND part B, for Tricare to then kick in as your supplemental insurance (unless you have a qualifying disability). So for most people, Tricare for life (TFL) is really only the most financially beneficial between your AD retirement and 65. Unless of course you have a family member who is EFMP, etc that has a lot of expensive medical bills…obviously changes the math for some in that position. Also, are you gonna live/retire near a large military hospital/installation or in a city that has a lot of (good) doctors who will accept Tricare? (Why does San Antonio have so many retirees again?!—great town, not knocking it, just making a point).
 

Food for thought. 
 

In my experience TFL is the Golden Ticket for US health insurance.   All major health systems take it, as do most individual practitioners.  It is far more widely accepted than Tricare alone.  Most things wind up being almost free, up to and including major surgery and almost all drugs.

My wife was recently presided a rare brand name only drug that you can’t even get at a regular pharmacy.  The doctor had to make a call, but it was approved.  Retail price: $6800/month.  TFL price: $30.

Can retirees even use military hospitals any more?  

 

[jazzdude]

Can retirees even use military hospitals any more?  

My parents are on TFL, and their primary/specialty care is at a large military hospital. Their primary has also been at that mil hospital for the last 20 years retired (elected Tricare prime in retirement).

[Royal]

@di1630

Were your questions sufficiently answered?

Edited February 4, 2022 by Royal
grammar

[icohftb]

23 hours ago, Royal said:

@di1630

Were your questions sufficiently answered?

Royal if you have more insight on this subject I'd be curious to hear it. I'm in the same situation as Di.

[ClearedHot]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:17 AM, JimNtexas said:

Can retirees even use military hospitals any more? 

Probably depends on region, I have been very pleasantly surprised and have received all of my post military medical care on base.  I go off base for Dental (obviously), and was going off base for yearly eye exams.  Recently had a small procedure on one eye and now they want me to do yearly exams on base.

[Hacker]

On 2/3/2022 at 7:53 PM, Swizzle said:

Rear-stick flipping the bird!? Guess that's an F-yeah!!

Well, I was saying "hello" to a bro and trying not to let the folks back on the crowdline see me do it.

Still can't act a fool and make the organization look bad.

[M2]

On 2/4/2022 at 12:17 AM, JimNtexas said:

Can retirees even use military hospitals any more?  

We use Wilford Hall and Brooke Army Medical Center all the time!

[M2]

On 2/1/2022 at 5:06 PM, WheelsOff said:

Why does San Antonio have so many retirees again?!—great town, not knocking it, just making a point.

Why do you think?  At one point there were five large military bases (two of which, Kelly and Brooks AFBs, have since closed) and two large military reservations (Camp Bullis and Camp Stanley) in the San Antonio area, and given the great weather, quality of life, low cost of living and a myriad of things to do close by it's not tough to figure out why it's become a mecca for not only retirees but also transplants from all over the country.

[Sua Sponte]

Spirit and Frontier are merging to become the fifth biggest airline.

https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2022/02/07/frontier-and-spirit-to-merge-creating-5th-largest-airline-in-us.html

[Tank]

From November 2021:

https://liveandletsfly.com/united-airlines-largest-airline/

Edited February 7, 2022 by Tank

[HuggyU2]

Frontier and Spirit pilots are both represented by ALPA... so the seniority integration should go silky smooth. 

[bcuziknow]

Newsflash to TFL at age 65. You MUST take Medicare Part B or you lose your TF”L”. Three things happen to your TFL at age 65, all three fairly significant:

1. Effective your 65th Birthday, you will no longer be seen by a PCP on base. You can continue to use emergency services at military hospitals however all of your health, clinic care providers will be on the market (Medicare providers). You can still fill your prescriptions on base so you won’t need Medicare Part D plan.

2. When you elect Medicare Part B (required or you lose TFL), Medicare becomes your primary insurance and Tricare becomes your wraparound coverage for anything Medicare doesn’t cover (still a good deal, sorta).

3. The standard Part B premium amount in 2022 is $170.10, so yeah you now start paying. In addition to the “standard cost” of $170.10, Social Security takes your PREVIOUS two tax returns (from the IRS) and, depending on your income from those two PREVIOUS years, you pay an additional amount of premium added to your monthly Medicare cost. The “holy grail” TFL just got tarnished.

Personal experience: my “forever” TFL deduction of $50/mo for family coverage, has just turned into $544/mo for Medicare coverage for JUST ME at 65. But gee, I get to keep my TFL, which gets me prescriptions, SAAMC, VA, options still available.

BLUF: for those of you chasing that airline final hi 2-3 yrs, at age 65 your MEDICARE premiums will be determined on your “previous” two years AGI “If your modified adjusted gross income as reported on your IRS tax return from 2 years ago is above a certain amount, you'll pay the standard premium amount and an Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount (IRMAA). IRMAA is an extra charge added to your premium.”

Thank your local politicians if you agree with this law- bastardz…

jus sayin~

https://www.medicare.gov/your-medicare-costs/part-b-costs

Edited February 7, 2022 by bcuziknow
Added

[nunya]

3 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

Frontier and Spirit pilots are both represented by ALPA... so the seniority integration should go silky smooth. 

[hindsight2020]

10 hours ago, HuggyU2 said:

Frontier and Spirit pilots are both represented by ALPA... so the seniority integration should go silky smooth. 

If the atmosphere at my former squadron circa 2013 during the L-Cal/L-UAL SLI is any indication of how these two pilot groups end up interacting with each other, #oof. It's not hyperbole to say not only were there a ton of people hiding out from both airlines via rank MLOA during the integration, in my squadron a few ended up almost in a literal fist fight during a MUTA. Scabwagon (a reference to the 78) was the nicest thing uttered during one of such exchanges. Even the Airtran acquisition (we had a few FATs in my squadron at the time as well) was relatively devoid of hostilities by comparison, at least anecdotally in my sqdn.

Between that spectacle and the early education I got about how much my ability to put food on my table was affected by these airline kerfuffles as a non-airline guy, ultimately it galvanized my life/vocational decision to never find myself at any trough behind an airline pilot ever again. 11 years later and counting, past is prologue platitudes and all that jazz, in the words of my homeboy Ben-Hur....

😄

 

Edited February 8, 2022 by hindsight2020

[Royal]

23 hours ago, icohftb said:

Royal if you have more insight on this subject I'd be curious to hear it. I'm in the same situation as Di.

I'll front end load with the fact that you probably can't go wrong. This career, especially when treated as part time, eclipses almost every job out there.

That said, consider the following.

I have little confidence AA will expand PHX. It is a company helmed by low rent bean counters; they'll trip over a pile of gold doubloons to pick up wooden nickels. An example: How long has the hiring/retirement wave been discussed? Should it have caught anyone by surprise? Well, it caught AA management off their guard, and they shut down their Phoenix training facility despite having the data. That place would be worth its weight in platinum right now.

If you pick PHX and want to do any other flying at AA you will have to commute. Captain upgrade, widebody, anything other than A320, those will all force you to another base.

I would not put money on AA getting a new contract in under 24 months.

I know very little on the topic, but AA is supposed to be getting new scheduling/trip trading software that's allegedly worse than what they have now. Hopefully someone else can speak intelligently to it.

If you want fly out of PHX be warned: America West produced some of the worst pilots I've had the displeasure of flying with. By the same token, I've sat in the jumpseat with SWA many times, and they almost always seem reasonably competent.

Retirements matter most if the seniority list doesn't shrink. AA won't be able to do any growth hiring for some time due to the fact the seniority list shrank a great deal during covid. Management is trying to get everyone excited about all the pilots that are getting recruited; however, all those people for the next 18 months will barely cover what the company is making up for since spring 2020.

That's the worst of it for AA. The plus side is meteoric seniority movement, good overnights, easy flying, and a great job overall if you don't let yourself get caught up in the bullshit.

SWA is hiring for growth; that can get you stuck at the bottom of the seniority list for a long time.

SWA is not the same company Herb founded. Hopefully they can hang onto what's left of their culture.

SWA typically has much better scheduling flexibility.

Why mention all of this? Because despite how tremendous it is to get paid to fly jets, no matter where you end up, the above statements (along with more creative complaints) will be brought up CONSTANTLY on the flight deck. Then you'll start to second guess your choice of carrier; do yourself a favor: Don't. Bloom where you're planted; enjoy your days off and live your best life.

 

 

[TheNewGazmo]

I'll front end load with the fact that you probably can't go wrong. This career, especially when treated as part time, eclipses almost every job out there.
That said, consider the following.
I have little confidence AA will expand PHX. It is a company helmed by low rent bean counters; they'll trip over a pile of gold doubloons to pick up wooden nickels. An example: How long has the hiring/retirement wave been discussed? Should it have caught anyone by surprise? Well, it caught AA management off their guard, and they shut down their Phoenix training facility despite having the data. That place would be worth its weight in platinum right now.
If you pick PHX and want to do any other flying at AA you will have to commute. Captain upgrade, widebody, anything other than A320, those will all force you to another base.
I would not put money on AA getting a new contract in under 24 months.
I know very little on the topic, but AA is supposed to be getting new scheduling/trip trading software that's allegedly worse than what they have now. Hopefully someone else can speak intelligently to it.
If you want fly out of PHX be warned: America West produced some of the worst pilots I've had the displeasure of flying with. By the same token, I've sat in the jumpseat with SWA many times, and they almost always seem reasonably competent.
Retirements matter most if the seniority list doesn't shrink. AA won't be able to do any growth hiring for some time due to the fact the seniority list shrank a great deal during covid. Management is trying to get everyone excited about all the pilots that are getting recruited; however, all those people for the next 18 months will barely cover what the company is making up for since spring 2020.
That's the worst of it for AA. The plus side is meteoric seniority movement, good overnights, easy flying, and a great job overall if you don't let yourself get caught up in the bullshit.
SWA is hiring for growth; that can get you stuck at the bottom of the seniority list for a long time.
SWA is not the same company Herb founded. Hopefully they can hang onto what's left of their culture.
SWA typically has much better scheduling flexibility.
Why mention all of this? Because despite how tremendous it is to get paid to fly jets, no matter where you end up, the above statements (along with more creative complaints) will be brought up CONSTANTLY on the flight deck. Then you'll start to second guess your choice of carrier; do yourself a favor: Don't. Bloom where you're planted; enjoy your days off and live your best life.
 
 

AA management wanted to shut the CLT training facility down by the end of 2021. I'm glad they came to their senses with that one.

[icohftb]

Royal thanks for the thoughtful summary.

[BADFNZ]

I've said it before in this thread, but when you know where you want to live, you have to compare the airlines based on that domicile alone.  Sure, the upgrade at AA might be 4 years if you want LGA, but it might be 8 years at PHX (I'm making up numbers but you get the point).  Also, people say all you'll fly at SWA is a 737, but PHX is a A320 only base for AA, so there goes all the WB int'l that might sway you to AA.  I work at SWA, but I'm not a SWA cheerleader by any means.  We have our issues like anyone else, and I've really soured on this company in the last year.  But make sure you're comparing apples to apples.

[ClearedHot]

16 hours ago, TheNewGazmo said:

AA management wanted to shut the CLT training facility down by the end of 2021. I'm glad they came to their senses with that one.

The training issue is universal and global.  Several overseas simulator and "school house" operations have been shutdown down by COVID.  It is going to take the system a while to rebuild capability.