If you look at Southwest's website, their minimum hiring requirement is 2500 TT and a thousand of that in turbine equipment. I used to build time ferrying aircraft, brokering and buying aircraft, and I built a lot of time quickly. However the subtle elephant in the room is age ...... the airline wants to get at least 20 years out of a pilot so when you reach 35 you are pretty much done with a major. You need to get your ATP so you need 1500 TT as a minimum. Hire on with Atlas, Polar, Caletta and build jet time, or fly corporate.

(Written on 2021/04/09)(Permalink)

I strongly disagree. These zero time new hires will be simulator trained on the aircraft for which they will be assigned, and will get a type rating in the simulator. They will have understanding of the automation of the aircraft, but will have no "stick and rudder skills", an item which has always differentiated Western pilots from those in Asia and Eastern Europe. Typically, pilots in North America have gained a minimum of 2500 hours flying all types of aircraft before they have been hired. Minimum flight experience by FAA rules is 1500 hours. Now United is going the other way, which is deeply regrettable. United will get the new hires type rated and then will call them "2nd officers", meaning that they cannot take off or land the aircraft but can sit right seat until they have gained sufficient flight time to become 1st officers. To illustrate this - the debacle of the Boeing 737 Max led to two fatal crashes because the flight crew didn't know how to respond to the pitch up, and

(Written on 2021/04/09)(Permalink)

The announcement at the top of this link shows (with photos) the changes to each cabin. https://www.gatechecked.com/emirates-unveils-a380-premium-economy-cabin-along-with-small-upgrades-to-other-cabins-4608?utm_source=flightaware.com&utm_medium=social Premium economy is better, but it's unclear if the seat width is actually wider for big people, or is simply the center credenza that is added. The pitch is better (as expected), the footrest is appreciated, and the entertainment system is the same as in business. They note they are doing FREE UPGRADES until the system is better known so request that when you make a reservation.

(Written on 2021/01/01)(Permalink)

I looked at the crew instruction (I'm not crew but I have the instruction) and the seat is different with an electrically activated footrest. The section is the front section of the lower deck where the plane narrows, and the seats are 8 across where in the economy section they are 10 across, (4 center and 2 on the sides in PE) where Y is 3/4/3 It doesn't tell me the seat pitch or width but my guess is the seat width is the same, but with a center credenza for drinks etc.

(Written on 2021/01/01)(Permalink)

Premium economy is a way for an airline to increase yield without adding true value. Same food, same seat (although the Emirates announcement does say they have a footrest in the Premium seats). Premium economy has been productive with other long haul carriers (Qantas, for example) so it is popular among some customers.

(Written on 2021/01/01)(Permalink)

That's the point. The elimination of change fees applies only to domestic travel. It's a fraud, like so much of what United (really Continental since Continental bought the bones of United but kept the name) says and does.

(Written on 2020/09/04)(Permalink)

The change fees drifted in because the bucket shop carriers (Easy Jet, Ryan Air, then Frontier) brought in fees for everything and it seemed to be an easy way to rip off some easy money. The consolidation in the USA airline industry reduced competition, so charging fees for everything was easy. The big airlines could not resist - easy money. They still competed on posted fares but the fees were never displayed on search engines and Sabre. People bought the fare, got stung by fees. Note: The change fee elimination applies ONLY to domestic travel, and ONLY to premium fares (full fare economy, economy plus, and business/first). It probably still applies to mileage award travel. Southwest never charged change fees, and has delivered on what it advertises, which is why I fly Southwest. The other carriers have screwed themselves.

(Written on 2020/09/04)(Permalink)

This is merely frosting on an empty cake! The change fee elimination applies ONLY on domestic routes, and only on premium fares. The fees remain on the typical fares that you buy from on line vendors (Cheap Seats etc) and on international. If the carriers wanted to lure passengers back they would restore in flight quality ..... how about expanding the seat pitch from 32" to 35" - planes are flying at light loads with rows of empty seats so why not remove a couple of rows? That would entice people to return.

(Written on 2020/09/04)(Permalink)

Perhaps Boeing management is still smarting from the crippling strike of employees at Everett, many years ago. That memory would certainly affect my management decision, for example, but I don't work at Boeing. That strike cost Boeing huge money, delayed needed aircraft deliveries, and hurt suppliers and everyone down the chain. Surely this will be considered when choosing between hostile Everett unions and relaxed non-union Charleston?

(Written on 2020/08/28)(Permalink)

Oh, the United States carriers are promoting their sanitizing, but that doesn't make the difference. They are spraying the cabins at night. I'm sure they pay greater attention to tray tables now. Te fact is that if someone gets on the plane who has the Covid19 virus, it will be spread in the cabin. That's just the way it is. Remember, this thread started with a man stating that Airbus cleansed the air by entering through the overhead vents and existing out through the floor. That would be great if the air was properly replaced, but it's not.

(Written on 2020/06/05)(Permalink)