Are there any US Expats that are considering going to one of the legacies?
I thought I would elaborate a bit more as to why I am looking at leaving here for a US legacy.
1. My primary concern is time at home. While it is nice to have 12 days off in a row (more if vacation is used), almost 2 of those days are lost in the commute, and my usefulness at home for the first 2 days back home are limited due to jetlag. UA's contract has 12 days minimum at home. While I will be commuting 4 or 5 times a month, those will likely be days spent at home in my bed. A US legacy will,hands down, give you more time at home.
2. Pay. AJX pays well, however, UA's new contract pays more over the long term. Based on the projected pay scales, I will make the same base pay as what I make here after 10 years, assuming I make guarantee and stay on the 737. If I make more than guarantee or get on larger equipment, my break even will be faster. After upgrading at UA, my base pay will be significantly more than what I make at AJX. It is very possible that the pay at AJX will be increased but by how much and when is anyone's guess. It is also possible that UA's will go down....It's all a guessing game.
3. Retirement. UA is a hands down winner with 16% B fund. I'm pretty much maxed out at $1000 per month at AJX.
4. Schedules: Its very nice to be able to get your days off at AJX, however, the schedules when you are working are very fatiguing and I am more exhausted here that I was when I was flying at a US regional. While they have been improving, the way the routes are structured make it impossible to have decent scheduling. I was originally hired to fly only PAX and am now flying almost exclusively cargo and the trend is more and more cargo.
5. Work environment: With a few exceptions, the AJX guys are great to fly with. Management however, is a different story. Over the last few years, the office has become very difficult to work with and they seem happier to have it that way. I would expect that to be pretty much the same at UA, but at least you have some avenue of recourse when wronged. You are pretty much at the company's mercy at AJX.
6. Contracting Company: Parc was great in the beginning but has done a 180 over the last 2 years. My health insurance will not cover me in the US and Parc has said it is not possible for them to get US coverage since they are not a US company. Despite the fact that IAC pilots do have coverage and they are not a US company. Their attempt to change the disability cover earlier this year was pretty much the straw that broke the camel's back.
7. Long term stability: Most of the industry mergers have been completed and things seem to have stabilised in the US. Should things go sour, one can always go back to the contracting world, but if things don't work out at AJX, your options are a bit more limited. Having recall rights at a US major gives someone in the contract world a type of stability that I do not have. Will AJX be around in 5 years, almost certain.....10 years, probably....20? who knows. Contracts can and have been cancelled on short notice here. We are the "temporary" help at AJX.
Despite all of the above, if I were single and looking for an adventure, I would recommend coming and staying here. However, in my instance, I am looking at money and time off. Over the long run, there is no question that going to a US legacy offers more of both with the years I have left.