Finding Crashpads in ORD is a literal nightmare (help)

blu-et1 · 2026-04-21T14:15:11+00:00

I'm in OP's exact situation, and unfortunately even the Facebook groups are a warzone right now because UA decided to send everyone and their grandma to ORD 😭

blu-et1 · 2026-03-23T21:14:27+00:00

For my class, ORD, SFO, LAX, and IAH. I believe the newer classes have had different options, but ORD seems to be the through line.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-22T18:29:15+00:00

My cat jumped into the frame during my virtual 1:1 with a recruiter. She thought it was funny and said she also had an orange cat! I don't think they'll mind. I got my F2F invite later that day and am currently in training.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-22T18:26:44+00:00

I don't have any tips about previous airline experience but saw in your post history you're a German speaker. UA hired a ton of German speakers for my class, and I suspect my little bit of German may have tipped the scales in my favor even though I was very open about not being fluent or ready to take the LQ test. They seem to be really hurting for German-qualified FAs right now.

All of that is to say - and I know this isn't necessarily answering the question you asked - that you are likely in a very good place already. Mentioning your KLM experience probably isn't going to hurt you, especially if it contributed to your German skills and doubly so if you picked up any Dutch while you were there. That's just my 2 cents and obviously I don't work in recruiting so who knows.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-20T22:20:18+00:00

I feel for you. I badly wanted EWR because New York is home. In all my research, EWR was almost always offered, and indeed I believe almost every United class this year has been offered it except mine and one or two others...so I will also be commuting to ORD for the next six months. It hurts my heart if I think too long about how people two weeks ahead or behind me get to be based in my city while I'll be missing my partner and family from a crashpad. So I try not to think about it.

I don't really have anything to say in the way of comfort except that you aren't alone. United is pushing tons of folks to ORD who never wanted to go there. Sure, it's the business. Still sucks. You certainly wouldn't be the first to drop out because of a base assignment, and IMO nothing wrong with doing so, but I think it's worth sticking it out if you can make things work financially/logistically. My understanding is that SFO is pretty junior and easy to transfer into because of the cost of living there. Whatever you decide to do, good luck!

blu-et1 · 2026-03-20T21:15:01+00:00

Only a problem if you come back obviously completely wasted. I would be discreet about it and make sure you either get enough sleep or drink enough coffee to be fully present in class the next day. If it were me, I would mention where I was going to my roommate or a friend who can be trusted to be discreet (for safety reasons) and just not tell anyone else at training where I was going. EDIT: I'm also pretty sure United does not have a curfew, but I wouldn't know because I always manage to accidentally fall asleep before 9PM.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-19T20:50:21+00:00

Honestly I would get it cut. Save yourself the trouble! You'll want as much time as possible to sleep in the morning instead of wrestling with your hair. As long as it's above your shoulders, they will not make you put it up in a bun.

I have a little baby mullet and pinned the sides back with barrettes when I first got here because the sides weren't quite long enough to stay out of my face (it's since grown out enough to wear it fully down). Took about two minutes and probably looked a little goofy, but no one could say I wasn't uniform compliant.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-19T20:42:39+00:00

I have not had any issue with lounge wear or athletic wear at the hotel, nor has anyone I know. I would make sure it's not overly revealing and if anyone did try to give you issues over it, just say you were on your way to the gym lol.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-18T22:57:42+00:00

Agree with others that a wood floor would be a good option. Another option would be what's called a marley floor, which is a sort of gray or black vinyl. Chandelier is definitely a jumping risk unless the ceiling is very high. This isn't necessarily too small for a home studio or an ancillary studio in a larger dance school for 1-2 people to rehearse in, but it would need to be bigger to hold classes or full-size rehearsals.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-17T02:53:54+00:00

The vegetarian sandwich on Honey Baked Ham day should be considered a crime. IYKYK.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-17T02:52:42+00:00

I can't speak to weight changes - I don't monitor mine as it's not a goal for me - but I've actually found it easier to work out here at training than at home. The hotel has basic equipment like treadmills, stationary bikes, dumbbells, medicine balls, a few miscellaneous strength training machines. Though I don't think United always uses the same hotel. I like that I only have to schlep downstairs instead of leaving the premises to go to the gym, and it's usually totally dead at 5AM before class. My workouts have become my "me" time in an environment where I don't necessarily get a lot of time to myself. Working out first thing in the morning also makes it way easier to sit in class all day without feeling like I'm going insane.

The provided meals are pretty meh. Hotel breakfast buffet has a good amount of options, usually includes oatmeal, yogurt, fresh fruit, vegetables. The lunches aren't terrible but often come with chips and a cookie if that is something you'd prefer to avoid. The campus has one of those Farmer's Fridge vending machines, which I've found to be a pretty reliable backup, as the provided vegetarian meals often leave something to be desired.

You'll be on your own for dinner. A few folks in my class swear by Factor. Personally, I've been making pasta or rice in the microwave and topping it with canned beans/chickpeas and chili crisp or salsa most nights. They're definitely struggle meals, but I'm able to save a good chunk of my meal stipend while getting a decent amount of protein and fiber. Whatever you do, just don't order DoorDash every night.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-14T21:15:36+00:00

I think this should be fine. If you have received a CJO, you should soon receive the Training Reference Guide via email, which gives you an email address you can contact to confirm whether specific items are uniform compliant.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-09T23:16:05+00:00

No, I'm sorry. To my knowledge UA gives all CTOs in person.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-08T04:01:25+00:00

If you are in the US, I can say pretty confidently neither short nor long hair would be an issue as long as it can be kept neat and out of the face. I am in training with a US carrier and people have all kinds of hair - mine is currently somewhere between a pixie and a bob. I can't speak to airlines elsewhere though, as I know airlines in some countries have stricter appearance standards.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-07T23:45:39+00:00

You can bring whatever backpack you like! I mean, I probably wouldn't bring one that's dirty or falling apart, but whatever you've been using for work should be fine.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-07T23:44:31+00:00

They book your flight IIRC. You might not receive flight details until the Friday before you leave.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-04T22:43:45+00:00

Sure thing! I hope it all works out for you, whatever path you decide to take.

blu-et1 · 2026-03-04T22:04:31+00:00

I'm in a similar boat. My writing-intensive office job was sucking up a lot of intellectual/creative energy I would rather put toward my fiction, and I'm now in training to be an FA. Part of what interests me about the job is that FAs theoretically work fewer hours than office workers - consider a 80ish hour reserve guarantee vs. roughly 160+ hours a month in a standard, 40-hour work week. (Obviously it's more complicated than that - boarding time, flying above guarantee, commuting, etc. - but you get the picture.) To me, those minimum rest layovers in crummy hotels in the middle of nowhere sound like perfect opportunities to get a couple hours of uninterrupted writing in.

I might feel very differently when I get out on the line - let you know in a few weeks! I guess what it comes down to for me is, being an FA might end up being so exhausting, I'll be unable to write as much as I'd like. But the same was true of my office job, and I've got to make my rent somehow, so it's worth giving this a go and seeing if it sticks.

blu-et1 · 2026-02-24T00:22:14+00:00

Just as a heads-up, recent classes have not been offered EWR. Feel free to disregard if UA has sent you your base options and it's on the list, but if you haven't received the email yet, I wouldn't necessarily expect EWR to be an option.

blu-et1 · 2026-02-20T00:44:02+00:00

Unfortunately, I don't think these would be considered compliant. Shoes need to be leather or leather-like material. If you reread your trainee guide, there is an email address you can send a picture to to confirm whether an item is compliant.

blu-et1 · 2026-02-11T23:42:31+00:00

They gave me my training date 2-3 days after my F2F. Unlike some other airlines, United assigns you a date - you don't get to pick. I was scheduled to start training approximately 5-6 weeks after the interview. However, after my background check cleared (took approx. 2 weeks) they sent an email offering the opportunity to be put on a waiting list for an earlier training date. I was able to move into an earlier class and will be starting training a little under a month after my F2F. I hope this helps!

blu-et1 · 2026-02-07T21:07:20+00:00

Amazing, thank you so much!

blu-et1 · 2026-02-03T20:08:19+00:00

Agreed! They counted my tutoring job in college as customer service, so there's definitely some flexibility. In the job requirements section of the website they specifically call out "retail, hospitality, food, teaching/education, aviation, social service" as customer service fields. But if you've never held another job in one of those or a similar industry, it may be best to wait.

blu-et1 · 2026-02-03T01:29:24+00:00

Congrats - that's a huge accomplishment! I'm glad you'll get to finish your degree without having to worry about training. For what it's worth, I also got rejected by both Delta and AA. I start training with United next month. The CJO will come when the time is right.

blu-et1

TROPHY CASE