John A. Biggs earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from University of Virginia in 1962. In addition, he earned a commission in the United States Navy through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp.

Upon graduation, he was selected for Naval Undergraduate Pilot Training. John went on to fly P-2 Neptunes in the Navy on active duty until 1967 when he was hired by United Airlines. Although he was flying for United, John continued his military service in the Navy Reserve and eventually retired as a Lieutenant Commander.

John led a very distinguished career with United Airlines accumulating over 30,000 flight hours in a variety of aircraft to include the DC-6, DC-8, DC-10, B-727, B-737, B-747, B-757, and B-767. While with United, John served as a Second Officer, First Officer, and ended his career as a Captain on the B-747. He was also the Safety Representative for San Francisco, a Line Check Airman, and a Union representative for pilots based in San Francisco.

John was also a major contributor to the Airline Pilots Association (ALPA). In 1998, he was recognized by ALPA in the White House for his lifelong financial contributions. He retired from United in 2001 after thirty-four years of service with the company.