TJohn

Howdy all. My best bud just interviewed with UAL and he thinks it went really well. He is optimistic that he'll get a call. He also has an interview with DAL next month. Assuming he is fortunate to get offers from both, which one should he choose? He lives on a lake in Michigan not too far from Detroit. So with DAL's Detroit base, I'd think it's a no brainier. Plus, I think DAL is a better run airline. But UAL has a better route structure, and if a management team worthy to run such a marqee brand were to run it, it could really be the 800 lb gorilla in the airline biz. I know, "if Ifs and Buts were candy and nuts"!!!

Based on pilot retirements, current and projected future equipment, current contract, and QOL- Which one would you choose?

Full disclosure- I'm legacy UAL with two furloughs under my belt. I recently came back to the company after military bypass. I'm really enjoying the flying, and I think it is a much better airline then when I left it.

Thanks!

hockeypilot44

You know as well as I do that it doesn't matter. They are both great jobs.

Piklepausepull

"better route structure".....

Implying that you or your friend aspire to be a WB capt, flying around the globe.

That's fine for some, but not always attainable, and not always the cream on top!

(Lagos comes to mind!!!!)

Quality of life, i.e. NOT commuting, and earning a decent wage in a pleasant cockpit, with a decent opposite seat guy or gal, will make the job MUCH more pleasant, and then you can rag on the guys from SWA, just for fun!

Sliceback

Drive to work or commute? Let me think about that for a second .... I'd choose Spirit.

horrido27

Commuting is huge.
That being said.. culture of the company is big too.
The "Culture" at united is not good. Be it between Pilots and Management, employees and management and lastly, between the two old sides (CAL vs. UAL).

If it's 'just a job' you're looking for, then it won't matter where you go. If you try/want to care a bit, then look hard at the threads between the two Airlines.>

Let us know where you end up!
Always
Motch

Ray Red

DL any day of the week and twice on Sunday's. Drive to work or fly to work for the next 20+ years? I've commuted for 14 years and can't wait till I can park the airplane and get in my car and drive home.

crewdawg

What he said! Last year I left one legacy for Delta for this very reason, and I couldn't be happier! At best, I was looking at a one leg commute to sit reserve in a crash pad for a few years...but would have always had a commute until I retire for the ANG. At DAL, I held a fairly commutable line right out of training. The next month I was home based (both airline and Guard), sitting reserve at my house, and I'll probably hold a line by summer. He should be able to get DTW fairly quickly, if not during training. This is a no brainer.

galaxy flyer

Past is Prologue, spend a little time looking at the post-deregulation era history of the two companies--it should be obvious which one. UA hasn't had a stable management since Pat Paterson left. The Ferris-Dubinsky wars, ESOP disaster, UA-CO merger.

GF

Firsttimeflyer

Its really a crap shoot because you don't know what the right choice was until you retire. Ask any pilot from an airline that doesn't exist any more which path they say they should have taken.
At this point I would tell him Delta for the quality of life of not commuting unless he wants to move. Other than that the pay and benefits will be quite close. Delta right now is doing far better with profit sharing and should be better with pay rates once the next contract is in place.

Sliceback

NONE of the Big 3 is better than the one at your home. NONE. The career expectations are so darn close.

Company culture? Last trip three of us were laughing our asses off and having a blast, one was mostly laughing, and two were miserable. Think a great culture would have made the miserable people happy? Think a miserable culture would have made the happy people miserable? I think of the line "want love? Get a puppy."