Originally Posted by
crewdawg52
Not going to make this a long post by quoting everyone, but by god, quit your whining about non commutable trips! You wanted to be a pilot for a major airline, you knew what that may entail, so live with it. If you don't like your life, bid to equipment that gives you a QOL that you would enjoy!!! Or you can become a CPA, banker, etc that allows you to be at home every night.
I spent a long time on smaller equipment because I got the trips I wanted, when I wanted, and the days off I wanted. Yes, I could have gone to better paying planes, but for me, QOL was more important! AND, I never bid my vacations over holidays because I knew I could get those days off, thus allowing those junior to me to get those vacation days.
Yes, it sucks being junior. But you have not been the only one during a career that things didn't work out to expectations. Others have been in your shoes. And some of those have been junior a lot longer that you will be.
Sounds like you want to mandate that DAL trips begin, from all bases, after 1200 noon, and get back by 1800 hrs. Sorry, aint gonna happen!
And yes, I'm a proud DPA member!
It's about balance. There needs to be a middle ground. Whether you like it or not, this airline is roughly a 50/50 split on commuters/non commuters. Don't tell me commuting is always a choice. There are over 10,500 active pilots at this airline, & you have no idea what each and every commuter's individual circumstances are. To tell me that commuting is a choice is like me telling you that a displacement to a lower paying seat is a choice, or having your pension frozen was your choice.
This company is constantly changing things that effect all of us, some in more negative ways then others. Many pilots chose to move to base, only to have their base closed(MEM) or be displaced to a different base. Now what do they do? Who will cover the loss on their house due to the poor housing market? What about someone who just bought a house in ATL only to be displaced to NYC? Are they not supposed to commute? Or how about the guys who have enough seniority to hold a line on the DC-9, but will be too junior on other equipment to do so? Should a guy who moved to MSP and won't be able to hold anything in MSP once the DC9's are parked not commute?
Just because staying on lower paying equipment got you better QOL doesn't mean it will for other people. Everyone's situation is different, & it's pure arrogance to assume that everyone who commutes is doing it by choice. I want better scope, pay, retirement, trips, etc for every Delta pilot. Commuter or non commuter. It's no wonder this job continues to tank. There is just no unity. It's always 'me, me, me'.
