I'm not a Delta cheerleader, however I think your friends are going to regret that decision. Here is how the industry works....you are leading the way one day (everyone wanted to be a UAL pilot in 2000, when they got their new contract and then a DAL pilot in 2001 when we got ours) then the next day you are the goat and everyone wants to be the current flavor of the day (since 911 SWA, FEDEX, UPS, JetBlue have been ruling the roost). But people that have been in this industry for a couple of decades or so have seen the cycle so it's pretty much smart not to brag too much today about your "industry leading contract" because you may have to eat those words later.

I was hired at SWA before I was hired at DAl. I called a buddy of mine, at American, and told him the news. He said great now you need to make it to the one of the big three (American, United or Delta). This was 2000 and SWA just didn't have the pay or retirement compared to a legacy airline. Now the whole industry is going to a 401k/DC plan retirement and SWA leads the way in pay.