Originally Posted by TalkTurkey

Here's an elaboration of the previous post:

On Oct. 29-30, Flight Operations hosted its first-ever Pilot Career Expo at the Flight Museum on Delta’s main campus. During the two-day period, 1,200 attendees – 600 each day -- passed through our main gates to talk to recruiters and learn more about our company and what it takes to become a Delta pilot.

Delta has long-participated in industry pilot career fairs that take place around the country and are attended by other carriers. This was the first time we invited attendees to our campus, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. We recruited attendees via our new Delta Pilot Recruiting Facebook page, and all available slots were taken within an hour of posting. Candidates traveled to Atlanta from around the country to spend the day with us. I can truly say it was humbling to see their enthusiasm about the possibility of one day flying a Delta jet. We are planning future career expos so stay tuned for more information.

On a related topic, this week Endeavor launched the Endeavor Pilot Connection Program aimed at growing the pool of qualified pilot candidates via a Delta employee referral program. Specifically, Endeavor will pay active Delta employees $2,000 if they recommend someone as an Endeavor First Officer and that individual is hired and successfully completes OE.

Endeavor, a wholly-owned Delta subsidiary, continues to enhance pilot pay to attract candidates. New pilots now receive a training bonus of $10,000 upon completion of their new-hire training program. Combined with a first year $20,000 retention payment and a pilot's regular monthly guarantee, Endeavor’s first year pilots will earn $60,000. After their first year, pilots will receive an annual $23,000 retention bonus -- this means that once pilots can upgrade to captain, often possible in less than 24 months, they can earn up to $87,000 each year.