Originally Posted by
gojo
I didn't mean to sound like I was saying you have the "pompous" attitude I was referring to. I'm merely saying that it's very evident among the ranks there. That's what eats at people. I understand the entitlement generation of which I'm not a part of. And really, I've had to bust my tail my whole life for what I've wanted. Just getting to a regional alone with a college degree, being motivated to upgrade as soon as possible, and keeping your record clean shows a lot of determination and motivation in my opinion. I also don't have a dog in this fight. I just feel you're stuck in the past, as in that's what I had to do when I was hired. Or that's the way we've always done it. Because truthfully, the way American is doing it would also work at Delta. The bad apples would get sorted out in training and or probation.
I don't know about that (pompousness) being evident "in the ranks here". I've heard that, just as I've heard AA pilots are "sky nazis" and NWA pilots were all disgruntled and SWA pilots are all cowboys and on and on and on. Yet the more time you spend in the industry, the more you see there really isn't much difference. I've spent a lot of time in every system's jumpseats and of course flew the same of them. No difference, other than the standard deviations you see in house anywhere.
And I'm not a "you must pay your dues" kind of guy. I am a strong advocate for hotels and uniforms for new hires as well as eliminating the artificially lower "first year pay" nonsense. IMO first year pay should be 2% or so below second year pay, etc, and NH's should get line pay, not lower "training pay".
As for the interview, I'm glad the asinine "medical" is gone, and I think we overemphasize the psych part. The knowledge part and much of the sit down are things you can almost 100% prepare for. I realize that's a lot of very particular work in a short period of time. But its what the company wants to see. Why? Because when you're hired here, you have, well, a lot of very particular work to do in a short period of time. Is it the perfect method above all others for selection? I doubt it. But it works for them. Quite well actually.
From what I've heard, they're absolutely adamant about maintaining the ability to pick who they want. Maybe AA is moving in a different direction, but the rest of the industry pretty much still does it that way.
As for the bad apples, DL does not want to get rid of people in training or during probation. Also, DL has what is by far the best probation system in the industry IMO. You're not only off in 400 hours, which for most occurs at the 7-9 month mark from DOH, but also the lion's share of jeopardy goes away after you finish OE anyway, which is usually 3 months after hire or less.
So they are really limited to get rid of people during that phase, and they don't like to anyway. What they flirted with earlier with the "all EDV new hires go to DL but everyone else gets an interview" I was 100% against. I realize how asinine that is and the division it causes.
DL has done a lot right, and some things wrongly IMO. The ridiculous buy high sell low B-School nonsense with ASA and CMR is a historic blunder. Hopefully EDV can work out to be a great place to work and a solid path to DL for those who want it. I think the success rate is high and for those who prepare and have a good attitude about it, its even higher. Still though, some will fall through the cracks and that sucks. But every legacy is hiring off the charts, plus SWA and the leading cargo airlines. It's going to be really hard to get stuck at a regional going forward unless one wants to be.