Originally Posted by iahflyr

Delta is not desperate They have thousands of applications on file, and can have thousands more if they wanted them.

What Delta is doing is priming the pipeline for their regional feed. The biggest risk of getting into aviation is that a pilot could be stuck at a regional for a long time. An ab initio program like Delta’s allows a more certain timeframe, thus convincing more people to take the plunge and go to flight school. Delta isn’t paying for their flight training. They’re just offering a structured program.

I like that Delta still requires an interview once these cadets put in their time. I really think the quality of pilots at American (via the flow) will be noticeably worse than the pilots at Delta and United (who may have preferred or guaranteed interviews, but still have to pass them).