I am an adolescent airline pilot. A decade at Delta, military before that.

I’ve been through two contract cycles. Both times I felt drug down to this feeling of anger and disdain for my company. I felt they would run it into the ground and didn’t care about a thing. Then, poof, a contact and overnight the lanyards went away and everyone seemed happier. Like nothing happened. Nobody seems angry at Delta anymore, just frustrated at things we could do better (standard pilot feelings). There isn’t a common feeling of angst anymore.

My point, if there is one, is that it’s probably not as bad as it seems. The checks are cashing. The walls are coming down with new age contracts at Delta and United. It was a generational change cycle in regards to contracts. That’s why they took so long. That with Covid. Seven years is a long time to walk away from a great company. And southwest IS a great company.

Good luck with your decision.