Ran into a guy i know from college who's a controller in LIT, he's been there a year, and said he started in the low-mid 40's, and is loving his job.

Have another friend who was furloughed from expressjet, was on sidelines looking in, and applying for every job under the sun. He applied for the Police Department, was accepted, and had a class date. He also had applied to another regional, and was partially through the hiring process with the FBI. I was happy to see him with so many options on the plate, he decided that he'd only be happy flying, took the regional gig, and might now be looking at another furlough. On the contrary, he made a decision that hopefully he can live with, and that's all that matters.

People's choices are influenced by their lives, personalities, and commitments. Each one is unique, and i'd say for the O.P.'s Question, atleast it was unique for the kid who is giving up on Delta.