Even with the cuts American is flying 15-30% or more than Delta and United. will that mean more revenue? It hasn’t in the past, but maybe now after cutting 30000 employees and simplifying the fleet? The 2nd quarter report will be interesting.

why isn’t American projecting a robust hiring schedule next year. I don’t get why Delta needs 200 pilots a month if American only needs 50

Could the American pilots currently soak up this demand if there were delta style (200%) green slips?

 

couldn’t agree more. Need to be happy with what you have sometimes. I’m stuck working an office job on medical leave right now and it is the WORST

 

Until the newbies are actually sitting in their new birds, all these new hire projections are just posturing.

 

The only thing I can think is AA claims they executed their 2024 playbook in 2020, parking the 190, 330, 75/6. They claim they have or will have the same overall available seat mile inventory even with the 3 fleets parked. They claim they are more efficient with only 4 fleets and the same seat mile inventory.

Delta is probably projected to be down seat mile inventory parking the 777, 80’s, and some 717. They never claimed their COVD decisions were an accelerated execution of a 2024 plan. They never claimed their 2020 decisions would retain 2019 seat mile inventory. It also doesn’t seem like they'll exit COVID with only 4 fleet types.

IMO, this has shown Delta was a more profitable airline because they held more accountability over D0 with more departments than AA. They were not more profitable because their mgmt team were higher achieving “intellectuals” with more “vision”.

The need to hire more than what is physically achievable is a failure to plan, not a symptom of “too much success”.

 

 

fixed it for you.

 

I realize is not a completely risk free career change-- but knowing that my career ladder in my current field has topped out makes me at least want to play the pilot career game. I have enough time off to do both careers for a little while to see how it goes.

 

If you enjoy flying go get your private pilot and maybe your instrument rating and enjoy flying. Being an airline pilot (in my opinion) isn’t a job for someone who enjoys flying. Enjoying flying is a huge bonus, but loving to travel is really the key. If you dislike traveling or think you may grow sick of it (as I have after 15 years) the drag of it all will wear on your love of flying.

 

^^^ This.

Take everything you hate about traveling (running late, waiting in a line 50 deep to depart, deicing, maintenance delays, diversions, poor sleep in declining hotels, insufficient time between flights to get food or coffee or even use the restroom, the monotony of the same thing over and over and over, waiting for rampers, the decline of civility) and multiply that times 20 legs (typical 4-5 day trip at a regional).

But you can usually take a minute and enjoy a sunset, so that's a plus.

All of this tends to kill your idealistic vision of this career (and subsequently your love of flying).

If you love flying, stick to hundred dollar hamburgers. If you already make six figures and are looking for a change, consider CRNA, PA, actuary-all jobs that earn well into six figures and aren't really affected by many of the "swan events" that can torpedo this career. You can also start earning good money in another career sooner than you can as an airline pilot.

Also, the whole idea that you don't take work home is false. You still need to do quarterly training, submit your bids, get your uniform dry cleaned, prep for trips, plan your commute unless you already live in a junior base, commute to work and then back home, live with the anxiety of losing your medical or getting busted on a bad day by a fed or check airman, take calls from the company on why you went around, file ASAPs, deal with pay disputes after a reroute or tag-on, etc.

This is from the perspective of a line holder. I haven't sat reserve since the regionals. Reserve is a entirely different level of pain, especially if you have to commute to reserve.

 

Jeez, you guys are brutal. The worst guys to fly with are the ones who don’t love flying and never have. You’re going to come all this way to become a pilot on a whim? No one does that.

Dry cleaning your uniform? Lol

Answering calls from the company? You literally don’t have to do that. Call the asap guy back the next time you’re sitting at work waiting. You could have a work phone that you leave in the crew room and only pick up and drop off at the beginning and end of trips. There’s nothing stopping you and you’d never get in trouble. I never answer the phone without it going to voicemail, and I only call back if/when I feel like it.

Try dealing with the “decline in civility” when your boss (who you see every day all day) is a tool. Bad guy/girl to fly with? DNP, adios!

Deicing? You’re getting paid. ATC delays before departure? Paid. Diversion? Paid. Line to depart? Getting paid. Insufficient time to use the restroom or get food? Grow up and make the time to do it. I’m not going anywhere when I have to cut a leak or eat and neither should anyone with a spine. Monotony? Honestly tell me another job with as much variation as ours (hint- go read about all the things you just complained about, they’re all unscheduled and variable!). We literally travel the world seeing different places vs every other job where you go into the same dreary building day in and day out.

Honestly I get there are valid complaints but some of this is incredible