I have a reckless driving and 2 speeding tickets, the earliest One is 3 years ago. What's my chances of getting an interview? Should I include them on my driving record for airline apps? What should I do? Or what can I do? I know there are many ways to deal with this but what's the best approach?

 

That's going to be tough in the current environment...especially the reckless. You can pull all of your national and state driver records in the hopes that they don't all show up, but odds are that anything that recent will show. If it happened in 1982 before the computers were quire as good, you might have lucked out and had it slip through the cracks but nowdays...not so much.

If you omit it from your application, you might get hired but you will quickly get "unhired" when they find it on your background check. Also they normally do background checks (which are expensive) AFTER you report for training. This means that you will have been fired from a 121 airline job, and will probably never work in the industry again.

How long ago was the reckless? If it was 15 years ago, and then just a couple tickets since you might be OK. But if it was within 3-5 years you will probably need to work in 135, corporate, or other 91 stuff to put a few years between you and the reckless. You will also need a PERFECT record from now on, not even a ten-over. I can afford a ticket, but you cannot.

Hopefully you were very young when it happened. If you were 25+ plus they will have reservations. If you were over 30, they will doubt that you can change since most people don't change much after 30.

 

It wasn't long ago at all. About 3-5 years ago when I was 21. I was in an accident on the hwy. So you suggest I put it on my airline apps website? I haven't failed any check rides with no violations. I just wouldn't want to be turned away for a chance to tell my side of the story. What about getting it expunged? Is that an option?

 

Keep on the straight and narrow.......chances are slim but anymore will look bad. BTW have you requested your DMV record? What I'm getting at is if they are on there then you bet your a$$ the airline is going to find/see them. You also can see if you can get your reckless driving expunged but like other will say, there is a paper trail somewhere. Anyways good luck you will need it.

 

If it asks for it, and you do not put it down, you will be sent home from the interview or fired later, depending on when they find out about it.

If you omit it from the application (and they specifically asked) you will be sent home from the interview if you disclose it at that time.

You might denied without getting to tell your side, but at least you can apply again later after some time has passed. That's better than getting fired...

You were fairly young, so time is on your side. Apply to every airline which is accepting apps, you might get lucky but plan on a few more years of GA or 135.

Getting it expunged will not necessarily work with the airline TSA background check, that is a long, complicated discussion (search the forums here, we've been down that road before).

 

Called the DMV today. Found out it's a careless, not a reckless. Is there a difference? Better worse?

 

Where I live, reckless driving is a crime. It's a midemeanor that can't be handled simply by paying a fine. Careless driving, however, is not a criminal offense.

 

thats good news. Any other thoughts?

 

To me that sounds better than reckless, but it all depends on the interviewer's perception and how the jurisdiction defines "careless driving".

Reckless is what you get after you try to evade the cops on your GSX-1000 at 0200 on sunday morning, but it turns out you were sober after all when they catch you.

If it were me...

I would get the legal definition from that jurisdiction. Then I would submit the app and additionally send a letter to the interviewers at the airlines you are applying to explaining the difference between reckless and careless...bend over backwards to accept full responsibility though.

Also you still have a few too many recent tickets in my opinion but it does not hurt to apply anyway.

 

How many tickets is too many to get into 121? I have 2, first was 8 years ago and second was 2 years ago.