I like to think of it as more of a Hamburglar

 

But Trash Panda is worse.
So much worse.

 

Combining categories would require less pilots for those airplanes. No thanks.

 

330-900s will be included in the 330 category.

The 350 is different enough that the FAA required landings in both the 330 and 350 for currency, which is too onerous to justify a combined category. UA and AA keep the 777 and 787 separate as well for similar reasons.

 

Wait, pilots are actually allowed to land an Airbus?

 

I'd rather they keep the categories separate so we get the benefit of more pilots which is way better than a few pilots making a little higher rate. Be very careful what you wish for.

 

Only after it calls you a retard!

 

It's not just TO/landing currency, they require separate segment currency i.e. for all 8 phases, which is not practical for Delta.

Also, A330 and A350 are separate type ratings as printed on a pilot certificate in the FAA world, unlike "757/767".

 

What does that mean? If you did the TO, flew it to TOC plus a minute, and then from a minute prior to TOD to landing, wouldn't that be all phases? And how would they even track all that?

 

As much as I understand - close, but you would need to hang out a little longer (maybe 2 minutes ) to accomplish:

(Task 4.1 in CO) Perform Cruise Operations:
Nav Accuracy Check
WWO Perform Long Range Navigation Waypoint Passage Procedures
Oceanic Entry
Applicable theater procedures
SelCal Check
SLOP
RVSM
Communications
Driftdown review
Divert review

That segment currency would have to be accomplished for each pilot (obviously including reserve) on each type (330 and 350) every .. 6 or 9 months, I can't remember.
The amount of 4 dudes rotations and challenges of tracking the currency drove the decision to create separate categories at Delta.

Initially, however, there was a debate with bean counters, but when our first initial cadre guys went to train on A350 in the spring of 2015 they all agree on separate categories and the company honored it.