Just for example... cause I am so jaded. Especially vs those guys today. At NWA we could at least schedule the cockpit JS like we can today at Delta. Thank the NWA guys. Cause at the “North” if you couldn’t get the JS it was $10 for a coach NRV seat or $20 for First class. No ****. As a new hire we had to pay for a effin NRV seat. Only if you could get a cockpit JS would it be free. So if you had the JS, even if a new hire it was protocol to give it up to an off line RJ guy to spare him the money. Even though at the time I was making $36 hour as a new hire.

So yes. I’ll continue to tell how it was back in the day. Because now, due to Alpa we’ve come a long way.

 

Oh no! Did you have to buy your own water bottles too?!

 

Delta had non rev charge first 10yrs of employment. I think $14/leg.

No buddy passes. No companion travel. Only Spouse or parents if single. And a few international per year.

No DH relief. In fact there was a requirement to sign in at domicile....even if 1st leg was DH to city where you lived.

Kinda crimped the style of the former Panam 727 pilots that lived in Frankfurt.

 

This thread has become ridiculous. Let’s all reminisce when life was a struggle. I had to walk uphill both ways in the snow to work. You’re all sounding like your grandparents. Look, I’m not saying things are peachy, but it doesn’t have to be a comparison between us. Cause that’s what it sure feels like.

 

Okay, okay. But just one last thing...

https://youtu.be/5NeS4ueaU6w

 

Our flight attendants use to wear black lingerie and come to the Captain's room at 9 for turn down service.

 

Delta Express was a unique 737-200 operation based out of MCO. The flying was great - mainly north south on the east coast with good layovers. Very efficient trips. It was a very low paying "B" scale pay wise. IIRC we had 2 and three year Captains that were paid less than 757/767 FOs. Pay was so low we had plenty of guys upgrading in just over/around 1 year. Many guys were killing it via GSWC and the FO category had the distinction of being the "Waiting room" for furlough in 2002 and 2003. Our post 9-11 "MOAD" dumped most of the junior FOs in MCO and after the original 400 were furloughed from mainly FE spots in fall 2001 most furloughs were from the MCO FO category. When I was first bumped there I was a fairly senior FO holding a line. About 80 FOs furloughed each month so you were losing seniority every month. Express started around 1996/7 and stopped around 2004.

Never flew Shuttle flying and it was some time ago so I will give it a shot. Shuttle flying was mostly hourly flights between BOS, LGA, and DCA. 727s then 88s and then RJs for a while. No differences in pay or work rules with the possible exception of airport standby. High value pax could walk up last minute and be guaranteed a seat. If the flight was full they would launch the spare to guarantee seats. Then some time after 9-11 DAL changed the way they operated the shuttle and it slowly withered.

Song was essentially seamless for 757 Pilots. Song flights were built into the bid package. FAs had to interview for Song and did a bunch of things different for Song. No pay, bidding differences for Pilots. I heard Pilots liked the Song flying but it probably had more to do with crews, layovers etc. Song was short lived maybe 2003-2006 give or take.

Scoop

 

I’ve conducted my own poll, and I’ve concluded that you all need some stickers for your bags. Get ‘em while they’re hot. $5 with all proceeds to the Delta Pilots Charitable Fund. PM me.

 

Love the idea. Guess I am not that brave.

But one for the beer fridge is in order.

 

You nailed it....but don't forget the 73N and its freakishly higher pay rate replaced the 727s on the Shuttle to be followed by the 73Gs for a short stint before the single-class 88s took over. Then the 319s did it for a while as DCI took over the DCA side of the Shuttle followed by the 717.

And...the Shuttle had "Shuttle stand-by" lines where you were doing airport stand-by for 10 or 12 hours and getting 5 or 6 hours of pay respectively. Dozing for $$ while following the Shuttle stand-by philosophy - "Sleep till you're hungry then eat till you're sleepy." 😊