Even if you’re right, that doesn’t mean 17-20 year upgrades are normal. Just as 1-3 year upgrades are not normal.

 

Any word on potential classes? I’ve been in the pool for a while. On the list at spirit facing furlough in a month. Not sure if I should gamble on waiting or try another legacy in the interim. Any tips?

 

Word I heard was classes starting in January and hiring 600.

 

Cast a wide net, friend.

 

But not too wide. That net caught a lot of current spirit pilots

 

How does it work though? Delta is my top pick because of a particular base. Let’s say I do go to another airline in the interim. Do I have to re-do my background check? Would leaving that airlines training program (and having that show on my record) cause an issue?

 

Each airline will run their own background check.

Leaving an airline as a new-hire might well blacklist you from ever getting called by that airline again. Depends on the airline and their needs in the future. And also your reasons... if you resigned to care for an ill family member and had no other option, they'd probably take you back later.

It would show on your record but if you had minimal air gap between leaving and starting at the next airline it would be obvious that you just got a better (for you) offer. As opposed to fired for some reason. They know that if you had a two week employment gap, that you already had the next job lined up because you can't apply, interview, and get a legacy class date in two weeks.

Since we're talking legacies, ie career destination jobs, I'd be somewhat less concerned about burning bridges. If you get on with a legacy which domicile geography that works for you, you're probably not leaving until you retire.

 

you are over thinking it. What you want is a particular base but what you NEED is a job. Delta just isn’t hiring right now and the forecast for it is poor. During the hiring frenzy plenty of guys left Airline A for Airline B during training for the exact reason you would do it. None of them are on some kind of national hit list.

if we accept the idea that Spirit is done for, you just need to get to the first airline that hires you and sort out the rest under the comfort of a steady paycheck. Any port in a storm, man.

 

Not unheard of at all.


One third of my Delta class were Southwest pilots, leaving at anywhere from 0-7 years (!). And we had a couple United guys.

Granted, this was a few years ago when they were frustrated with their contract and realized they could upgrade faster here.

 

Lots of guys in my new hire class left for greener pastures in the first year or so. Like it was said, take the first job you can get. You can always go to Delta when they start filling classes