Is it a uniform if everyone wears it?

I think we basically are if you add it all up.

I see more jackets than boat coats these days in the crew vans.

When are we required to be in uniform?

According to my union, uniform compliance is an option now.

I have to chuckle at this … I had an ID90 for the late flight on delta from ATL to my home … last flight out of ATL that would get me home. We were late blocking in so I was running for my flight … hat off and black uniform jacket flapping in the breeze as I ran. At some point, as I was running to the gate at the end of the concourse, I realized that there was screaming behind me that had started about the time I came off the escalator. I finally realized that the individual was screaming at me to put my hat on and to button my uniform … a quick glance over my shoulder I saw a rotund delta pilot … red faced with veins bulging but jacket buttoned and hat on. I didn’t slow down or stop until I was at the departure gate. The guy finally caught up with me … still screaming … I finally turned around and he saw my EASTERN wings … said “Oh” … turned around and walked off. This was in the ‘80s.

For the most part the delta pilot group has improved. I’m guessing the suicide of the shrink as well as the mergers with WESTERN and NORTHWEST helped the process.

It’s this perception of nuance that really sets us apart from other pilot groups.

Spot on. Don't know whether to😅 or 😢

It couldn't possibly be the forty years that have transpired since your story occurred don't ya think? No changes would have happened if not for those two events( to save Delta pilots from themselves) in those ensuing years? Stereotype much?

My god you are thin skinned. It’s becoming obvious to everybody on here that you are the one who is still mentally held up on the merger. All those NW guys living rent free in your mind, lol.

The “Jacket Off” campaign starts tomorrow!

We had a merger?

Why would they be living rent free in my head? I stayed within 1% relative seniority and the merged airline was much stronger.

My point was simply, a guy comes on here with an entertaining story from 40 years ago and acts like no changes in pilot behavior would have occurred "but for" the 3 he listed. The pilot in his story was prolly ex-Vietnam vintage. Times were different 40 years ago. It's an "evolutionary" process where his 3 factors of change no doubt had an effect, however, I could list at least 10 things that were prolly more instrumental than the 3 he mentioned.

Maybe you ought to ??? who is living rent free in your head:)

BTW.... his story was amusing, it just had a logic flaw that wasn't necessary unless one wants to play identity politics. ie ALL Delta pilots parochial, archaic, uptight Dicks that only got the nod from a troubled psychiatrist and that could only be saved by other fresh blood via merger

The Deltoid classics were uptight about the uniform. I was at a DCI carrier and when we got leather jackets, I would ride the combined employee bus and here it prior to every trip. You would have thought we were single handedly destroying the brand especially during bankruptcy. One guy dressed as a US Air pilot for halloween and the picture went around, most thought it funny. The Deltoids lost their sh!t.

I think hats will unofficially be optional from here on out. Seems to be 50/50 on whether pilots even like wearing them. The world will keep spinning and delta will keep making money.

The thing of it is that our u-boat commander jackets look funny without a hat.

Towards the end, NWA got rid of the hats and we got leather jackets. They were really pretty nice and worked quite well up in the frigid north. Zip in lining so you could tweak it for cold or MSP cold. No velcro or other crap, so once you took the epaulets off, it was just a normal jacket you could wear on an overnight, so no need to pack another coat. Wiped clean with a damp rag and otherwise required zero maintenance. The "official" vendor was Gibson and Barnes, and they were really well made. Of course, pilots being pilots, some went for a cheap option (some vendor in India), and they didn't look that great (my opinion, but hey whatever).

Given that most people say they're pragmatic, and that the jackets were the more practical option, the folks that didn't like the jackets for one reason or another had other things going on. "Hmmmm, I'm presented with a really practical option that works in 95% of the cases, versus a coat that looks like it came from a 1940s movie, winkles, looks like sh!t, and doesn't really keep me warm, plus I need to drag another coat along for a layover because I don't want to look like a creep...but I'm going with the later because....I don't want to "look like an RJ pilot".

Good luck with that

Much like saying Chicago Black….. hawks. Enunciation is key make sure to get the “et” on jacket, or that could be a HR issue. I’m going with “no contract, no coat” to avoid confusion.

Funny story. The FO I just flew with had been rerouted on a previous trip. As part of the reroute the FO flew with an ATL captain. Said captain told the FO to put the hat on. The FO put the hat on. The captain said if the FO hadn’t had the hat he would have had him removed from the flight. When the FO returned to base he shared the story with the union rep. They were not surprised by the name of the ATL captain. My bet is he’s a “no” vote.

Maybe more people need to know that name. You know…just so they can be prepared. Or so they can bid to fly with him and tell him to pound sand.

Lol, I wish this had happened to me.

You and me both. That captain can pound sand.

That’s probably why an FO was needed. This is totally a guess….FO #2 gets assigned a short call (because the FO #1 saw who they were supposed to fly with and dropped the trip), sees who the CA is and has a car accident on the way to the airport. FO #3 ( out of base, opposite coast) gets rerouted. Now FO #3 has a new addition to his no-fly list. FO #1 and #2 update their no-fly lists. As soon as all the new hires have the pleasure of flying with CA they will update their lists and only FOs who are rerouted will get to fly with the CA.
PSA …you still have 31 minutes left to vote!

I don’t even carry my hat with me. I’m guessing he doesn’t actually have the power to remove his fo due to no hat. Fear tactics. He can call chief pilot who will probably laugh at him and tell him to get back to work. What an A-hole.

Is there a way to see what FOs (if any) have avoid listed Captains?

I don't think I've ****ed any off that bad, bu then again, inflation moths ate my hat months ago, and it hasn't seen the light of day since.

the funny part is it probably would have ended up like the whole mask thing during covid....where the one calling asking for the other pilot to be removed was actually the one removed.

The reason reports should show that. Just search each by the appropriate employee number.

We get it. Everyone hired at Delta prior to the merger is somehow beneath your lofty standards. You are so cool.

Exactly…who do you think the chief pilots office would be more annoyed with? I’m sure they are already familiar with him.

I’d imagine he will be one of the first calls the company makes, in the case a strike actually happens.

Gotta love the ALPA text-caster 1 min after the vote closes.

Yay for vacation move-ups!

So, it's 2pm EST.

Strike vote closed.

What's the final tally?

I predict better than 95/95 on Participation/In Favor.

It is a no brainer to give our negotiators every tool that they can use.

Apparently the guy who threatened to have his FO taken off the trip feels differently

Do tell? What?

Had heard a FO refused to fly with a Capt. over a disagreement on flap deployment.

Seems some folks are making a really easy part of the job, hard.

It was two pages back.

Thanks.

I am all for the Leather Jackets and still have one. Might find myself some gold velcro epaulets. If anyone dares say I word I will offer to change jackets the very second the company complies with our scope agreement.

What matters?

Tick tock, tick tock………

Hah, same here. What a clown.

I'm begging for someone to remove me from a trip, paid or not. I WANT to drop trips, but I can’t, so that would do nicely.