Does that mean you are actually working?

 

Pilots hold grudges for a long time, doesn't make sense by they do. There will be guys complaining about this merger 15 years from now. I hope Boomer and his brothers all the best. Kharma is a beeyatch.

 

The question was asked. The data is available. No spin. You just don't like the numbers. SW runs a very efficient operation that keeps their total pilot costs down even though their hourly rate is high. The total block hour costs are skewed in favor of SW because of the number of 3 and 4 man operations we have at Delta. Comparing like to like our block hour costs are around 650 an hour compared to 698 at SW.
Keep in mind that we have a higher DC plan then SW and we have huge ongoing funding obligations to the NW pilot retirement plan. They all count in total block hour costs.
Delta's pilot block hour costs will however go up quite a bit on 1 Jan. There is a 4 percent raise and a 1 percent increase in the DC. In addition NW pilots will transition to the full DC plan on that date. That ranges from a small to 14 percent increase depending on where the pilot sat on the NW matrix.
SW has a raise scheduled for next Aug if I recall. The correct numbers to use in a comparison will be the costs after both the SW and Delta raises and retirement changes are applied.

 

Well, some grudges are understandable. I can just imagine the grudges in 15 years when FL Captains are close once again to holding the Captain seats they lost to junior SWA pilots in 2012.

 

Here are some numbers I really don't like:

As a domestic narrowbody Captain in 2010, my W2 was $100,000 LESS than the W2 of the average SWA domestic narrowbody Captain!

 

Admitting it is the first step towards improving it. I think a lot of Delta folks are in total denial regarding how much less is made at Delta. Not trying to make it worse, but most of the captains that I've flown with on the 88 make close to (in some cases less) than many first officers at Southwest.

 

Pun intended?

 

Unfortunately, yes. To get a raise and 121 jet PIC time while leaving Comair all in the same move, how could you not? Hold your nose and do it IMO.

 

OMG inorite! What is up with that? Something in the H2O out there.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.