We are obviously not Midwest. I work at the same place you do and read the same forums. Where are these delusional pilots at? I would say most if not all are very aware about what is going on. Maybe they don’t think the end is near as many on here scream but that does not make them delusional. I have yet to find anyone singing the Lego song around here (look it up)

 

This airline has a divided pilot group. Some are in La La land

 

I cringe when I see these threads: pilots, asking other pilots to assist in forecasting their future career plans and progression, solely based on a snapshot TODAY.

With that said, I fully understand - and share - your frustration. I'm an A320 CA on 10 year pay. I'm fortunate to have been raised and live in BOS, so this company was a no brainer for me, as I had no intent on moving or commuting. I told myself my next interview would be my last, and here I am. No regrets. And thats coming from a guy who has been displaced from the left seat 3 times, and had multiple awards cancelled.

I'm a firm believer in "this too, shall pass," and I am confident that we can make it out of this slump we are in and thrive on the backside, but it will not be without a little bit of confidence and trust of the ELT, which is where we are all struggling right now. I'm not delusional to our finances, but the fix wont be overnight, patience is key.

It all comes down to what you are looking for in a career? What do other companies have that JB doesn't? With few exceptions, all the majors havent been at the bottom at the same time. (9/11 events excluded, and thats where JB showed modest growth.) It's all cyclical, and one thing is almost guaranteed, and it's that at some time in the future, UA, DL, AA, et al, will all experience hardships, and perhaps another BK.

The only time you can get a true gauge on how your career has progressed and met your personal metrics, is to wait until you retire and look back. If we go teets up, and I find myself on the street, I honestly cant say I wouldn't do it any different, because at the time we came here, we had no idea on how ours, or anyones careers would pan out. I'm riding the wave nearly 50% up the list, sitting RSV, not flying, with a 25 minute drive to work. For me, having no kids, I love it. One size doesn't fit all, and I wish you the best of luck, but please don't feel like you "settled" if you choose to stay here. Guys here who chime in and say unequivocally "come to Delta," can only say that about their personal choices. For a lot of people, myself included, Delta isn't the place to be, because of my QOL requirements.

The whole "my company is better" sh*t needs to stop, it only divides us further.

 

Very well said. It’s tough to figure out what to do. That choice is much easier with the amount of time someone has been here.

I also agree I think we can dig our way out of it. And it sure is a cycle unfortunately we are at the bottom of that cycle right now. It won’t be terribly long where if you are hired at DELTA you will literally be stuck at the bottom for a long time as we start to hit our retirements and hopefully growth again. But that’s still a ways off.

Hopefully everyone ends up at a place that makes them happy.

 

And I’ve come across hundreds upon hundreds of utterly miserable p****s at places like Delta, supposedly working at the happiest place on earth, absolutely hating on life and treating everyone around them like crap. Some of them are in this thread!

If you live in a big boy base and you have a big boy offer letter, go if you want to! You’d be silly not to. But I’m really, truly sick of this “only dumb people stay here” nonsense, and anyone saying it is already so far gone down the lack-of-qol doom spiral that their “advice” is just as garbage nonsense as they think other people’s is. It’s the same kind of person at every airline, just miserable in their existence and projecting it onto everyone else, coming up with all these excuses why anyone else isn’t as miserable a turd as they are. “They must be delusional!” Just the worst kind of pilot to fly a trip with or be around.

 

First step is apply, then get hired.

Also Delta hiring is stopped until 2026. Last CJOs are being told Q3 2026 class. Potentially you’ll be 1 year away from starting at delta.

It will take about 10years to move 5,000 numbers. Unless the company grows massively, getting a left seat will take about 7 yrs or so.

 

No one really does. A new hire saying "I'm here for the w/b's doesn't really know what it's about. He just imagines he knows what it's about. Until you do it you don't know. The sleep cycle is no joke. Until you've done it you don't know if you can hack it.

I was telling my best friend for about a decade "you need to bid w/b's and check it out." His reply, 100% valid...at the time was "I'm like the flying I'm doing. I like my seniority, I don't have to do w/b flying." All valid....and then he bid w/b flying. "So what do you think?" "If I'd know it was this good I would have bid it sooner." He's AT the airline, his buddies ARE flying the trips, and he didn't/couldn't understand what it was like.

FO hated w/b flying. No interest. Went back to domestic. Upgraded to Captain. No interest in w/b flying. Now he's after his 787 Captain bid. From "I didn't like it" to "he's back...." Here's the deal, it's only a 2 yr bid. After 2 years bid off if it's not your gig. Plenty of guys never do - "This ruined me. I'd flown w/b's in the military but this is much better. I'm a crack addict*. I'm here until I upgrade to 777/787 Captain. He's seen n/b domestic Captain up close and personal as an FO. N/b CA or G4 FO? His "I'm here for 6-9 months and then going to upgrade" went out the door after he realized how much the w/b flying was truly "a different airline."

* Joke - what's the difference between a large w/b FO (G4 FO at AA) and a crack addict? You might get the addict off of crack....but you aren't getting the G4 FO out of his seat."

If you leave JB try w/b FO for 2 years. If you like it stay. If you don't leave. A LOT stay. "It's a different airline."

 

Why do people always find the need to rationalize and do this sell job of flying a widebody?

If someone says they have no desire to. Why can’t it just be that? They don’t have a desire to do it. Simple .

I understand the fact that having them on property is great for everyone. It helps with seniority progression within the narrowbody fleet. But, some people really don’t care about actually flying them.

 

Same, I’ve not run into a single pilot here that doesn’t know this company is in distress. I don’t think we’re merging with United, nor do I think we’re going Chapter 7. Possible a merger YEARS into the future, but no one should hold their breath.
Anyone that actually interviews and gets a legacy offer, I’d suggest to leave. It’s one to talk about, it’s another to complete that entire process and have an offer in hand. They’re not handing out those jobs like they were before; I know guys constantly updating their apps and not getting called.

 

It’s called discussion, Chad; food for thought. Because I said the same thing - I like domestic, my life is great, I don’t think I’ll sleep well on the plane, etc. I try it and guess what? My life is exponentially better to where I still can’t believe this is my job most days. It truly is a different airline and lifestyle. Sliceback’s post was very accurate to those of us cut out for it.

Not ****ing in your blue kool aid, just trying to share some knowledge as others shared with me when I said, nah, I’m happy in the 73. Thank God I tried it.