Best Airline for Initial QOL
#41
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2018
Posts: 2,347
I’m attempting to compile what I’ve learned so far about United and Delta so my wife can easily understand the pros/cons of each airline:
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
I’m only mentioning this because you said WB and IAH in the same post. You will not be offered this in BI at UAL. That will take a year or two to get there. SFO & EWR 777 FO has been offered out of BI, but normally goes very junior since people don’t generally want to live in those places unless they do already. If you’re AD and separating at ~34 you’ll be just below the average age. Lately, that doesn’t sentence you to a WB and if the trend continues, you’d likely be able to bid IAH 737 FO out of the chute. Same with ORD. Line credit ranges for junior FO lineholders in both of those domiciles are at the high end, working about 15 days a month.
#42
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,110
How much is being around your kids worth?
You can be home every night if you want if you are based in NYC with DL or UAL on a narrow body with just a little bit of time.
It will cost you though. High taxes and higher Cost of Living is the price you’ll pay to be home almost every night.
Only you can decide if a low cost area is worth being away from family more.
Northern Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut are all convenient but expensive.
Once the kids are out, sell the house and move to a less expensive area.
You can be home every night if you want if you are based in NYC with DL or UAL on a narrow body with just a little bit of time.
It will cost you though. High taxes and higher Cost of Living is the price you’ll pay to be home almost every night.
Only you can decide if a low cost area is worth being away from family more.
Northern Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut are all convenient but expensive.
Once the kids are out, sell the house and move to a less expensive area.
Last edited by marcal; 03-25-2023 at 05:00 PM.
#43
Years to hold a line at DAL? No. More like months on the narrowbody fleets that are growing and seemingly chronically understaffed (320 and 737). And there are months that you may even want to bid reserve (like the summer) to get days off you want, enjoy extra days off, or to “roll thunder” and make a ton of money. It took me a good 6 months to learn and absorb just how good the contract is here at DAL. And it just got better.
#44
I’m attempting to compile what I’ve learned so far about United and Delta so my wife can easily understand the pros/cons of each airline:
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
#45
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2022
Posts: 21
Years to hold a line at DAL? No. More like months on the narrowbody fleets that are growing and seemingly chronically understaffed (320 and 737). And there are months that you may even want to bid reserve (like the summer) to get days off you want, enjoy extra days off, or to “roll thunder” and make a ton of money. It took me a good 6 months to learn and absorb just how good the contract is here at DAL. And it just got better.
#46
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2022
Posts: 21
Im not at UAL or DAL, but none of that sounds definitively true to me. You are way overthinking some of this. Time to hold a line? That’s going to vary widely depending on your base and aircraft. Same with “efficient trips”, I would not weight those in your decision matrix. A lot of the things you mentioned are subjective as well. What was your goal when you applied? Your gut feeling? Where do you want to live? Have you looked at real estate and schools?
I’m looking forward to making a decision soon and not looking back.
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2006
Position: 737 FO
Posts: 2,370
I’m attempting to compile what I’ve learned so far about United and Delta so my wife can easily understand the pros/cons of each airline:
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
United: Initially, 10-15% faster seniority progression due to being in the middle of the hiring wave. Hold a line years sooner than Delta, including WB flying (assuming it’s the lifestyle we want). Work a couple more days a months than Delta due to some trip inefficiencies. Not much opportunity to drop trips. Inferior contract but hopeful for a renewal by summer.
Delta: Historically, a better managed company with a superior contract (LTD, reserve rules, pay). More efficient trips, working less days per month. Ability to drop trips. Slower initial seniority progression due to sustained hiring since 2014, meaning it’ll take years longer to hold a line. However, better reserve rules still allow for great QOL. Once I’m eligible, I have the opportunity to become a SLI and drive home every night (fly once a quarter).
Since I’ve learned both airlines have domiciles we would be happy to live in, that part of the equation is no longer on the forefront of our decision matrix.
#48
I haven’t looked at widget seniority in a while, but I recall looking at it when I was a brand new hire and pretty much everything it prognosticated for me hasn’t been true.
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,276
decide where you really want to live, then go to that company. If they are both in that place (NYC, for example), take the first class and go from there.
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