jc73drvr

65 is an excellent age to retire.

johnso29

Actually, I think that excellent age is 60.

tailendcharlie

Again, if so many international carriers were "desperate" would they not be actively seeking experienced US pilots without regard to ratings and currency on type? Does not seem to be the case; you can have 10,000 hours of MD-80 time but if they fly A320's you are out of luck. Some exceptions like Emirates but by & large they still seem to be getting typed & current people, don't they?

RJSAviator76

Why would they pay for you to get typed in A320 only for you to figure out you don't like being abroad? You walked away with a type rating at their expense, and they're still in the bind...

Things work a little differently when you're already abroad...

JungleBus

It's all supply and demand, right now Emirates gets enough applicants with their current minimums and compensation package. Once they don't, you'll see them (and other foreign carriers) loosen minimums, up the pay, or both. This is already seen in some corners of the world and on some airframes. Tianjin Airlines in China has been having such trouble finding qualified EMB170/190 pilots that they recently upped their base salary from $130k to $188k. Per year. For the same airplane I get $70/hr to fly in the states. Supply and demand.

Avroman

Think Delta could get another free airplane like that again? I guarantee there wouldn't be one penny donated from any Connection employees.

FIIGMO

Not sure where you are going with this exactly. But Avro, not being a DAL employee, just what is it that you expect from DAL as a sub contracted pilot and employee. First, I have to say I was a regional pilot for 10 years (not by choice like you?) before DAL. Left to go to DAL because no future at a regional as long as DAL controls purse strings. I never expected anything from DAL. My company had a contract with them and like it or not that was it. Frustration at times due to the wide varying schedules Ma Delta put out? Constant moving of flying to between connection carriers and degraded QOL issues? All true and all not fun.

DAL employees do not owe regionals or their employee groups one thing. That being said, I worked in your shoes, I get it and with that in mind I will always treat all workers from connection carriers with one simple thing respect.

My PM's are open if you feel I have this all wrong..

block30

Wow. The most civilized agree to disagree post I have EVER seen.

I (a DL connection puke) must say, when I take DL mainline to commute to/from work the DL pilots are always super nice, saying "good night, enjoy your time off, glad we could give you a ride, etc." Real classy. No sarcasm.

TeddyKGB

I don't think any connection employees were asked to pony up for the 767 that was purchased for Delta. Don't worry Avroman, you can keep your pennies as we don't want them.

Avroman

I guess my point was, while NWA wasn't perfect by any means, the Airlink's were relatively left to do thier thing in their way that maximized thier own abilities and we at least had a little feeling of being a partner with NWA in its success. With Delta it seems even more adversarial and as if Delta's goal is to make life as absolutely difficult as possible for all the Connection carriers. I (and I know most of my coworkers) feel completely unappreciated and unwanted by Delta. We are no longer the "redheaded stepchildren" we are that dirty crack*****s bastard child from down the road that belongs in jail. I just wonder if the Delta employees would once again pony up for a plane to say "thanks" to Delta as was done with that 767?