Isn't that the truth. The chance of my face on the Deltanet is about the same as winning the Powerball.

imo: Definitely don't bring the baby. It's a fancy dinner with lots of quiet periods where someone is speaking to the room.

As a side note, I really enjoyed it and it was a special bonus to have the wife fly in too. After all the years I spent trying to get on at Delta, that dinner really was the icing on the top of training week.

Find, beg, borrow, or steal a babysitter and go! It only happens once!

IMHO the night is for your significant other not the new pilot. It's a way to welcome them into a new chapter. Find a sitter it will be worth it.

Expense the sitter to the CPSC. It's worth a try.

Doubt I am adding anything that has not been said already. We were in the exact same situation a few years back, so I emailed the lady who was in charge (of spouses tickets?) and asked about bringing our son because of nursing.
While it is hard to read tone in an email, I interpreted her response as how-dare-you-even-ask NO.* Something to the effect of it is a very formal event and children were not welcome. So spare yourself the embarrassment of asking.

My parents hung out in hotel room with kiddos and we were first to gracefully depart the dinner so we could get back on nursing schedule.

Glad my wife got to go. It meant a lot more to her than it did to me.

*I did not press-to-test this as a newhire but probably would today. As referenced earlier, as diverse and accommodating as Delta enjoys parading the corporate culture, and with stories of at least one female trying to pump in the cockpit, you'd expect their response would have been different, right? I'll leave it at that...

Funny stuff.

"Hey honey, to honor you, I'd like us to go to a dinner in honor of me and my new job."

To each their own. If your significant other doesn't mind two days of airline travel to drink some company Kool Aid and enjoy the paid-for hotel (before you start paying yourself), you know you picked the right career. Some of us have spouses who might prefer a child-free night at home bingeing on Netflix with a pint or two of Ben and Jerry's. For the OP, if a babysitter is easy and doesn't stress a new mom out, go for it. If it doesn't work out, I'm not sure it'll be a huge loss. Time spent with a 4 month old won't be wasted. I would echo the opinion not to take a baby.

If Delta really wanted to honor my wife, they would allow the use of family leave, and not just in states that require them to do so. Some pre-emptive false gratitude wouldn't get much mileage for our family. Others loved it and got cool pics for Facebook.

Not a hater...just keepin it real, folks. The honeymoon phase will end for some when they figure out that they are just a cog in a massive blue collar workforce. The company doesn't have your back and neither does the CPO (ask the captains you fly with about their experiences). If anyone has your back, it's your LEC (YMMV). It ain't romantic, but it's been true for me.

Welcome aboard!?

I know of 3500 "Widgeteers" that spin out at the mere mention of Mecca.

I went solo years ago for the very same issue. My wife was nursing and there was no way she was going to take both kids to ATL and then try to get a trusted caretaker there for a 2 hour dinner. I wouldn't say she missed a whole lot. I left as soon as it was acceptable and didn't do the after party stuff. In training after all. The social aspect is over rated. I have yet to run across any of the managers who attended (good thing IMO) in the years since.

The guys I hung out with are spread to the winds and I occasionally run into them every few years but unless you plan to work the room for an instructor or management job no real benefit. The real work was still ahead and we did our own celebrating later. The dinner was forgettable in my opinion. Maybe 3rd airline does that to you.

Bring the kid... remember, we're all part of the Delta "family"!!😝

LOL aren't we a ray of flipping sunshine? Doesn't hurt to take advantage of an event to show appreciation for your loved one. Many of them have been thru the regional crapfest right beside us. I like to Netflix and chill, but a little variety like an opportunity for your wife to get dressed up can payback in dividends. We juggled kids/newborn schedule, wife's work schedule and made it work.

Nothing, life, job is ever perfect. But if you wanna sit in the corner and grumble the whole way thru then yes you're just a number. That's just a self fulfilling prophecy.