I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn Express so go easy on me if I'm off. The 777 will never see new hires IMO. The highest 777 F/O # is about 4000 ish. New hires are in the 7000+ range. The 765 is purely an ATL aircraft and it too is fairly senior ( I think we have some 765 flying in LA as well). With the 9 + 777's coming over the next 2-3 years, all of that is subject to change as we are opening a 777 NY base. We might pick up more 777's, but seeing is believing. Also, from the few 777 guys I've spoken too, they usually get about 9 days on and 21 days off. Tough life!


If you drive to NY or was raised on Nathans, you can sit reserve at home. Who wants to commute to reserve in Kew Gardens to sit with ten of your new best friends? Things are so dynamic right now and what 'gouge' you get today could be null and void in six months. It probably won't change, but you never know.

Tom

Did I mention I didn't sleep at a Holiday Inn last night?

By "widebody only" the reference is to the 7ER out of NY. The pay is identical (for all intents and purposes) to domestic 75/6 pay.

777 and 765 pay are close to one another. Like my esteemed colleague mentioned, they are both senior...very senior.

There is a ton of movement right now and following our next AE there will be even more.

Good luck.

Is there any info out there on the classes for next year? Or the number of new hires projected next year?

Spoke to one of the Chief Pilots recently. He said we were looking at hiring 750 pilots next year. So far this year Delta has hired 344

I was told 600-700 new hires in 2008 with 2 classes per month starting January.
Mid October info straight from Capt. K.

If anyone heard different (latest and greatest) please post.

2 classes/month. 35 per class. All year.

How long after class starts does the assignment drop come?

3 TO 4 HOURS

On the first day you will know what base and aircraft you are going to by lunch time if not earlier.

To amplify, when you show in the morning on the first day the the list on the wall and seating are in order of senority. Sometime in the morning, they will list all the spots. Example:10 NYC-7ER, 4 ATL-767, 11 NYC-MD88, etc. There will be exactly the number of spots availiable as there is people in the class. There are no left overs. After you come back from lunch, they will ask #1 what he wants, then #2 and so on. Usually the bottom of the list do not get a choice. Do your homework before you show up and think about what you want. You are allowed to ask questions like, will I be able to get back to ATL quicker in a MD-88 or 767?, and they will answer to the best of their ablilty. One guy said he was torn between MD-88 or 7ER. They asked him do you want to get back to Atlanta ASAP or see the world? He said see the world, so he picked NYC-7ER. There is no seat lock for new hires, so you can bid out at the next AE. If you switch airplanes, 2 year seat lock and more time in the school house in Atlanta. No lock for switching bases.

Good luck

Any chance they reverse the seniority process (i.e. start from "0000" then go up) with the start of the new year?