I’m trying to use the holidays to get all of my LORs in order, and I thought it would be nice if we could consolidate some of the gouge out there on how each airline handles their LORs. How do you submit them, when are they looked at, are they submitted via a website form or uploaded as a pdf, do you bring signed copies to the interview or not, etc.

To be clear, this is all unconfirmed gouge that I have either read here on APC or heard around the rumor mill. If anyone has anything to add, subtract, or correct, please let me know and I’ll add it to my post at the top. From all of us job seekers to those who have been there ahead of us, thank you for any feedback you can provide!

Delta
- Submit normal LORs via link on Airline Apps; some say internal recs need to come from their @delta e-mail address for the system to recognize it as an internal rec
- Delta pilots can also e-mail your name to the pilot selection committee, guaranteeing that your application will at least get looked at and scored; different from writing the LOR on Airline Apps
- Online LORs only, no need to bring signed paper copies to the interview
- Some have been told that at Delta, LORs help you get the interview, but the interviewers don’t look at them; others say that at indoc they were told LORs are only looked at after you get called for the interview

United
- Submit via link on Airline Apps
- LORs (other than chief pilot) are not considered until after the interview
- ??? Do they still want to see original hard copies at the interview???

American
- Submit via link Pilot Credentials
- Pilot credentials says if your LOR is from a non-pilot to put it in the attachments section rather than the LOR section
- ??? What is the difference between the applicant putting in the name / employee number of a reference vs. the reference entering it in on the aa.pilotcredentials website? Do you need to do both?
- ??? Do they still want to see original hard copies at the interview???

Southwest
- Submit via link Pilot Credentials
- Apparently they don’t look at LORs until after you get called for the interview or possibly even after the interview (at the decision board)
- Once you get the invite to interview, you get another tab on pilot credentials for internal recs
- Rumor that only internals count for anything at SWA and that you need a minimum of 3
- ??? Do they still want to see original hard copies at the interview???

JetBlue
- E-mail from chief pilot July 29 2014 says the do consider internal LORs uploaded with the application.
- Need to bring 3 LORs (<12 months old, signed, with contact info) to the interview.
- In addition to writing an internal LOR, JetBlue pilots can also use their "blue dart" to get you an interview.

Lots of other airlines out there, feel free to add to the list. Hopefully this can build into something useful. Thanks for the help!

Good idea...Unfortunately, I don't have much to add. As far as the Delta LOR's go, this was on another thread in regards to the location of the internal notification on DLnet: "Click on left side "admin" section of flight ops page and then top right "pilot selection"--info there on process and email to send recommendation to hiring team."

Thanks Vnav.

This is a bit of a moving target, in that the rules change. Under the old hiring leadership at United, the LOR's were reviewed when the computer spit your name out as a potential interviewee, and they carried weight--and not just the ones from CPs. They were then not reviewed again until after your interview.

This may or may not still be the case, but I would assume that the LORs are looked at twice. Have 'em early, and make sure they will be good.

Just wanted to thread bump this in case anyone has new information.
Great idea and post 321pilot.