This is my 8th airline and at least three times I've been told "this is the last uniform you'll ever wear"

I hope it's true for you, but never plan for it. The gods of aviation misfortune prey on the weak.

There's a reason I haven't deleted it yet. You never really know. I've got my fingers crossed that Swa's history of no furloughs will continue. If something changes I'll cross that bridge when I get to it but for now I'll be content driving to work and hopefully we can get a CBA soon that'll get us on par with the big 3.

Can someone post what is the systemwide percentage seniority of juniormost captains at UAL and DAL?

Just to be clear: Are those percentages based on W2 ? (i.e., 2015 Profit Sharing was 15.6% of a SWA Pilot W2 ?) Thanks.

At United the junior Captain is roughly 9,500 out of 12,500. At 76% on the seniority list. Airbus in SFO (apparently the new junior base instead of EWR). Almost every other base (except DEN) it's about 70% for 737 Captain. 11,000 will get you widebody FO (777,787) in a couple bases.

Between DAL and SWA? I would pick none of the above. Go to UAL if given the choice. Best upside of any of the Big 4 IMO. DAL is getting ready to have the same kind of contentious contract talks that SWA has been going through. They are also fighting desperately to keep their Widebody flying from being Codeshared and Joint Ventured to death by upper management.

I'm biased being a UAL pilot, but we have 120 WB aircraft right now and we have 89 more on order (14 777, 40 787, 35 A350) with only 23 retirements of WB in the next 4 years. We will have 200 true WB aircraft and our international scope prevents the code share thing because we have to fly more than half of whatever United code shares as a benchmark. So every time they want to add a codeshare, it's more International flying for us.

Really, what could possibly go wrong. I hope it's not but darn it.... it's sounding more and more like the year 2000 every other day!

When I was in class back in 2001 in DAL, pilots kept asking why we couldn't have 70 777's on order like UAL?

Truly, I hope they get all the flying they can handle, and more.

I fly for neither, but stay at many of the same hotels as both. So the Southwest crews usually always go out together. I rarely see Delta crews hang out. Southwest has the friendliest crews. If you like people go to Southwest. If money is the biggest concern, then delta. But Southwest will still pay you great & you'll have fun people along the way. Agreed, shortest (or no) commute is huge.

So what's the day in the life of a SWA pilot vs a DAL 717 guy like? How many days on the road in a month? Drop and pickup trips? Hotels?


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