Thank you, much appreciated.

Carl

 

I have met two Delta pilots recently who both left Southwest after less than 1 year on the line.

 

Section 1 in the failed TA was 15 pages long which included several paragraphs of the old contract struck out so there really wasn't much to it.

 

I have a SWA class date coming up for September. In the meantime I received an invite to interview at Delta. I have no desire to live in any of the Delta bases as I want to live in Texas or Colorado and not commute. Also don't want to spend $300 to access the RST gouge to study for the Delta test, so I don't think I'll go interview. Am I crazy or am I not thinking of something??? I like SWA from the outside looking in and the bases appeal to me. I don't care about flying wide bodies or traveling the world either. I just wanted a sanity check to see if I was missing something.

 

I feel exactly the same way you do.

I definitely would not spend $$$ on gouge, but I would still go to the interview..........there's no stress since you already have a SWA class date, especially since it seems like SWA is your first choice.

BUT..........you never know what lies behind that door.........if you have the time available, there's nothing to lose..........(except maybe a hotel and rental car cost?)........which is very minimal in my opinion. Do they give you a positive space ticket to the interview?

 

You don't have a SW seniority number until you show up for class. Anything can happen between now and then that could cause that class date to be delayed or even cancelled. (Terrorism, work action, AD parking 737s, change of business plans due to Brexit, who knows?!)

Until you have that number you are still dating, not married. I'd spend the $300, give Delta your best shot and go to the interview. Then take whichever class date is offered first. If you still want to leave when airline #2 calls, then go for it! (There is no such thing as loyalty in this business. Airlines show no loyalty in return when they have to furlough... and then they raise the retirement age to 65 while thousands are on furlough!)

Personally, Delta has substantially more retirements in the short term, wide body options, and the option of worldwide flying. Options are rare in our career. Give yourself one. Go to the interview. You don't have a decision to make unless you have two job offers with the same class date.

 

Zap nailed it. Go to the interview. Whether you spend the $300 in study prep is up to you. I find it hard to believe there is no free gouge floating around for the new version of the test.

I was in a similar boat as you are. I had a CJO from Delta and an interview invite from Southwest. I almost didn't go to Dallas because of the stress and hassle, but my wife talked me into it. It was smart call. I did minimal prep for the SWA interview and went in and actually enjoyed it. All it costs is a night (or two) at a Hotel and dry cleaning for your suit. Options are good.

Good luck with your decision!

 

Thanks for the advice, good things to think about.

 

I've been at Southwest for about 9 months now and just turned down a Delta interview. PM me your phone number if you want to talk and hear my reasons for it.

 

And personally I think it's a no brainer to leave Southwest for Delta if Delta has a base you want to live in. The decision becomes harder when Southwest has a base you want to live in that Delta doesn't have. Unfortunately it would probably be a lot easier of a decision if we could at least get an industry standard contract at Southwest!

I think most would be willing to give up widebody pay and a shorter upgrade to live in base and drive to work if we could at least get a retirement and pay scale closer to what they have at the legacies.