Delta V Spirit
 

Ok, I’m new to 121, thinking of joining the dark side, but not new to flying the line, looking at places to hang my hat…well actually I don’t like hats lol

I read lots on here that people are just getting on with spirit until they get on with United or Delta or whatever

So I go to airline pilot central

Apples to apples I look at the A320, 12yr cap makes a hair more at spirit, I look at 1st year fo and he also makes a hair more at spirit


Ok



I look at retirement, seems delta pays 1% more


So all and all, what’s the difference?


I mean I looked at atlas, as their flying seems less boring, but their pay and retirement was for sure lacking


Why are people talking about just using spirit to get on with United or delta when end of the pay is basically the same?
Add to that the full size redwoods size log delta seems to have up its ass?

What makes spirit less than United or DAL or American???

Thanks

I’m just here for the comments that are about to come your way…

The payrates aren't updated. You need to do a little more research other than APC.

So how much of a difference is it between say delta and spirit?

What’s the pros and cons?



Spirit
https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/...pirit_airlines

Delta
https://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/...elta_air_lines

If you live in a Spirit base, go to Spirit.
If you live in a Delta base, go to Delta.

If you live in a base shared by both airlines. Go to Delta.

If you’re a commuter, go to Delta.

I’m a <1hr flight from a place DAL UAL AA and Spirit have bases, no way would I live in base, seems all the bases are in unfortunate cities

But to my question why?

I get delta is the kool kid on the block, it’s still early but I still have hear back from them and just hearing their policy on wearing their silly steam boat captain/railroad cap it somewhat put me off as to what working for them must be like

But I’m new to all this and would be interested in the WHY for that statement

Thanks guys

This is a question that you need to answer for yourself. The DAL uniform, for example, it’s a culture thing. You like that culture, you like being #1 on airline rankings and in overall pay, it’s DAL. You don’t take this job too seriously, you don’t identify as a “pilot” on your off time, then maybe you’re a NK guy. You know you and what culture fits best for you.

NK pilots are almost all civilian, we don’t call flights “missions” or “sorties” and we go out of our way to avoid work, versus being let’s say “mission orientated,” which is why our work rules tend to be more “work less”.

DAL, UAL are fantastic airlines from a prestige/size position, some of us like to clock in, fly with good people who don’t make things difficult, cash the check, and head home for what’s important.

This pay rates are not up to date.

Pointless response is pointless



Apparently delta is 20% higher now

That’s a factor year 1 is 108

There is no “culture” in a public traded company, especially in one that needs a workers union, they are not your family, I could give crap about their rankings, “being number 1” I don’t give a ****, having flown on most airlines as pax it’s been a race to the bottom with all of them, so the self inflated price is kinda chuckle worthy…this is a job, I want the most amount of money and the most amount of time off for the best QOL

As far as identify as a pilot, I don’t identify as anything, I am a aviator, I eat sleep and breath flying, which is one of the reasons despite my thousands and thousands of hours I’ve stayed away from 121, compared to other areas in the industry it’s not really as much about real flying as 121 seems to be more about cosplay and purse swinging, if I could have the same pay and retirement flying floats I would in a heart beat, alas 121 does pay the best with a good retirement, so that’s why I am here

Also if you’re strapped into a 9K or DAL you are a civilian chief

Not sure how 121 pilots are, but me and the folks I hang around with, when we go to work we go to do work, if it’s safe legal and prudent we launch 100% And we don’t even have to cosplay military to do it lol

After reading this, apply anywhere, except NK.
Thank you and good bye. “I eat sleep and breathe flying”, seriously? You sound like a tool and would be a headache in the right seat.

Hey, being honest. You wanted honesty.

Prior NK here. I would not recommend Spirit with that mindset. It’s basically the opposite of the group there. They fly the easiest schedule to make as much money required so they can to be at home happily with their families.

Bingo!



……..

Seriously

Do you even know the meaning of the words you use?

Are you just mad because I called your military cosplay nonsense out?
Do you not think you’re a civilian when you walked through the big airline terminal and into the cockpit of a plane with a N number on it that anyone can buy a ticket on?

Being honest; go play in traffic bud




That’s basically what I’m looking for, so why so many jumping ship?

Can you read? I said we aren’t the military airline.

But when you said..

“I am a aviator, I eat sleep and breath flying,”


I laughed, that’s pathetic. I stand by my prior assessment, you come off as a handful for the right seat and encourage you to explore options

Peace and Love

someone ban this college frat aviation kid from posting any more please

I’m for sure a little over qualified compared to lots who get on for the first time 121

Misread your last, yeah maybe MK makes more sense vs dealing with the “culture” of DAL

I second this, please delete this cringey thread too.

That’s most of your people on here

Hell Im the least like that

How is asking what the real differences between spirit and delta “cringe”

Especially since it seems he has applied and has NOT been offered an interview by DAL, UAL and AA. Guy is weird. Read his previous posts, he struts with 5000 TT, crapping on 121 experience compared to his 91/135, like 5000TT is anything significant for most on here. Now he is the forum stage of just yelling at everyone.

Most of guy's and gal's I fly with here are great, you on the other hand are someone I would likely bid avoid

All of your comments have been extremely hard to read without wanting to puke, agree with what Mayo said looking back at your post history. That being said there are plenty of folks at NK who enjoy their QOL enough to want to stay as opposed to leaving for a legacy. Can things be better, higher rates? Most definitely. But in my experience people here enjoy it. We have a good time flying with each other, and we enjoy the majority of our month at home with the family.

Sounds like SWA is the right place for you based on this post.

The lack of give a sh*t in the cockpit made NK the easiest job I ever had. The problem was when you needed a gate agent or dispatch, scheduling, management to give a sh*t, they wouldnt either. The new airline isn’t perfect but at least I know when I get to the plane I’ll have a release to look at.

Something to keep in mind. This is one of the only career fields where you will hopefully spend 30+ years at one company. You need that company to still exist in 30+ years.
Ask yourself which company is more likely to still be in business the day your retire.

Haven’t the majority needed to be bailed out by the tax payer?

Seems like larger 121s don’t go out of business as much as they just get folded into another one these days

Haven’t applied that long ago, and not having 121 is a factor

However I’d happily put my 5k up against 15k of sitting in cruise on a 121

Not yelling at anyone, I asked a pretty basic question about spirit vs the legacies and some of you ladies started purse swinging

Extremely hard to read? I didn’t even think I used any 10 cent words


Back to the point, so you’re saying the time off at spirit is better compared to the legacies? What’s the average upgrade time these days?

I’m glad you think so highly of your experience. Unfortunately for you, your future employers seemingly don’t.

Hard to say without knowing what city you're commuting to. Are you talking about NYC where you'd have to commute and then cover three airports at Delta? What's the relative seniority at that base? Delta and Spirit both have fairly bleak seniority outlooks, but generally, I'd say Delta.

All the other stuff you said here, it's just totally wrong. I'm not upset or anything. I don't have a horse in this race. But you'll find out when you're in the 121 world that each company is different and has its own pilot culture. I do believe they're more similar than people like to think, but they are definitely still different (Delta doesn't "cosplay," they have a lot of ex-military guys who have influenced the culture there).

Can you post this in the Delta forums? I just made a fresh batch of popcorn.

That’s basically what I’m looking for, so why so many jumping ship?[/QUOTE]

I can’t speak for everyone’s reason for bailing NK for a legacy, but I can give you mine and assume it’s fairly similar to others.

I was on property for about 4 months when Covid kicked off. I was very envious of my friends at legacies. I knew that once the whole thing moved on there would still be AA, UA, DL. I could not say in confidence that there would be a NK anymore. I have two young kids, so career job security was a big one in my decision making. I have over 2000 below me at one of the largest airlines on the planet with 33 years left and massive retirements. So unless there’s another crazy black swan event here shortly, I will very hopefully always be able to support my family because I never see AA being dissolved. Especially now with our new LTD it gives me great ease of mind, which was my #1 factor.

I also fell into the “ego” trap of wanting to move to the legacy over LCC. Most people get into this dreaming of flying for XYZ legacy, few dream of flying yellow AB to Vegas. Hindsight that was a poor reason. I do the exact same thing at AA just with worse work rules now.

Career earnings and the potential of doing WB flying someday. You will make more in your career at a legacy, but also work more.

The F9 B6 deals was what really pushed me. I had no desire to work for F9, and B6 would have been a pita because of where I live. So whichever way that scenario went it wouldn’t have been good for myself and my family. Had NK said we are staying NK I still very well may have been there. Still the best company I have ever worked for.

I believe you’re catching a lot of heat on this forum because of your “sky god” attitude. You’re telling people that their 15,000 hours of 121 isn’t worth crap, while your 5,000 hours is gold. How tf do you know that? You’ve never done 121. Sure it’s not hand flying at night with a radial rmi down to mins in ice while on fire, but it has its own set of unique challenges. I bet you right now if you were thrown into the left seat with multiple mel’s, bad weather requiring multiple alternates, a pax disturbance, you are tight on your commute, and a FA who was just reassigned to your flight going into a day off you would not be able to get that flight LEGALLY off the gate.

So if you want to fly brand new airplanes with great crews with great qol and good pay, then NK is the place for you. But maybe cool the sky god attitude a bit before you get there. Go in excited to learn what 121 is about and add those skills to your already unique aviation skills.

good luck

Lol, you don’t know what you don’t know bud

Also seems lots of current spirit pilots are waiting for a call, I got zip 121 time have only apps out for a couple months, got interview invites from a few of the smaller ones including spirit, waiting on the big 3, ether way I ain’t sweating it, even with my current position life’s pretty good, home almost every night and I’m friends with everyone from the line guys to the owner.

Swing that purse harder daddy lol

For you and your 5k hours playing god of the skies, upgrade time will be 6 months max, if not right after IOE.

All the best

I’d like to agree with my compatriots here that Spirit is not right for you, and I’d like to suggest that Delta is also not the right fit for you either. Based off a cursory review I would have to say…Mesa? GoJet? Those might be more your speed

121 will hire everyone right now. But I really hope NK will pass on you. I have 4k+ ACMI, 4k+ 91k, 8k+ 121. You sound like an @$$ to work with regardless off the regulation #.

This was a good reply, thank you

Do you really think spirit would go bye bye or just get get merged into another airline like virgin and other have?

If I was targeting Detroit or Chicago area?

Thanks

I think DTW is a fairly junior base for Delta. I'd go there. Also, make sure you take a look at the frequency of flights from your home airport to any base you think you'd be considering.