Career progression at Delta

[viper548]

If you're making decent pay now, stay put 'til you get recalled.

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

I was just hired (still in training) and there are currently 39 people senior to me who have a bid in for NYC M88 Captain. I know some people will change their bid when they know they can hold it, but compare that with over 200 senior to me bidding for ATL M88 Captain and you get the picture that not many want to go to NYC. I'd bet we'll see some of the early 07 hires holding it in 09 if they want to go to NYC.

Ok skippy...
You keep telling yourself that.....I guess optimism isn't a tested trait in the interview process, but naivity should be.

Keep on dreaming it but don't bank on it happening.......economy set to nosedive here shortly, flying slows down, Delta can add 'ORDERED' jets (RJ's), mainline gets adjusted and words like "headcount" and "rightsize" get tossed around like candy.....are retirements going to save the masses???....nope!! They are all gone.....check the future retirement lists......so where does that leave you??

Not sure, but you can bet that a guy 95 percent down on the list won't be a Captain!!

 

[BILL LUMBERG]

Hey Fins....

Please tell your (impotent) buddies at the RJ defense coalition that fact above......about 88 vs. RJ economics...

I remember words flowing out on this forum that the RJ's were what was keeping Delta profitable...... I guess that you are right when Comair has a 14.56 CASM.....and no reservations office, or ticket jackets, or advertising budget.......

Nevermind, you are seeing the light now that you are on this side of the fence....

 

[michael707767]

So the DAL flying will remain at least 51%? Will it get higher than 51%?

don't know the answer to that, and I don't think there is any requirement that mainline does 51% or more of the flying.

 

[General Lee]

We have had 5 long years of negative growth, and things are starting to change. We are getting new or newer planes, and movement is occuring. We are expanding to more and more INTL destinations, which often require more crewmembers due to longer trips or multiple crews per plane (some Asian flights require 2 Captains and 2 FOs). We may be getting rid of a few older planes, but we are due to get more and use them in INTL roles, necessitating those new pilots. We will be expanding our domestic flying with additional MD90s from China (rumor pending), doing a lot more Asia with 6 new 777s next year alone (compared to our 8 that we have had for 7 years), and additional Europe flying with 10-15 757ERs. Add at least 10 737-700 doing interesting Caribbean stuff, plus a couple 738s to boot, and we will be training a lot of pilots. Most of our MD88s have had new leases renegotiated in BK (with huge savings of up to $200,000 per month), so most will be around for at least 5 more years. After that we will probably replace them with newer 737NGs. The options to fly domestically or Internationally will be there for all newhires eventually.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Old School]

I'm not sure that upgrading is the most important factor in chosing your team. You need to figure out where you will be happiest over a long period of time. Delta is on the upswing for sure, but if you live in STL, then AMR might make you happier over the long haul.

 

[Truckdriver]

Ok skippy...
You keep telling yourself that.....I guess optimism isn't a tested trait in the interview process, but naivity should be.

Keep on dreaming it but don't bank on it happening.......economy set to nosedive here shortly, flying slows down, Delta can add 'ORDERED' jets (RJ's), mainline gets adjusted and words like "headcount" and "rightsize" get tossed around like candy.....are retirements going to save the masses???....nope!! They are all gone.....check the future retirement lists......so where does that leave you??

Not sure, but you can bet that a guy 95 percent down on the list won't be a Captain!!

Take it easy there Lumberg. I didn't say it would happen I said I'd bet it would happen. I can't factor an economic downturn into what I'm looking at because I don't know if or when one will happen. If you have that info I'm sure you would be better off working on Wall Street than at Delta. Just because you weren't able to upgrade in under a decade doesn't mean guys getting hired right now won't. Getting hired during the beginning of a hiring wave has almost always led to the fastest upgrade times. I'll still bet we'll see upgrades in NYC go very junior in 2009. You may be right, but we'll just have to wait until 09 so we'll leave it at that.

 

[General Lee]

Take it easy there Lumberg. I didn't say it would happen I said I'd bet it would happen. I can't factor an economic downturn into what I'm looking at because I don't know if or when one will happen. If you have that info I'm sure you would be better off working on Wall Street than at Delta. Just because you weren't able to upgrade in under a decade doesn't mean guys getting hired right now won't. Getting hired during the beginning of a hiring wave has almost always led to the fastest upgrade times. I'll still bet we'll see upgrades in NYC go very junior in 2009. You may be right, but we'll just have to wait until 09 so we'll leave it at that.

When our economy takes a dive, the dollar does too. That is why it is good to diversify and have more INTL flights, due to the fact that foreigners have more buying power and will fill your flights from Europe etc to the US, and then back. When the dollar is high, more US folks go abroad.

Also, I don't think the FED will allow our economy to really go down the tube. Rate cuts are probably on the way, and things will settle down. Also, when stocks do go down, so do gas prices, which will actually help us out.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[stlflyguy]

stlflyguy... how far out are you from recall? I ask because I firmly believe we will be through the whole furloughed list by fall/winter 2008 and hiring off the street in 2009. If that holds true, you will be back before the end of next year and pulling in about $108/hr (MD80) or even higher if you pull a 737/767/300 bid in recall class. Also, factor in the fact that you will upgrade under Supp CC (if you choose to do so) in a relatively shorter period of time than usual.


good luck.
73

Supp CC doesn't help my seniority range any more than my $hitty system seniority number. Mainly because the people getting their Captain's seats back still have a lot of time to go.

The longevity is the thing keeping me from pulling the trigger for somewhere else.

stlflyguy

 

[DAL737FO]

I didn't think you guys got longevity for time on furlough at AA? I have a friend that was hired in early 01 and he said he would go back at second year pay.