Comair/Delta question?

[On Your Six]

I left CMR over 2 years ago... and I still cant get the stink off me!

Worst 3 years of my life. Having been laid off from Midway, I should have done something else instead of going to CVG.

Looks like you made out VERY, VERY well over there at NJI on the G-Whizzes. I wish all of us could be so lucky..................

 

[imacdog]

Looks like you made out VERY, VERY well over there at NJI on the G-Whizzes. I wish all of us could be so lucky..................

I knew two guys here that also went to NJI without previous G experience. One was a senior captain and the other had some previous corporate experience, I think with some international flying. So they do hire some folks without Gulfstream experience.

 

[Ben Johnson]

look kid get a job, get some time. do you really think hr real cares about who you fly for. i am guessing theres not alot of 121 time under your belt go get some. if comair hires you are you really going to turn them down?

 

[PositiveRate]

Here's some advise...

It's laughable that these threads even exist. Ben Johnson is 100% right bytheway.

PowerRangers...if you're not just flaimbaiting, you would be better served to focus on crossing that 200TT line than worrying about a Delta career path. Here's a piece of decent advise...do your Comm Multi first...the 10 hrs of SE complex will be worthless and never help you in a job search. If you need a SE add on to your Comm ticket for CFI purposes, it will be easy to do later on.

Having an end goal is fine, but you will find much greater success by focusing on each step along the way instead of salivating over those double breasted suits. To get from 180TT to any major is an enormous task that will overwhelm most along the way...keep your head down and do each step well and you'll find success.

Here's how it's going to work. You will get your dream job with XYZ because of a combination of the following - listed in general order of importance - Connections, luck, timing, skill/qualifications. Don't be one of the countless pilots who works it the exact opposite way and thinks that with 1000 121 PIC they have now earned the right to be a major airline pilot. Notice, where you work is not on that list.

It's your choice buddy, but I figured I'd chime in just in case you are seriously thinking of listening to Gen Lee and his chronies. He is exactly the wrong type to listen or aspire too...they're about advancing their personal agendas and opinions, not about helping or giving a sh^t about you. The pretend like they're helping you by bashing Comair, but in reality they're just pushing they're own narrow minded and insulated opinions.

 

[Peanut gallery]

I wish I lived in your fantasy world

Having Comair on your resume would NOT help you get on with Delta. I would look at other avenues, like Shuttle America (CHQ), or maybe SkyWest (even without a union they are slightly better than Comair and do not have the bad stigma Comair does). Yes, some Comair guys may get hired, but more than likely their dads are 777 Captains or are very well connected. If your last name isn't Whitehurst or Bastian, then I would go elsewhere before Comair. Just my opinion. Go to Shuttle America and fly that E170.


Bye Bye--General Lee

Pass the bottle francis

 

[On Your Six]

It's laughable that these threads even exist. Ben Johnson is 100% right bytheway.

PowerRangers...if you're not just flaimbaiting, you would be better served to focus on crossing that 200TT line than worrying about a Delta career path. Here's a piece of decent advise...do your Comm Multi first...the 10 hrs of SE complex will be worthless and never help you in a job search. If you need a SE add on to your Comm ticket for CFI purposes, it will be easy to do later on.

Having an end goal is fine, but you will find much greater success by focusing on each step along the way instead of salivating over those double breasted suits. To get from 180TT to any major is an enormous task that will overwhelm most along the way...keep your head down and do each step well and you'll find success.

Here's how it's going to work. You will get your dream job with XYZ because of a combination of the following - listed in general order of importance - Connections, luck, timing, skill/qualifications. Don't be one of the countless pilots who works it the exact opposite way and thinks that with 1000 121 PIC they have now earned the right to be a major airline pilot. Notice, where you work is not on that list.

It's your choice buddy, but I figured I'd chime in just in case you are seriously thinking of listening to Gen Lee and his chronies. He is exactly the wrong type to listen or aspire too...they're about advancing their personal agendas and opinions, not about helping or giving a sh^t about you. The pretend like they're helping you by bashing Comair, but in reality they're just pushing they're own narrow minded and insulated opinions.

The bottom line is that having Comair on your resume will not help your case unless your daddy is a Delta 777 captain. That's a fact whether you want to believe it or not. How do I know that? Well, I know Delta pilots involved in the hiring process - I have heard it straight from them. Were you there with me when I heard that? Nope.

Avoid Comair if you can - you should be able to get on with many other regionals that will at least give you a chance if Delta is your ultimate goal. Don't worry about the Comair guys out there - both Skybus and Virgin America will be hiring. Sad but true - they made their beds (with regard to harsh treatment of the Delta furloughees) and now they have to sleep in them... ASA pilots, on the other hand, are welcomed with open arms from what I hear...

 

[PowerRanger]

It's laughable that these threads even exist. Ben Johnson is 100% right bytheway.

PowerRangers...if you're not just flaimbaiting, you would be better served to focus on crossing that 200TT line than worrying about a Delta career path. Here's a piece of decent advise...do your Comm Multi first...the 10 hrs of SE complex will be worthless and never help you in a job search. If you need a SE add on to your Comm ticket for CFI purposes, it will be easy to do later on.

Having an end goal is fine, but you will find much greater success by focusing on each step along the way instead of salivating over those double breasted suits. To get from 180TT to any major is an enormous task that will overwhelm most along the way...keep your head down and do each step well and you'll find success.

Here's how it's going to work. You will get your dream job with XYZ because of a combination of the following - listed in general order of importance - Connections, luck, timing, skill/qualifications. Don't be one of the countless pilots who works it the exact opposite way and thinks that with 1000 121 PIC they have now earned the right to be a major airline pilot. Notice, where you work is not on that list.

It's your choice buddy, but I figured I'd chime in just in case you are seriously thinking of listening to Gen Lee and his chronies. He is exactly the wrong type to listen or aspire too...they're about advancing their personal agendas and opinions, not about helping or giving a sh^t about you. The pretend like they're helping you by bashing Comair, but in reality they're just pushing they're own narrow minded and insulated opinions.

Definitely not flamebaiting. It was an honest question deserving honest answers. That said, not sure about you but I don't update my hours here on FI every chance I get. That being said I have more than 180 hours. But I only had 180 tt when I registered.

All other things aside some of the things you spoke were truth. Lambasting aside. it is good to hear from another AZ pilot and UA grad (born & raised in TUS).

 

[cmrflyer]

Having Comair on your resume would NOT help you get on with Delta. I would look at other avenues, like Shuttle America (CHQ), or maybe SkyWest (even without a union they are slightly better than Comair and do not have the bad stigma Comair does).

Bye Bye--General Lee

Good old general, pushing for pilots to work for non alpa carriers.

You are part of the reason this profession is in a tailspin. Maybe you could go to the Delta Connection academy and talk everyone into going to Freedom or GoJets, so they can avoid the stigma of working at Comair. Hang on, isn't the Delta Connection Academy the new name for the Comair Academy? Holy cr@p, there is no way in he11 those guys are getting to fly a Delta aircraft.

Grow up general.

 

[Goose Egg]

Ahh, I remember those days growing up in SLC, having <200 total time, and thinking that Delta was the only airline ever worth working for. I pictured it in my head; I'd instruct for a year, then get on with a regional, and then off to my dream job with Delta. I'd buy a big cabin in the mountains, ski every off-day, and my trophy wife and I would live happily ever after.

Then I grew up, moved to the East Coast, caught some heavy doses of reality (aeronautical and otherwise), and realized that there are other opportunities for a flying career. Many opportunities.

Anyway, the way I figure it, for me a job at a major is about 5-10 years away. Literally anything could happen between now and then. And in all honestly, I had counted Delta out because I was non-military. But that's ok, because there are other jobs out there. A lot of other jobs. In any case, thinking that you can't work for CMR or X airline because it might prevent you from working at one other airline in 5 to 10 years (maybe 15 for you) is unwise and unrealistic. I can't live my life like that. All I can do "play it as it lies" and take things day by day and do what best fits my situation as it is now. Things have a way of working themselves out.

And for the record, I'm planning on applying at CMR in the near future. It may affect my potential to go to Delta, but frankly, I'm really not concerned. Who's to say that I even want to go there anyway?

-Goose

 

[PositiveRate]

Bear Down! UofA was a good time.

I'll bet you a six pack that your top three list will change more than once. Don't handicap yourself from the start.

 

[wmuflyguy]

Why make a possible mistake that will rule the rest of your professional life if it is avoidable?

That is laughable. So what, Delta is jsut one airline, among many. UAL, NWA, CAL, SWA, JBLU, NJI they have no beef with Comair pilots. It won't rule his or anyone elses life. Heck, in 10-20 years all of the guys that have the problem will be retired or close to it. Not to mention the fact of a merger, which would change the structure of the company and possibly the people doing the hiring.

Personally I wasn't even at Comair when any of this went down. The fact that in 5 years some guy from Delta would look down on me about it is sad. If guys are that petty and want to have a vendetta agaisnt someone that had no input or say in the situation, i'm not sure it is a place I would enjoy working. It would speak volumes about the attitude and the culture there.

 

[johnsonrod]

Why would someone willingly go to Comair if its future status is questionable? Is Comair expanding? Is Comair competitive with lower-cost regionals? Is Comair gaining market share from other regionals? Does Comair have a definitive or understandable plan going forward? Does Comair have any relationships with non-Delta carriers? These are the critical questions you should be asking yourself...

Delta is farming out more and more feed to other more cost-competitive regionals. Who knows if Comair will even be around in 5 years - Delta might just shut it down or sell it. Sure, the regional business is full of question marks and nobody is safe... However, certain airlines have made changes and taken steps to diversify their risks (contracts with multiple majors). Those are the carriers I would look at closely - not for a career but for an opportunity to build jet time. That's the point. Nobody wants to stay at a regional for an entire career - or at least only a few people really aspire to do that.

I hate my regional but I am getting out soon. If I were you, I would look at regionals that have diversified their risk and those that offer good jet experience with "reasonably" fast upgrade potential (3-5 years most likely). Skywest, Republic/Shuttle America, COEX (we'll see if its Ontario experiment works - although it has recently been awarded a Delta contract out of LAX) come to mind. Personally, I would avoid Comair too - it doesn't seem to have a plan to counter its diminishing market share/feed and you might at least want the option of possibly working at Delta one day.

Good luck!

 

[bvt1151]

Ha Ha! ALPA acts like there's this big vendetta against one of its own ALPA carriers. They've even gone so far as to say they'll hire non-ALPA pilots over ALPA Comair pilots because they got their feelings hurt. Does anyone else see the utter rediculousness in this?

 

[Occam's Razor]

Ha Ha! ALPA acts like there's this big vendetta against one of its own ALPA carriers. They've even gone so far as to say they'll hire non-ALPA pilots over ALPA Comair pilots because they got their feelings hurt. Does anyone else see the utter rediculousness in this?

Hint: ALPA doesn't hire pilots.

 

[cmrflyer]

Ha Ha! ALPA acts like there's this big vendetta against one of its own ALPA carriers. They've even gone so far as to say they'll hire non-ALPA pilots over ALPA Comair pilots because they got their feelings hurt. Does anyone else see the utter rediculousness in this?

That shows how strong this "union" really is, and why management are able to shred contracts so easily. (Even though the comair one had to be shreded by a judge, unlike some others I could mention).

People like the general who go around saying they would rather see mainline flying farmed out to non alpa, non union carriers just shows you how sad this industry and the "union" is.

Why not farm out the flying to a Mexican regional, I'm sure they would be super cheap. Not as cheap as freedom, but cheap none the less.

 

[imacdog]

Why would someone willingly go to Comair if its future status is questionable? Is Comair expanding? Is Comair competitive with lower-cost regionals? Is Comair gaining market share from other regionals? Does Comair have a definitive or understandable plan going forward? Does Comair have any relationships with non-Delta carriers? These are the critical questions you should be asking yourself...

Delta is farming out more and more feed to other more cost-competitive regionals. Who knows if Comair will even be around in 5 years - Delta might just shut it down or sell it. Sure, the regional business is full of question marks and nobody is safe... However, certain airlines have made changes and taken steps to diversify their risks (contracts with multiple majors). Those are the carriers I would look at closely - not for a career but for an opportunity to build jet time. That's the point. Nobody wants to stay at a regional for an entire career - or at least only a few people really aspire to do that.

I hate my regional but I am getting out soon. If I were you, I would look at regionals that have diversified their risk and those that offer good jet experience with "reasonably" fast upgrade potential (3-5 years most likely). Skywest, Republic/Shuttle America, COEX (we'll see if its Ontario experiment works - although it has recently been awarded a Delta contract out of LAX) come to mind. Personally, I would avoid Comair too - it doesn't seem to have a plan to counter its diminishing market share/feed and you might at least want the option of possibly working at Delta one day.

Good luck!

Now that Comair is nearly done with restructuring (thanks to the help of the BK judge) you will see it is much more competitive than it used to be. Didn't Delta just modify the CHQ contract to remove all 135s from its operation?

 

[Otto]

Avoid Comair if you can - you should be able to get on with many other regionals that will at least give you a chance if Delta is your ultimate goal. Don't worry about the Comair guys out there - both Skybus and Virgin America will be hiring. Sad but true - they made their beds (with regard to harsh treatment of the Delta furloughees) and now they have to sleep in them

Work at Virgin America or Skybus where they will sit 2-3 years as an FO and then a Captain for 20 vs. being an FO/ gear handle puller at Delta for 20 years and a Captain for 2-3. Yeah those poor bastards.

 

[737 Pylt]

Work at Virgin America or Skybus where they will sit 2-3 years as an FO and then a Captain for 20 vs. being an FO/ gear handle puller at Delta for 20 years and a Captain for 2-3. Yeah those poor bastards.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news Otto, but the most jr. captain on the MD 88 in NYC is a late 98 hire!
Now I guess that would just shoot that theory of yours out the window, wouldn't it!?

737

 

[Ben Johnson]

Were does one drop off a resume for skybus and virgin america. Thats a whole number two i have to drop off...

 

[Nindiri]

If you work for Virgin America, can you upgrade to Virgin Galactic? No good layovers there, but the out and backs are excellent.

 

[Goose Egg]

Grassy knell

I think people make the mistake of assuming that since Comair is a subsidiary of Delta, that it actually is Delta. It's not. It's Comair, a separate company that is owned by Delta. Delta is in BK, and so technically Comair is too, but people forget that Comair by itself is really pretty profitable. Someone made a comment that Delta might close the doors of Comair. Given Comair's profitability, I think the possibility of that is extremely remote. And we see that in no part of the restructuring is Delta required to sell Comair, so I think that's pretty unlikely too.

As far as coming from Comair and trying get on with Delta, I think that by the time it becomes relevant for guys at my stage (and earlier), most of the people carrying the grudges (likely a vocal minority) will be retired. (And the only time it would be relevant for me is if my SWA, AirTran, JetBlue, NetJets and Continental, etc. etc. interviews all didn't work out. Some guys want to work for their "dream" carrier. I'm just looking to work for a relatively good company and not get furloughed.)

And it's "knell," not "knoll."

-Goose

 

[kc81900]

I too would suggest going to another carrier than comair because Dalpa is that petty!!

 

[johnsonrod]

I think people make the mistake of assuming that since Comair is a subsidiary of Delta, that it actually is Delta. It's not. It's Comair, a separate company that is owned by Delta. Delta is in BK, and so technically Comair is too, but people forget that Comair by itself is really pretty profitable. Someone made a comment that Delta might close the doors of Comair. Given Comair's profitability, I think the possibility of that is extremely remote. And we see that in no part of the restructuring is Delta required to sell Comair, so I think that's pretty unlikely too.

As far as coming from Comair and trying get on with Delta, I think that by the time it becomes relevant for guys at my stage (and earlier), most of the people carrying the grudges (likely a vocal minority) will be retired. (And the only time it would be relevant for me is if my SWA, AirTran, JetBlue, NetJets and Continental, etc. etc. interviews all didn't work out. Some guys want to work for their "dream" carrier. I'm just looking to work for a relatively good company and not get furloughed.)

And it's "knell," not "knoll."

-Goose

Yeah, and people have forgotten about the Eastern scabs...

Forget it - the Delta pilots will have a very long memory. Any airline that screws over Delta furloughees will not be forgotten - and that's a quote from a 45 year old Delta Captain I know. He'll be around for another 20 years if pilots are allowed to fly past age 60. Now, I have been told that ASA pilots are more than welcome to apply because of the way they treated Delta furloghees during their time of need. Get it? ASA yes, Comair no. Simple as that. If you want to work for United, JetBlue, American (if they ever hire again), Continental, AirTran, Fedex, UPS, Virgin America or Skybus someday in the distant future, by all means go to Comair and enjoy the ride. If you want to have Delta as an option, go to any other regional but Comair. I am simply repeating what I have heard from Delta pilots who understand the sentiment and the hiring situation. Go ahead, ask any Delta pilot for his/her opinion - they'll tell you what they think.

 

[DrewBlows]

What role do Delta pilots play in the hiring process at Delta?

 

[fried chickens]

So why don't the Delta guys like Comair guys? Didn't Delta support Comair during their strike? What caused the bad blood?

 

[Goose Egg]

ASA yes, Comair no. Simple as that. If you want to work for United, JetBlue, American (if they ever hire again), Continental, AirTran, Fedex, UPS, Virgin America or Skybus someday in the distant future, by all means go to Comair and enjoy the ride. If you want to have Delta as an option, go to any other regional but Comair.

You forgot SWA.

-Goose

 

[retired guy]

This thread has been twisted like a plate of spagetti noodles. Power ranger`s question went something like this: "I want to fly for Delta, should I avoid Comair?". I say again...Delta pilots have a big "hate on" for Comair pilots because of the Comair MECs stand against Delta pilot furloughed pilots retaining their Delta senority, and this after supporting Comair`s strike with strike assesments(read money). Now that`s a fact. Is it justified? Is it fair? Should newhire Comair pilots be punished because of the action of an MEC that acted long before the new hires were on the property? None of these things come in to play and they weren`t any part of Power Ranger`s question. Having spent about 30 years on the Delta senority list, I think that I can express an opinion as to the feelings of the Delta pilots general feelings on the above issue. Power Ranger should avoid Comair and build his time somewhere else. That sage of wisdom, Imacdog (the C 310 pilot) has called me a "loser" and then modified that to "idiot" because I stated my answer to Power Rangers question. I`m sure that he thinks that he knows the true feelings of the Delta pilots much better than I do. I never stated that these were or were not my feelings, only what I picked up in casual conversations with the younger guys there at Delta. These feelings run the length of the entire list, Most of the Delta pilots will be there a long, long time. Power Ranger you have been warned, do as you will. Good luck with your aviation career, I hope that yours will be as enjoyable and satisfying as mine was.

 

[DrewBlows]

Having spent about 30 years on the Delta senority list, I think that I can express an opinion as to the feelings of the Delta pilots general feelings on the above issue.

What are Delta pilot's "general feelings" about pilots who picked up open time while other pilots were furloughed? Having been furloughed. I know how I feel about pilots who picked up open time while I was on the street.

 

[DrewBlows]

What role do Delta pilots play in the hiring process at Delta?

anyone... anyone... Bueller...

 

[retired guy]

What are Delta pilot's "general feelings" about pilots who picked up open time while other pilots were furloughed? Having been furloughed. I know how I feel about pilots who picked up open time while I was on the street.

With a list of 6000 or so pilots, you are gonna have a few "Wh0res". Like you, I know how I feel about that issue also, but that`s for another thread.

As to your question about what part Delta pilots play in the hiring process, (1) For at least the past 50 years, pilots have had a big input into who gets hired or who gets the axe. Either as participants in the interview itself (usually one HR guy, one pilot interviewer) or one of the "higher ups" (chief pilot or a 4th floor type) (BTW, that`s a guy who is or works for the VP of Opns) that has veto priviledges. The name of the game is "Don`t rock the boat". The boat would be rocked plenty with Comair guys on the list, at least for awhile.