Delta AE Surplus Bid:

[JoeMerchant]

I know MYR is a lot more fun than PSA, or FRA, or maybe even CDG.

Having lot's of time off and visiting places on time off is fun...Commuting is not....MYR can be fun for an overnight (very fun actually). Germany is fun also. I'm going to work 6 days next month....I'll fun somewhere....

Commuting is going to get tougher with the schedule draw down.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Airport Standby List

• Flight# 1516 ( ATL - JFK)

Looks like the first flight to JFK left with seat open!










Seats Remaining:
0
= FIRST
0
= BUSINESS
25
= COACH

 

[jetjockey#1]

Yes, but I would not be planning on starting trips on Monday. Maybe Wed or Thurs, but not Mon. That is a horrible day of the week to travel to NYC.
I know many that do it, and have done it for 10+ years. They will take that flying and commute any day of the week over the flying done in ATL.

No doubt the flying is great. JFK is great for all the different trips, ATL is great because usually you have to work one trip less a month than you do out of JFK. If you can make the commute doable JFK is the place to be. Off course make sure you can sleep anywhere anytime and find a good GI doc..... Welcome to international!!!

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Having lot's of time off and visiting places on time off is fun...Commuting is not....MYR can be fun for an overnight (very fun actually). Germany is fun also. I'm going to work 6 days next month....I'll fun somewhere....

Commuting is going to get tougher with the schedule draw down.

17 days off and 85 hrs of credit for a guy that has been here two years as well as about 110K a year is worth a little hassle!

 

[JoeMerchant]

17 days off and 85 hrs of credit for a guy that has been here two years as well as about 110K a year is worth a little hassle!

I will admit that is good...However that is the exception and not the rule for those who have left to the majors in the past 10 years....Not everyone can claim that. Many Delta newhires haven't had it as good as you. When were you hired?

 

[ACL65PILOT]

I will admit that is good...However that is the exception and not the rule for those who have left to the majors in the past 10 years....Not everyone can claim that. Many Delta newhires haven't had it as good as you. When were you hired?

A few years ago. I admit that you need to either sit reserve in base, commute to a good line, or fly super junior jets and live with the pay you get.

Fact is that a 10 year guy is doing quite well. Senior international line holder in NYC or a decent line holder in ATL. Now a guy hired in 2000 or 2001 has a totally different story. I agree with that.
A 12 year guy has been senior most of his career or is now a jr CA on the 88. As with everything being in the front of the curve is a lot different than being on the back side of it.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Joe that is what a 2007 hire is doing. A guy hired in 2001 or 2000 is making about 10 to 20K more a year than that on the ER in JFK!

 

[JoeMerchant]

A few years ago. I admit that you need to either sit reserve in base, commute to a good line, or fly super junior jets and live with the pay you get.

Fact is that a 10 year guy is doing quite well. Senior international line holder in NYC or a decent line holder in ATL. Now a guy hired in 2000 or 2001 has a totally different story. I agree with that.
A 12 year guy has been senior most of his career or is now a jr CA on the 88. As with everything being in the front of the curve is a lot different than being on the back side of it.

Timing and luck have a lot to do with this business...and it affects one's perspective. This is the third downturn I have seen since I started in this business...and each one has been worse than the previous. Many who left for United and USAir 10-20 years ago would gladly trade place with you.

Are you on second or third year pay?

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Timing and luck have a lot to do with this business...and it affects one's perspective. This is the third downturn I have seen since I started in this business...and each one has been worse than the previous. Many who left for United and USAir 10-20 years ago would gladly trade place with you.

Are you on second or third year pay?

I agree, you have been at EC since 1993. Your seniority is great. I know that. I was in the top 300 when I left. Even giving up that kind of schedule authority pales in comparison.
Even under an concessionary contract, the QOL of life here in the bottom 1500 is much better than being in the top 300 there.
It will take me a long time to make what I did as a LCA, but that too is gone from the new EV contract. Fact is that I looked at where EV was going and the whole FFD model and realized that when I was in my 40's, I would be stuck at a shrinking airline.
Yes, the first five to seven years here will be OK at best, but looking long term, I am easily in the top 1% for the last eight and a half years of my career, and I was not the youngest by a long shot.

I also have buddies that went to UAUA, and AMR that will be happy to upgrade by the time they are 50. It sucks, but something has to give, this industry cannot go much farther down.
I personally see myself waiting to upgrade until my mid 40's at the earliest. It is about QOL, and a senior FO often times makes more than a junior FO.

I am one guy that will ride this in to the ground and if and when this goes, I will just move to a different career. I will be happy knowing that I took the chance on a major and if it burns me, so be it.
Fact is that for now, I sleep well at night knowing that for now I will get two paychecks a month and my kids will get what they need. Perspective allows me to know that many of my friends outside of this industry and in a lot worse shape than I. There is a time and a place for everything, and in a few years we will be in that time and place.

 

[JoeMerchant]

I agree, you have been at EC since 1993. Your seniority is great. I know that. I was in the top 300 when I left. Even giving up that kind of schedule authority pales in comparison.
Even under an concessionary contract, the QOL of life here in the bottom 1500 is much better than being in the top 300 there.
It will take me a long time to make what I did as a LCA, but that too is gone from the new EV contract. Fact is that I looked at where EV was going and the whole FFD model and realized that when I was in my 40's, I would be stuck at a shrinking airline.
Yes, the first five to seven years here will be OK at best, but looking long term, I am easily in the top 1% for the last eight and a half years of my career, and I was not the youngest by a long shot.

I also have buddies that went to UAUA, and AMR that will be happy to upgrade by the time they are 50. It sucks, but something has to give, this industry cannot go much farther down.
I personally see myself waiting to upgrade until my mid 40's at the earliest. It is about QOL, and a senior FO often times makes more than a junior FO.

I am one guy that will ride this in to the ground and if and when this goes, I will just move to a different career. I will be happy knowing that I took the chance on a major and if it burns me, so be it.
Fact is that for now, I sleep well at night knowing that for now I will get two paychecks a month and my kids will get what they need. Perspective allows me to know that many of my friends outside of this industry and in a lot worse shape than I. There is a time and a place for everything, and in a few years we will be in that time and place.

I agree with EVERYTHING you just said, except the part about the QOL being better at the bottom there than it is at the top here. I mean it when I say that it could only get better if they paid me to stay home. My last week of vacation was turned into 5 weeks. As I said before, I will work 6 days in Sept. If the bottom 1500 are doing that well, then Delta will be in trouble.

The FFD thing is going to change. We will need to become more competitive. I also believe Jerry has a plan B, C, and probably D to deal with the change. I thing you will see the bigger regionals split away and start up their own operations with the 100 seaters...Republic is going to test the waters. Jerry will be more conservative and wait for the timing to be right.

I am older than you and will not chase the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow...Like you, I am going to ride this into the ground also....Time will tell how we all did...