Delta VS Continental ?

[flygirlqt]

True, but because of the current (possibly ending?) hiring trends, there are very likely a number of people out there with offers from both companies in-hand. While no one should make a decision based on the information shared here, it's always good to get a new perspective when making such an important, far-reaching, decision.

Oh, and I thought size didn't matter?

I agree with you about getting perspective, but some on here take it to the extreme.

The "size doesn't matter issue" is a myth perpetuated by those with small Johnsons. If you hear it from a woman she just doesn't want to destroy an ego and kill the mood.

 

[GogglesPisano]

CAL also flies to more Int'l destinations than any other US carrier. I would have been very pleased to be at either company but CAL is no slouch.

Not to split hairs, but both companies claim to fly "to more international destinations than any other airline." Delta claims 321 in 58 countries (including Connection.) Not that any of us would fly to every one in their career. This places them ahead of Air france and BA, which surprised me.

If I remember from my interview research CAL has a higher number of international destinations as a percentage of their network (close to 50%) and about 1/3 of a typical aircraft load has passengers connecting to/from international destinations. In that regard they are the more "international" of the two.

They also both claim to be the "Number one airline in NYC." It all depends on your definition of "NYC."

 

[Jmoney]

Nice.....

Jmoney, I never even applied to CAL, only Delta. You on the otherhand, are stuck at ASA and most airlines have stopped hiring thanks to Age 65. You will be stuck at that regional forever, and Valdosta turns are in your immediate and long term future. Heck, at least you will know the ATC freq's by heart. And, people do care, I have already had 2 PMs tonight from people asking me other questions about Delta. I have a question for you though....Which is a better layover for you? Flint or Valdosta?


Bye Bye--General 737 heavy lumberg Lee

Can anyone believe this void surrounded by a sphincter muscle claims to have once flown a Brasilia? Wow-things sure have changed...... That head couldn't possibly fit in any cockpit smaller than a 767 now.

This post is the perfect example of why I hate you, General Lee...... Your sad attempt to belittle those who fly for "the little guys" is absolutely the most pathetic display of out-of-control egotism I have ever seen.

You forget very quickly where you came from, and where the majority of future pilots your airline will hire come from. I could do a million VLD turns, and it wouldn't hurt my ego a durn bit. Hell, I could even fly to LBB and not cry in my coffee. The fact is that don't define myself by my primary employment, and I never will. People who do so are headed for a big fall when anything upsets their little apple cart.

I don't expect you to understand me because you are quite clearly not sane. You will look back on these years of your life one day and all the time you have spent here trying to make everyone else feel bad because they don't fly what you fly, and you will see what a waste of humanity you have become.

Seriously-all these posts on here-trying to insult and belittle everyone who doesn't have your "sweet" job. All the while, most of the rest of us are outside, enjoying the day, having fun with people who enjoy our company, and you are still doing what? Oh, right-still sitting at your little computer obsessively trying to justify your out-of-control ego problems.

-Pathetic way to spend your obsessive existence. Frankly, I don't care, though-you will get the total mental breakdown you deserve when your ego can no longer be justified by your situation.....

-Enjoy it-Freakshow!

 

[737 Pylt]

Jmoney, I never even applied to CAL, only Delta. You on the otherhand, are stuck at ASA and most airlines have stopped hiring thanks to Age 65.

Wait, you mean this pompous ass is this cocky and works for ASA???:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Now that's the funniest thing I've heard in a long while, thanks for the laugh General!

You will be stuck at that regional forever, and Valdosta turns are in your immediate and long term future. Heck, at least you will know the ATC freq's by heart.

Naaah, I'm sure he'll be arrested for stalking long before he turns 65, that'll take care of his stellar career at ASA!

And, people do care, I have already had 2 PMs tonight from people asking me other questions about Delta. I have a question for you though....Which is a better layover for you? Flint or Valdosta?

I'm sure whichever one is longer than 8:01! At least with flint, he can brag to allthe mall chicks that he's flying international!:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

737

 

[General Lee]

Can anyone believe this void surrounded by a sphincter muscle claims to have once flown a Brasilia? Wow-things sure have changed...... That head couldn't possibly fit in any cockpit smaller than a 767 now.

This post is the perfect example of why I hate you, General Lee...... Your sad attempt to belittle those who fly for "the little guys" is absolutely the most pathetic display of out-of-control egotism I have ever seen.

You forget very quickly where you came from, and where the majority of future pilots your airline will hire come from. I could do a million VLD turns, and it wouldn't hurt my ego a durn bit. Hell, I could even fly to LBB and not cry in my coffee. The fact is that don't define myself by my primary employment, and I never will. People who do so are headed for a big fall when anything upsets their little apple cart.

I don't expect you to understand me because you are quite clearly not sane. You will look back on these years of your life one day and all the time you have spent here trying to make everyone else feel bad because they don't fly what you fly, and you will see what a waste of humanity you have become.

Seriously-all these posts on here-trying to insult and belittle everyone who doesn't have your "sweet" job. All the while, most of the rest of us are outside, enjoying the day, having fun with people who enjoy our company, and you are still doing what? Oh, right-still sitting at your little computer obsessively trying to justify your out-of-control ego problems.

-Pathetic way to spend your obsessive existence. Frankly, I don't care, though-you will get the total mental breakdown you deserve when your ego can no longer be justified by your situation.....

-Enjoy it-Freakshow!

I think most regional pilots want to advance their careers and move on eventually, to something with more choices, better pay, and better QOL (eventually). I am not making fun of regional pilots, only LIFERS like yourself, who will never leave and could not pass an interview at any large airline. Why do I harp on Valdosta or Flint? Because those are places you will frequent for a long time. You need to get off your own high horse and see that I offer my personal views of Delta they way I see them. I enjoy my job and I am happy to respond to anyone with Delta questions (3 more PMs this morning). You are unhappy in your position and will likely stay there for a long long time. That is not my fault. I think most people on this forum will reach their own personal goals, and I hope I give them some insight about Delta. Thanks for hating me. Oh well.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[DrunkIrishman]

GL-

I have said before that you do have a hard-on about regional guys and you have indeed shown it again here.

Both CAL and DAL are fine choices for different reasons, but I would choose DAL having worked for ASA. I would caution anyone for choosing one over the other citing "stability" as the reason. Remember that both have filed bankruptcy in the past and neither are above being aquired.

 

[whymeworry?]

IMHO CAL has its positives:

1) As stated, the fleet will grow 10-15 airframes a year for the next 3-4 years.

2) Once pilots start retiring again, CAL will pick up where it left off at the peak of its retirement cycle.

3) 25 firm 787s with options for 35. As new as the 767s are and with CAL's shortage of WB aircraft, I don't see the 767s leaving the fleet. I have never read or heard anything from any source regarding the retirement of the 767 fleet. Just another FI rumor.

Finally, I don't really buy the notion that DAL is a better run operation than CAL. CAL usually exceeds DAL in almost every industry parameter of operational performance (customer complaints, on-time, completion factor, mishandled bags etc.) and has won almost every consumer award out there.

I think CAL's biggest problem is the contract. I am confident that the pilot group can change that with Contract '08.

I would agree with this. A lot of my best friends work for DAL so I get to compare notes regularly.

That being said, what DAL does have over CAL is their treatment of pilots. DAL treats the pilots with higher level of respect, which pays huge operational dividends for them. By contrast, CAL plays mindless head games with the very employees that have a direct effect on the bottomline. IMO, CAL would make an additional $100 mil per year if they would stop battling pilots at the middle mgmt level. CAL will nickel-and-dime a pilot who will then only extract that amount 1000-fold at a later date when the opportunity presents itself. Not a wise way to treat your most expensive employees. CAL mgmt is just not business-savy enough. I am sorry to say I witness this on a daily basis.

 

[whymeworry?]

Jmoney, I never even applied to CAL, only Delta. You on the otherhand, are stuck at ASA and most airlines have stopped hiring thanks to Age 65. You will be stuck at that regional forever, and Valdosta turns are in your immediate and long term future. Heck, at least you will know the ATC freq's by heart. And, people do care, I have already had 2 PMs tonight from people asking me other questions about Delta. I have a question for you though....Which is a better layover for you? Flint or Valdosta?


Bye Bye--General 737 heavy lumberg Lee

Ya have to admit, even if he is a koolaid drinker, he is a true pro at replying back to posters who flame.

That was funny, General.

 

[Jmoney]

Sweet!

This is awesome-I got General Lee so mad that he repled to my post in BOTH his screen names in a row! I must be hitting close to the mark now.

I luv you too General Lee, I mean 737Pylt, General Lee, 737 Pylt, hee, hee, hee.......

All these references to your fragile mental status starting to wear you down, there Francis?

 

[737 Pylt]

This is awesome-I got General Lee so mad that he repled to my post in BOTH his screen names in a row! I must be hitting close to the mark now.

I luv you too General Lee, I mean 737Pylt, General Lee, 737 Pylt, hee, hee, hee.......

All these references to your fragile mental status starting to wear you down, there Francis?

Hey jmoney, I mean, tanker clown, or whatever you go by today, isn't it time for your noon time bottle?:crying:

Get back to those VLD turns dweeb!:uzi:

737

 

[whymeworry?]

Back to the thread topic.

Over the next 5 years, DAL is the better choice, hands down. CALs contract is not even that. It's more like a photo copy of the FAA regs. And even then CAL mgmt has had the FAA in their back pocket for years (but that is changing with our new POI) so our contract is more like a watered-down version of the regs.

In 5 years CAL will start retirements back up (unless APAAD kicks ALPAs ass again and gets the retirement age removed altogther), and we will see nearly 50% of the seniority list (at todays numbers) retire over the following 10 yrs. DAL will not hit a retirement boom for another 15.

Whenever I bring up an issue about our POS contract to my DAL buddies, they can't even believe we would have ever agreed to such a thing. This from an airline that negotiated 2 concessionary contracts and faced a full frontage attack in CH 11. They hate their contact. Yet they can't even fathom why we even call ours a contract.

Go to DAL if given the choice. Hell go to NW, UAL, U or AQ. Don't go for any other reason but to fly under a better contract. What few rules we have in our agreement our mgmt seems perfectly fine with violating anyway (fly now, grieve later works well for them).

Of course, if we get a better contract CAL may be the better place to be.... but DAL will be right behind us and blow our doors off of anything we attain. CAL simply has too many kool-aid drinkers and not enough unionists on property to ever lead the industry. We are trying to turn around our MEC but there is too much politics and infighting to make any difference. And there are not enough volunteers to step up and take over the job of those who get recalled.

CAL is a great company, it truly is. But pilots are apathateic and won't take ownership of their union. The company loves to exploit this dynamic to it's advantage.

Sorry to say... go to DAL.

 

[slapstick]

I flew with plenty of regional lifers who had changed careers and loved their new field. They were good pilots and were happy, with no intention of leaving. Let's hope they don't start reading this board... such a downer.

 

[Shrek]

CAL is a great company, it truly is. But pilots are apathateic and won't take ownership of their union. The company loves to exploit this dynamic to it's advantage.
THAT is a true statement........time will tell on the next contract........

 

[Helos2Galaxy]

My two cents:

GO TO WHICHEVER OFFERS YOU A CLASS DATE FIRST AND NEVER LOOK BACK. Let that fate decide. Things are soo dynamic in this industry. What if you passed on a class date at CAL to go to DAL and DAL stopped hiring due to a merger (or vice versa).

In 1999 I was pooled by CAL and hired by DAL in 2000. CAL offered me a class later in 2000.

Sure today I'd be two years in the left seat at CAL where at Delta I can only now hold a left seat on this last bid. But, the furlough at CAL would have been longer.

Who knows; IMHO let fate decide it. I have no regrets when fate (actually Plato) decided it for me.

 

[flyboy006]

I agree with the above post. In todays market its a total crap shoot where is better. DAL and CAL are awesome companies, DAL has certain things way better than CAL and CAL has things better than DAL. Bottom line in my opinion and as others stated above, you never know what tommorow is going to hold. I would rank where you want to go based on your current needs and who calls you first. I have a buddy who his entire childhood wanted CAL and is from jersey but when it came down to it, and he got both job offers(lucky guy) he went with DAL because he has a little kid and his wife was pregnant and he couldnt face not having medical insurance for 6 months and couldnt face being payd 31 or 34 bucks an hour whatever it is at CAL for the first year. You have to do whats best for you and then dont look back. Its a crap shoot and whos to say one is better than the other. Again they both are awesome companies with both having pros and cons against each other but in the end, its really whats best for you, financially, locality etc.