Delta VS Continental ?

[737 Pylt]

I'll bite too...

Interviewed with Delta and got turned down... Interviewed with CAL and got on...

Just got done with training and have to say I've enjoyed it. Got the 756, so anyone who says you can't get the 767 out of the gate is lying.

The interview process was night and day between the two. I know of people who got on at CAL and turned down by Delta (just like me) and vice a vers. No rime or reason (sp?).

I will say the culture at the Delta interview seemed very cold compared to CAL.

I live in NYC so both of them were on my short list and as someone said before, both have their + and -'s.
In the end, I guess we'll only know if we choose correctly in 20 or so years. I'm definitely glad to be at CAL, looking forward to getting a few friends on here, and more importantly.. an industry leading contract in the future.

Good Luck!
Motch

I'd like to tag on what Motch said. There's no rhyme or reason why someone did or didn't get hired.
My advice, (for what its worth)......Take the job that's offered to you FIRST!
Both are good companies....Both in hiring mode, for now. The only difference I can see is being ATL vs. IAH based, since both have NYC bases

737

 

[737 Pylt]

You sit around and get pissed when people flame you? I think you have a pretty bad "panty wad" situation. You can't possibly think you are going to get a serious analysis around here when you start out by insulting flamers-DUH!

As for the "jarhead" joke. WTF? Was that some Chinese joke translated to French by a Russian, Spanish by a Vietnamese dude, and then English by a Portugese guy? That joke makes no sense whatsoever! I guess the bright side is that you have totally failed to insult anyone.

And yet every time you type you show just how much of a complete dumbass you are!
Keep up the good work, you're not letting anyone down tanker clown/jmoney!

737

 

[BID]

Delta wants to win awards in 2008, CAL has won them many times over. Cal is a great run airline, but the pilot contract is a mess and needs to get fixed. I truly believe CAL would be more of an option if we had a west coast base. Delta is a bigger company with more options and a unified pilot group.

We have some great new aircraft arriving at CAL and a fleet plan that can be adjusted. With Delta's stock trading at 13 bucks or so I think they will seriously look at mergers.

CAL has a pension (frozen) so I think retirements will not play out the same as other airlines?

Just my thoughts. I agree with most of what has been posted here, I just do not agree that Delta has a "better" operation.

 

[CAL EWR B737]

If I didn't have over 1000 (out of 3800 or so) below me already, I'd think about bailing for DAL, as well. I have enough seniority to warrant staying, I think/hope.

Where do you get your numbers? CAL has just over 5000 now.

 

[Patriot328]

Where do you get your numbers? CAL has just over 5000 now.

Apparently out of my ass... I'm 3990 out of 4990... 80% or so....

 

[General Lee]

U won't fly 767 at CAL. 757 yes, and it doesn't seem nowhere near like at DL. It's mostly low end trips to England, Scotland where you spend lots of $ on overnights (you won't fly anywhere else for another year)...

Sure CAL is getting 60 737-9s next two years, and 25 787s in 2009, but MOST are replacements for 737-3-5 and 767s (maybe total of 10 are pure additions) No new 777s at all at CAL (and that comes from management)...

Delta - a merger in a few years is definite they way they are run (too much cash flows wasted there between fuel, older planes, crew pay efficiency, 1st class seats given to crews instead of revenue). Seems like they're thinking about now (blowing up int'l), but not about future. I don't see today's Delta 10 years from now, it's just impossible

... and that's what scares me about Delta

Where do you get your Delta info? If Delta merges, then CAL will try it too, since nobody wants to be left behind. Our older planes now have lower lease payments since BK--down $200,000 a month for each MD88. We are getting 10 737-700s this year (20-25 total), 17 ex TWA 757-200ERs with winglets (built in late 90s, so fairly new for a 757), and 8 new 777LRs in the next two years--with rumors for a lot more.

When you talk about crew members getting first class seats, that is after all upgrades have been done for medallion members. If there are any seats open, a Delta employee gets it. That is better than CAL charging for it. Yes, we pay $50 a year for passes, but it is nice to get a comfortable seat if it is open and not have to pay for it right then and there.

Crew pay efficiency? Huh? Do you mean duty rigs? How about minimum pay per day?

Delta is expanding a lot Internationally. That is where the money is right now--since the weak dollar allows foreigners to fly here for cheap. We do well on those flights. At the same time, we are getting rid of smaller RJs (that can't produce revenue with high gas), and we are about to sign for used MD90s, which are more efficient than MD88s--and add them to the fleet. But, Anderson, our new CEO, is very conservative, and too much expansion is probably not in the cards. He is being cautious, which is something other leaders here may not have done.

I hope this clears up some Delta notions you have.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[BID]

I would rather pay 50 bucks and non-rev with no charge for the rest of the year, but at CAL we do get a decent number of vacation passes so the travel is no charge, this includes first class. You also get better priority on the standby list. I have about 20 or so of these passes this year and have been here over two years.


we also have the option to have a spouse, domestic partner, or travel companion added to our travel benefits.

 

[General Lee]

Delta wants to win awards in 2008, CAL has won them many times over. Cal is a great run airline, but the pilot contract is a mess and needs to get fixed. I truly believe CAL would be more of an option if we had a west coast base. Delta is a bigger company with more options and a unified pilot group.

We have some great new aircraft arriving at CAL and a fleet plan that can be adjusted. With Delta's stock trading at 13 bucks or so I think they will seriously look at mergers.

CAL has a pension (frozen) so I think retirements will not play out the same as other airlines?

Just my thoughts. I agree with most of what has been posted here, I just do not agree that Delta has a "better" operation.

Delta's stock started at $18 out of BK, and every airlines' stock has fallen due to high gas. Does that mean we will merge or acquire someone? I don't know. If gas goes down ten or fifteen bucks, maybe we will be back up towards $20.

As far as operations wise, Delta has the best hub in the world in ATL (we have 70% of the flights and it is the busiest airport and has the most pax--along with a drought that has brought very few weather delays this year), two other East Coast hubs (CVG as a reliever for ATL or JFK, and JFK), and two West Coast hubs (SLC and a smaller one at LAX). JFK is a tough spot for us, but so is EWR for CAL. We also have a profitable Shuttle operation at LGA with our own special terminal (the MAT--Marine Air Terminal) that is very popular with business people who want to go to DC or BOS.

Our Asian presence is not as big as CAL's, but we are starting to grow it. We add ATL--PVG (Shanghai) nonstop in March, and we recently added Seoul, along with our current service to Tokyo from ATL. Our LAX base could be used eventually again (we had Tokyo and Hong Kong service awhile back under previous management). We have recently been awarded rights to the South Pacific (New Zeland, Singapore, Samoa) and there will be new talks with Australia for open skies in the near future. More South America routes from LAX could also be around the corner soon (think Lima, Sao Paulo, etc).

Regardless, I do think CAL is a good airline and is well run. I think they have a great fleet and they do provide good competition to Delta. Their ads in NYC on cabs are a little bit dumb, but that's another story.


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[General Lee]

I would rather pay 50 bucks and non-rev with no charge for the rest of the year, but at CAL we do get a decent number of vacation passes so the travel is no charge, this includes first class. You also get better priority on the standby list. I have about 20 or so of these passes this year and have been here over two years.


we also have the option to have a spouse, domestic partner, or travel companion added to our travel benefits.

We pay $50 for our whole immediate family. If you have kids, then that includes them too. We get a certan amount of S-2 passes (higher priority--I think 6 per year each person) per year, and then unlimited S-3s, which are higher priority than retired employees or buddy passes.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[jumppilot]

Hasn't anyone realized this thread is about chosing a blonde versus a brunette?

Both are great companies! Notice how you don't see a UAL vs. USAir thread?

Lets keep it relative, people!

We'd all have taken both!

 

[Jmoney]

Well.....

I'll bet truth be told, many people would have accepted an offer from either airline, but not our friend General Lee. He gets so much free Kool Aid over at DAL, he could start a freaking distributorship! Plus, the free lap dances every time he shows up at work-awesome! Hell, that's enough to make any sociopathic freakshow post @12,000 times under two identities. A match made in heaven....

Just Checked-People STILL Don't Care, General.......
-Tough noobs...

 

[General Lee]

I'll bet truth be told, many people would have accepted an offer from either airline, but not our friend General Lee. He gets so much free Kool Aid over at DAL, he could start a freaking distributorship! Plus, the free lap dances every time he shows up at work-awesome! Hell, that's enough to make any sociopathic freakshow post @12,000 times under two identities. A match made in heaven....

Just Checked-People STILL Don't Care, General.......
-Tough noobs...

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

 

[flygirlqt]

Seriously who cares about this? Let's all make our companies the best we possibly can and start getting the pay and benefits we all deserve.

Some of you all talk like mine is bigger than yours syndrome which in reality they are usually to small anyway

 

[tubelo]

We pay $50 for our whole immediate family. If you have kids, then that includes them too. We get a certan amount of S-2 passes (higher priority--I think 6 per year each person) per year, and then unlimited S-3s, which are higher priority than retired employees or buddy passes.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Having been on Delta's pass privileges at Comair and now having CAL, privileges, I can attest that DAL's is better than CAL. The vacation passes basically amount to S2s. Also, Delta's first class always seemed to have more seats available for non-revving. In terms of the business, it is better that CAL has full first class, but sucks when you are non-revving.

Not that I would base where I work on non-revving.

Cheers

 

[Bluto]

Seriously who cares about this? Let's all make our companies the best we possibly can and start getting the pay and benefits we all deserve.

Some of you all talk like mine is bigger than yours syndrome which in reality they are usually to small anyway

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?

 

[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.