Thought Delta had the best pilots in the world. Maybe now they can drop the attitude !!
HA! So true. History is littered with examples of pilots from various airlines who copped the 'tude only to be humbled at a later point in their careers.
When CAL was in the news earlier this year, all my DAL buddies went out of their way to bust my balls about it every chance they had. Claiming that CAL was 2nd rate, etc. I've even seen DAL pilots on here actually say that CAL is a 2nd tier carrier. We may have a pathetic contract right now but that doesn't make us 2nd rate. Besides, in some for or fashion, everyone has a shty contract right now, save for FDX, SWA and UPS.
When AQ was in their heyday, my buddies there use to chastize me for busting my hump flying into EWR in the wx while they enjoyed being home every night.
When UAL was the place to be, my buddies there use to ask me why I worked for a "scab airline" and to "get yer sht in and come over to United."
We all need to remain humble throughout our careers. Pick your pot-shots carefully. I have a sense of humor just as elastic as the next guy but I never once beat my buddies up once their airlines started having troubles. If anything, I worked hard and went out of my way to help them find jobs.
In fact, just the other day I contacted some NJT buddies, unsolicited, offering to help them with getting an overseas gig.
Nobody is a skygod in avitaion. You either get through the airline interview or your don't. Some of us had a good day that day of the interview, some didn't. Eventually you get hired by someone and you're married to your airline no matter the rough road ahead.
CAL was the media target earlier this year, DAL/ NW is now. Someone will be next. This is an imperfect businees.
The reality is ALPA-N should get off its proverbial a$$ and start balancing out the media onslaught. Why is it that when there is a major avitiaon incident CNN calls up some private pilot/ CFI as an "aviation expert" yet never calls line-flying ALPA representitive? ALPA ought to have a trained team of current line-flying pilots ready to set the media (and the public) straight on the realities facing this profession. In today's hyper-charged news environment we cannot afford to do otherwise.