Leave Alaska for Delta?

[tico]

With around 3 years of seniority at Alaska I am considering trying to make this leap. Am I crazy to be considering this? I believe that going forward Delta is going to be a much better career overall than Alaska.

For all those on the "outside looking in" trying to advise you on stay or go I would say this:
Alaska,s current mgmnt structure inherited an engine with incredible momentum in the late 90's....It is that momentum that has carried us to where we are today. It is that momentum that has carried us through the short-sighted, poorly thought out, dismantling of the "Last Great Airline".
We have not had a leader at the helm for years( by his own admission.) The signs of this are everywhere as we rapidly run out of momentum. The only thing holding us together is a wad of cash in the bank(like a billion dollars) For a little airline(100 airplanes, 1350 active pliots)that is a ton and that is why we can still hedge and get airplanes. But that money was put there a decade ago and we have languished.
So while the masters of spin( the one thing that we are really good at)convince the rest of the world that we are a happy family and everything is okay, the truth could not be futrher away.
Are these reasons to jump ship......probably not. but with nothing invested in terms of time, the guy has nothing to lose.....We are shrinking....with no growth plans at all....The boys claim we are finished hiring for the year with no plans for next....So delta might not be a bad gig...I would say odds favor Delta over the next ten years

 

[AWACoff]

After having been furloughed, I can truthfully say being the junior biach on RSV is better than being on the street. 3 years of seniority is nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand (Devil's advocate), sometimes gambling big results in big gains.



Sometimes. I'd stay.

 

[tico]

After having been furloughed, I can truthfully say being the junior biach on RSV is better than being on the street. 3 years of seniority is nothing to sneeze at. On the other hand (Devil's advocate), sometimes gambling big results in big gains.



Sometimes. I'd stay.

3 years of seniority at a zero growth/ shrinking airline means nothing.........

 

[Z_Pilot]

Just my $.02

Wait for the Merger mania dust to settle. Anything could happen...furloughs at Delta; or perhaps someone acquires Alaska, and there could be mass-hiring.

Or

Visa-Versa

You just never know.

ZP

 

[QCappy]

I say go for it. In fact, quit now and figure out the rest later. Nothing like risking it all for a big reward.

Oh....and I'd move up a number.

 

[airline#5]

After 3 furloughs I'll say this...

I got no F'ing clue

 

[av8instyle]

That's a pretty tough decision. It'd be easy if we had our old pay. But the current environment at AK is not friendly. At six years seniority I wouldn't be able to do it. At three years with minimal movement, crappy pay, and no ties to a domicile...I'd probably go. We're not getting a pay raise any time soon, we're not hiring much, we're not growing, and retirements have come to a screeching hault (thanks prater/bush/etc.). Delta has always been near the top of my personal list. I don't think you can make a decision like this based on merger rumors. According to the rumor mill Alaska should have already been bought out by every other major at least twice. Yet here we are, 76 years old, healthy balance sheet (despite our efforts to the contrary), and still my piddly paycheck says Alaska on it. If you have ambitions for widebody pay/trips, then I'd say go for it. Everyone has different goals. I have three kids at home so I prefer to be in ANC and do arctic stuff and be home every night. So I would be sacrificing a lot to do the same jump.