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Q for Delta guys

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Detroitpilot22

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 6, 2005
Posts
301
a lot of us at Pinnacle/Mesaba have been wanting to work for delta/formerly nwa for years. Given the current state we are in with a ton of 50 seaters that are owned by Delta and in chapter 11, what is your best advice for a junior captain or senior fo at pinnacle. Do we wait it out and hope that pinnacle survives and then delta hires? Do we go to a carrier like Spirit or Virgin and then apply to Delta from there?
There are some at pinnacle that believe we will be purchased by Delta in this chapter 11 and that some sort of employment agreement for the future would be worked out to meet delta's staffing needs for the future. I am not one of those people.
Its obvious by my name where i live and I am not one of the 108 from mesaba that get to flow. I dont want to commute so my options are spirit and delta.
What would you do and any advice would be helpful
 
unless you are senior enough to hold a job in 2015 with all our 200's gone-you have your answer. Get out when you can and then keep applying for your dream job at Delta. I am a pinnacle guy and the writing is clearly on the wall in huge orange paint. Our management is even preparing their bankruptcy plan for that very point. We will be extremely lucky to get any additional 900's so having more than 40 some 900's is unlikely. Making Pinnacle a 450 pilot airline. Then again, as some think-we will not lose all our 200's as those are precious and we will get all 70 of those new delta contract 76 seaters.
 
I went from a regional to its wholly-owned about a year ago. My advice is to apply to all airlines above the regional level, and take the first job you are offered. Treat every single interview as if it's your dream job. If you are actually offered a job, then you can wonder about taking the job! Until then, you are stuck at a regional, and therefore stuck in he**.

Apply, interview, decide. But the underlying key is: GET OUT!
 
If you have some PIC, and you can't wait to leave your regional job and are still waiting for DL, I would go to Spirit or VA etc and then wait it out. I would think DL would love to take some pilots from competitors, and it could get you out of your current situation. I would think there would be plenty of hiring from other carriers than DCI, and the military as well. But, going to Spirit or VA might not be a bad idea. Heck, you may like it there too. But, there will be evenutual huge hiring at DL, it's just a matter of time.

If you're a senior FO, going to a LCC might help, there is no PIC requirement at DL. If you don't have PIC though, you might have to have very good recommendations to get an interview. Good luck.


Bye Bye---General Lee
 
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You guys/gals might get interviews (at best) as part of the deal, but I think that whole 35% of all new hire classes filled with DCI pilots is all you'll get.

I second the advice to go to spirit as soon as possible. From a resume perspective, it looks a lot better to our hiring department, and has been said, they like taking pilots from competitors. Plus, if you bomb the Delta interview, Spirit will be a good career in the long run.
 
Stop wasting time and get out of this business altogether.

An example of a grumpy disgruntled RJ Capt right there. Being at mainline offers variety in flying, better pay and benefits, and retirement. It's been a rough decade due to 9-11, BKs, and then age 65, but a flood of retirements and new contracts will make this a more satisfying job than the last ten years.


Bye Bye---General Lee
 
I second that. If you're young, bail while you're still marketable.


Yeah, get out just before thousands retire.....maybe get out and fight forest fires...???



Bye Bye---General Lee
 
Only fly fires on the side...if you get the plane you want...only when you feel like it...and just for the weekend.

It all comes down to this: do you trust aviation to keep you employed at a decent wage for the next 30-35 years? My answer was "no." Maybe I'm playing it too safe.
 

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