SWA or DAL

[Big Slick]

Best Job:
20 years ago - Eastern/Pan Am/TWA
10 years ago - Delta/United/American
Now - Southwest/jetBlue/AirTran
10 years from now - Skybus/Ryan Air/Virgin America
20 years from now - school teacher

 

[SWA/FO]

Yeah he is 32 years old and doesn't think he would move up the latter at a company that is GROWING. I'm in my mid-30's and I'll be in the top 70 at the end of my career at Southwest. I know that makes some people mad, but the SWA/FO will be one senior dude.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

That is a good deal for you. SWA is an awesome place. I do not think anyone argues that.

 

[Whataburger]

4 four day weekends doesnt suck.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Not at all. I did not know that is all you guys flew.

 

[capt. megadeth]

Just wondering dude.. You need to go where the cash is flowing and doesn't stop flowing.

Never say never. You act like SWA will never have problems, always make money no matter what, never go out of business....it's not that easy. I mean, it's track record is good but the minute you get all cocky (like you are) about it, is when you have to worry.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I even told my fiancee to apply because it is a good company but it's not immune from the goings on in the world like you seem to make it sound.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Sad but True.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Are all DAL newhires going to ATL?

 

[Hardcorr]

Time for an ex DAL MD-88 driver to chime in. Left Mother Delta last May for SWA. Reasons: Second year pay here is better than six year pay for a narrow body at Delta. Brand new Capts. here are pulling down more than $200k/yr. $80 dollars a month for med and dental versus $400. 7.3 percent 401K match. Profit sharing. 5yr upgrade to Captain. Oh ya and more than 500 guys on the property already behind me with another 600 to come this year. Did six years at Delta. Happy to be out from under the doom and gloom. God knows how long I was looking at for a capt seat. No retirement. Lame 401k match. I can do without international flying. Most guys only do it for a couple of years because they're worn out. Don't need the option of flying different airplanes. I'll give up auto-throttles and vnav for a stable place to work. The switch was a no-brainer for me. PM me if you like.

 

[Noserider76]

Time for an ex DAL MD-88 driver to chime in. Left Mother Delta last May for SWA. Reasons: Second year pay here is better than six year pay for a narrow body at Delta. Brand new Capts. here are pulling down more than $200k/yr. $80 dollars a month for med and dental versus $400. 7.3 percent 401K match. Profit sharing. 5yr upgrade to Captain. Oh ya and more than 500 guys on the property already behind me with another 600 to come this year. Did six years at Delta. Happy to be out from under the doom and gloom. God knows how long I was looking at for a capt seat. No retirement. Lame 401k match. I can do without international flying. Most guys only do it for a couple of years because they're worn out. Don't need the option of flying different airplanes. I'll give up auto-throttles and vnav for a stable place to work. The switch was a no-brainer for me. PM me if you like.

Glad you're happy with your decision. Just a few things to point out at DL. 401k match is 2% in addition to 9% defined contribution. Profit sharing. No 6 year narrow body FOs unless they choose to be. New hires going directly to the 767-ER.

Not much doom and gloom around here anymore. People are looking forward to the future after the recent rough times. Flight attendent hiring this spring. Large aircraft order after BK exit. I enjoy the opportunity to fly a variety of aircraft to world wide destinations. I never applied to SWA for that reason. On the plus side, SWA has never furloughed. Looking back at my last 5 years, that would have eliminated a lot of stress.

DL has been around since the 1920s, SWA since the late 1970s. The pain of the last few years was inevitable. The legacy carriers with high cost structures had to level the field with the newer carriers with no pensions, no infrastructure costs, and relatively low pay scales. We'll see what happens from here on out, but SWA definitely doesn't have the competitive advantage it once had.