SWA or Delta

[PowerRanger]

Hi!

NWA announced their order for 787s something like 6-12 months ago.

cliff
YIP

Both Northwest and COntinental aren't part of the "big three."

That would belong to American, United and Delta!

 

[Howard Hughes]

O.K., I have job offers from Southwest AND Delta. What a predicament!! For one, I could care less where I'm based; I'll be a commuter for life. Two, Southwest guys aren't reqired to wear hats. I like that a lot about them.

I've done lots of research on both. Seriously, it's gonna be hard to turn down either one of them. I've wanted to be a Delta pilot since I was five years old but times have changed. I never thought I'd ask anyone this question: would you take Southwest over Delta?

Well, Ive done my fair share of flying, cargo to regionals to majors. Got friends spread throughout the industry. In my view the only reason I would go to SWA right this second is for the money. Having said that, mark my words, Delta WILL pay more than SWA ever hopes to in the coming years. Delta rates are bottomed out right now (and SWA's rates relative to the rest of the industry are flying higher than they ever have by a large margin...this wont last) but they will come back up. Maybe SWA will continue to pay more for flying a 73 than Delta but there is no way that if you go to Delta you will make less flying a 787 or 777 than at SWA flying a 737 (although I will give you the temporary increased earnings with the quicker upgrade on a 737 at SWA). Delta projects a 1.4 billion dollar operating profit next year and almost two billion the following year.

Some see hiring on at Delta a risk, citing the 911 spurred bankruptcy and furloughes. It is a risk, and nothing guarentees that Delta will return to king of the mountain, but that may make this the best time of all to go to Delta. When its a sure thing, which I think it will become, everybodies wish list will once again change (ie top three DAL, UPS, FEDex) then it will be a real feeding frenzy and if you arent flying for the blue angels or thunderbirds or something very special on your resume you will be waiting a long time for a chance at the "brass ring" and with that kind of competition the chances for rejection will have moved higher. In other words the offer extended to you from DAL right now might be worth its weight in gold in the not distant future. SWA has been stable for a long time but I see alot of question marks coming up there recently. They are 100 percent domestic. The domestic market has reached its saturation point and now with the likes of Virgin America, SkyBus...etc it will be harder for SWA to do what they used to do with ease when the legacies were charging a whole lot of money for domestic routes. That is not the case anymore.

I can tell you that after flying for more than a few years the idea of domestic only flying bores me to tears. Waking up in South America or Europe on the other hand, exploring a good layover with your family or crew is one of the great perks of being an airline pilot. With Delta's push for international (Asia and beyond along with lots of Europe already) there are going to be alot of really great places to see and IMHO decent money (not as high as it once was, but it will be good) to be made. To each his own though. If I'm a guy looking to do this another 20 to 30 years I could never do SWA, although I think they are a fine company and have some interesting history and have been able to call some of the shots the last few years. Having said that you could do much worse than SWA of course. Food for thought....take it for what its worth.

Another note of interest...a new hire on the property right now at Delta and in the coming months has a decent chance of getting the 767ER out of NY immediately, flying to a lot of beautiful and interesting cities in Europe this year. A friend of mine told me there are several open slots on the current bid because not everyone wants NY, preferring LAX, SLC, and ATL first.

My final advice, go somewhere you will enjoy the flying and figure out a side business that you enjoy. I have a friend at Delta that does just that. He gives away alot of his flying to free up about 20 days a month, has good overall compensation and keeps his foot in flying with ability to fly some really great cutting edge equipment and destinations in the future....really the best of all worlds.

 

[Meiguy]

My final advice, go somewhere you will enjoy the flying and figure out a side business that you enjoy. I have a friend at Delta that does just that. He gives away alot of his flying to free up about 20 days a month, has good overall compensation and keeps his foot in flying with ability to fly some really great cutting edge equipment and destinations in the future....really the best of all worlds.

Great post! I agree with you 100% as well

 

[stooge]

It looks like someone photoshopped Angelina Jolie's chest into a pic of a 15 year old girl.

wait. wait. i can explain. she said she was old enough to be a flight attendant, so it legal right?

... what are we talking about again?

 

[puddlejumper101]

something no one seems to consider...in 20 years who knows what SWA will look like. They might be jumping the pond right next to DAL. No one can predict the future so the decision has to be made on the past and present. Both pay scales will change hundreds of times in 20 years. What's left is culture and bases. I just flew with a 25 year capt. at SWA...and loved coming to work like he was still new. The culture here beats anything Delta can muster up. DAL is good...but SWA is just different. You would have to be here to understand what I mean. SWA has been facing challenges since before it was created and handled every single one. Why stop now? The challenges facing SWA are not any easier than those of 10, 20, or 30 years ago...but at what point in the last 30 years have they not handled their problems? It won't be easy...but if there is anyone that can pull it off with flying colors is SWA.

 

[norskman2]

something no one seems to consider...in 20 years who knows what SWA will look like. They might be jumping the pond right next to DAL. No one can predict the future so the decision has to be made on the past and present. Both pay scales will change hundreds of times in 20 years. What's left is culture and bases. I just flew with a 25 year capt. at SWA...and loved coming to work like he was still new. The culture here beats anything Delta can muster up. DAL is good...but SWA is just different. You would have to be here to understand what I mean. SWA has been facing challenges since before it was created and handled every single one. Why stop now? The challenges facing SWA are not any easier than those of 10, 20, or 30 years ago...but at what point in the last 30 years have they not handled their problems? It won't be easy...but if there is anyone that can pull it off with flying colors is SWA.

Just the same, let's remember: the SWA culture isn't for everyone. H***, how many other airlines have welcomed a class of new hires with a group barbecue???? I think my favorite SWA story is the time they held an interview session on one of those hot summer days in Dallas. The interviewers showed up in t-shirts and shorts, and invited all the interviewees to run down to the in-house store down the hall and do the same if they wanted to be more comfortable. Some of the pilots left in a huff, mumbling about an "unprofessional attitude." Others just grinned, did it, got the job and loved it!

No, not everyone likes flying 5 domestic short-haul hops a day in a "cramped" 737. The SWA culture and lifestyle isn't for everyone. But for those who "get it" and want it, there's no doubt that SWA is a very special and unique place. Hope to get there someday myself.

 

[General Lee]

Yes, but can your body handle multiple leg days with 25 minute turns for the rest of your career? Sure, you could throw in there the time zone changes for INTL guys at Delta. Well, they could always bid back to domestic if it were wearing on them, and chose what they want to do---only turns to the Carribbean, only 4 leg 4 day trips across the country, only 2 day trips with one leg out and one back, fly only trips to Hawaii, etc. There is a VAST amount of choice, in aircraft type and type of flying, at Delta, whereas that is not the case at SWA. You can dream that maybe someday you might do some INTL flying (maybe Carribbean or Mexico, but unlikely Europe unless ATA does it according to Kelly), but you really are only dreaming.....now hurry up it is time to board and you still have to help clean the plane, get the clearance, and run and try to find some food before your flights LAS, SMF, PDX, GEG, and BOI! It is fun there at SWA, no doubt!

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Richard Gozinya]

Yes, but can your body handle multiple leg days with 25 minute turns for the rest of your career? Bye Bye--General Lee

Not if you go through life fat, drunk, and stupid!!!!!!!!!

Better yet, do that because they will die early and we can move up the list.

Dick

 

[norskman2]

Yes, but can your body handle multiple leg days with 25 minute turns for the rest of your career? It is fun there at SWA, no doubt!

Some folks don't get it, do they? The 25-minute turns are one reason (just one of many, but an important one) that SWA has had 35 straight years of profitability. What would you rather have? Time to run for a meal or an airline that's never ran an annual loss?

Can any other airline say that? Anyone? Bueller?

 

[princeton]

Hey Princeton you at 39N?

I used to be