SWA or Delta

[Reebo]

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?

Do you have your type yet? An offer from SWA is just that, an offer. Not until you get your type will you be assigned a class date.

Do you have a class date with DL?

Go with the first class date offered. You don't seem to care much about bases, equipment, pay, or lifestyle so go with the first class offered.

 

[princeton]

O.K.,... For one, I could care less where I'm based; I'll be a commuter for life.

Meaning .. you couldn't care less? If you really could care less then where do you want to be based?

 

[SPDBRD747400]

I know what I would pick, I can't imagine flying a 737 for the rest of my career...also doing 10 legs a day...no thanks. I would take the DL job and fly the 767, 787, & 777's just my thoughts though.

 

[Rank&File]

Meaning .. you couldn't care less? If you really could care less then where do you want to be based?

Put it this way, Atlanta, Dallas, Cincinatti, Houston, Salt Lake City, Chicago, New York, Baltimore, Oakland, Phoenix, and Vegas all sound great to me.

And no, I don't have the 737 type; only two "conditional" job offers from two great companies.

 

[AN-2]

kids vs. adults

If u want to fly for a commuter the rest of your life - go southwest.

If u want to be an aviator and see the world - go delta.

BTW - all u kids out there who can not spell Pan Am, TWA, Eastern, Western and many others - what's goes around, comes around. SW has nothing assured in their future any more then any one else. In the 60's and 70's the places to be were those gone names. If u like all u'r eggs in one basket - SW is the answer. Else - Delta, and enjoy a great carrier.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I think it's IMPOSSIBLE to tell which one is better in the long run.

SWA never furloughed? I heard that before.

DELTA had never furloughed, and a month after I interviewed, they furloughed.

I think a huge thing is do you want to fly over the ocean on LONG legs, or do you want to fly shorter legs, with more landings and takeoffs.

To each his own.

I am applying at both SWA and Delta.

cliff
YIP

 

[Heavy Set]

Hi!

I think it's IMPOSSIBLE to tell which one is better in the long run.

SWA never furloughed? I heard that before.

DELTA had never furloughed, and a month after I interviewed, they furloughed.

I think a huge thing is do you want to fly over the ocean on LONG legs, or do you want to fly shorter legs, with more landings and takeoffs.

To each his own.

I am applying at both SWA and Delta.

cliff
YIP

Cliff,

Delta has domestic flying where you can do a couple or three legs a day and see the country, or fly the Delta Shuttle and see NYC/BOS/DCA 5 legs a day. I have heard guys who live in DC or BOS fly the Shuttle so they can be home at night instead of their layovers. You also can bid the international flying, and if you get tired of it, you can bid back domestic. Southwest only offers mutiple leg domestic flying.

 

[Flyer1015]

I know what I would pick, I can't imagine flying a 737 for the rest of my career...also doing 10 legs a day...no thanks. I would take the DL job and fly the 767, 787, & 777's just my thoughts though.

He'll make more money as a 12th yr SWA 737 captain than any Delta captain (be it 767, 787, or 777).

 

[ohplease!]

He'll make more money as a 12th yr SWA 737 captain than any Delta captain (be it 767, 787, or 777).

assuming the Delta rates don't come up from current levels. I think that would be a VERY wrong assumption. As soon as and as long as they economy and this industry continue to do well, Delta will pretty much agree to "any" rate the delta pilot group asks for (the moon), same as they always have. There in lies the rub (IMHO). They still have not "fixed" there real problem: mindset.

 

[AN-2]

He'll make more money as a 12th yr SWA 737 captain than any Delta captain (be it 767, 787, or 777).

That's assume he get hired today, see an upgrade in 7 years and then another 12 years to be a 12 yrs. captain...AND that delta pay rates will not change...but stay tuned on that point...

Make u'r calculations on a year over year and the progration possible at delta and over the same time delta pay is more then double then SW. And life goes on.

 

[Heavy Set]

He'll make more money as a 12th yr SWA 737 captain than any Delta captain (be it 767, 787, or 777).

That won't last. It looks like Delta will be getting more 777s and even 787s, and they are forcasted to be profitable, which means future pay raises. A friend of mine there said they can get up to 6% raises each of the next couple years if they are profitable (pre tax too), and that is very possible. Also, you won't have to fly in a cramped 737 across the nation if you don't want to. At Delta you can ditch the 738 for something bigger if you want. Not at Southwest. You are either doing 5 legs in a smaller 737-300 around California, or doing a transcon in a -700 with no room to stretch. No meals either, except peanuts. My buddy at DL says any flight over 5 1/2 hours now at DL must have first class meals available to both pilots. That covers most transcons from JFK to the West Coast. And remember this too, the reason Southwest pilots got higher pay raises is becuase of the Delta pilots raising the bar. They will get it back eventually.

 

[328dude]

That's assume he get hired today, see an upgrade in 7 years and then another 12 years to be a 12 yrs. captain...AND that delta pay rates will not change...but stay tuned on that point...

Um, what? You do know that you don't go to the bottom of the Captain scale when you upgrade right? Or in other words, Year 1 Captain pay.

 

[Whataburger]

Also, you won't have to fly in a cramped 737 across the nation if you don't want to. quote]

Says the man who flys a Lear.
Heavy you strike me as the corporate manager who flew for a second rate airline, went back to corporate because it was the quick deal, make okay money, hate sucessful airlines and their employees (SWA), and will probably get laid-off in a couple years when your rich owner gets tired of owning a expensive, tiny, litte toy. Look at all your past posts. They are (A) pro delta, or (B) posting bad news about 121 carriers. Don't be mad at us airline folk, we're all pilots doing what we enjoy doing.
PS. I think that not getting first class meals in return for getting to keep 100% of my pay is a pretty good deal. Just one man's opinion.

 

[stooge]

1,2,3 Rule

gotta go southwest

 

[Whataburger]

1,2,3 Rule

gotta go southwest

Finally a sane quote.:beer:

 

[zawillif]

Two weeks ago Delta, United, US Air, Northwest, American and Continental all raised their base fares by $5. Last week they all had to lower the fares back because of one reason: Southwest didn't match it. Southwest is the bane of the airline industry.

Still. . . it would be nice to get paid $200/hr to fly a 737. It just a question of whether your conscience can live with it.

 

[Bullitt]

This has no relevance whatsoever to the argument so I apologize, but Stooge I really dig that avatar .

 

[norskman2]

I hope this isn't a dumba$$ question, but under their contract don't SWA pilots fly more hours per month than DAL?

 

[Heavy Set]

Also, you won't have to fly in a cramped 737 across the nation if you don't want to. quote]

Says the man who flys a Lear.
Heavy you strike me as the corporate manager who flew for a second rate airline, went back to corporate because it was the quick deal, make okay money, hate sucessful airlines and their employees (SWA), and will probably get laid-off in a couple years when your rich owner gets tired of owning a expensive, tiny, litte toy. Look at all your past posts. They are (A) pro delta, or (B) posting bad news about 121 carriers. Don't be mad at us airline folk, we're all pilots doing what we enjoy doing.
PS. I think that not getting first class meals in return for getting to keep 100% of my pay is a pretty good deal. Just one man's opinion.

I flew a 747 for Tower Air before the Lear, thank you. Couldn't help it if the airline went away. Found a couple good corporate gigs, but then this one is a mint. I am paid well to manage and fly, and golf a plenty in Boca Raton. I don't hate Southwest, in fact I have a couple friends there, based in MCO. They like it, most of the time, yet they always talk of wishing they had more options in trips. I also have friends at Delta, and they didn't enjoy the BK stage, but really enjoy their trips. So, I have some experience with regard to my posts. It is odd though that you guys are so defensive about your "perfect" airline. It is humorous watching you all try to combat General Lee, when all he is saying is that not everyone wants to be one of you. You take it personally. And, since when did you become the FI police? I can post anything I want, and I often post in other categories, like LCC, Fractional, etc. My world doesn't revolve around Southwest, thank god. Some of you guys are really stuck on yourselves. Have you ever had a first class meal before? You really don't know what you are missing. I get great meals myself at Rudy's at Teterboro (on the boss, thank you). Enjoy your peanuts.

 

[328dude]

Rudy's? Yummm. Careful, or you won't fit in the Lear for much longer.