Would Anybody Leave Delta for AirTran?

[gt1900]

Heres my 2 cents.. Not like it amounts to much... I would also look at future hiring. If DAL plans on hiring 2000 guys in the next 3 years and Airtran plans on hiring only 500, I would go to DAL..... None of us have any clue which airlines are gonna be around in 15 years, let alone 20 or 30.. Plus, current contracts or TA's are going to change so much over the next 15-30 years that if you base your decisions on current contracts, your foolish.. However, seniority is huge. Climbing up a seniortiy ladder fast is the only way you can hope to improve your job security.. That is the reason I wouldn't leave AAI for anywhere else at this point. I'm not going to give up all those seniority numbers at AAI to be at the bottom of somwhere else (ie. a sitting duck if the chit hits the fan again).. Plus, if a merger does happen at any company the senior guys usually fare better than junior guys... As of today, I don't think you can go wrong at either DAL or AAI.. However, things change overnight in the airlines.. Since your already at DAL, I would hold on tight and hope they start hiring everyone and thier hot sisters...

 

[Jim]

Lots of uncertainty at AAI with the MidWest deal and that might make AAI upgrades a long term proposition.

Is the 717 a completely different type (training) from a MD90? Rumors this week are that DL likes Hawaiian's 767-300ER's. But, were they not DL's 767's before they were Hawaiian's? I'm confused.

No the HAL 767-300ERs were never Delta's. Last year HAL bought 4 non-ER / non-ETOPS 767s from Delta and converted them to ETOPS.

So what's the rest of the rumor?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

If you want a fast upgrade with high pay, you should go to Emirates. It's running about 3 years to widebody captain. They're also doubling (or more) the size of their fleet to be the largest international long-haul carrier, and they're adding lots of pilots. They need 400 by XMas.

cliff
YIP

 

[B737Dvr]

Hi!

If you want a fast upgrade with high pay, you should go to Emirates. It's running about 3 years to widebody captain. They're also doubling (or more) the size of their fleet to be the largest international long-haul carrier, and they're adding lots of pilots. They need 400 by XMas.

cliff
YIP

ahhh if that was all it was.....for anyone considering going anywhere close to the middle east, it IS NOT like back home. DO make sure you do your due diligence. There are very good threads about going that route, but money and position alone IT IS NOT.

 

[Lear70]

I think your total wages when you retire would be higher at airtran if you factor in a 12 year upgrade at delta.

Ummm... NO.

Total wages, including retirement benefits, are higher at DAL.

Not to mention, our proposed rates at DOS are about 20-30% lower than where DAL likely will be in 4-5 years. They're GOING to snap back, make no mistakes about it. Possibly not all at once, but definitely over the duration of the contract... management bit too deep.

If you're already at DAL (or any other Legacy except for UAL/UAir), I certainly wouldn't come here. No way.

 

[Pat Fabin]

No offense to any Air Tran guys here but you are comparing the worse pay rates and contract we have ever had with Air Tran's BEST contract?

You are not talking Apples to Apples here guys.

 

[Lear70]

No offense to any Air Tran guys here but you are comparing the worse pay rates and contract we have ever had with Air Tran's BEST contract?

You are not talking Apples to Apples here guys.

Exactly.

If you just got on with DAL in the last year, you're at the beginning of the hiring boom,,, best place to be.

 

[PCL_128]

We do still have a few guys leaving DAL to come to AAI. One 50 year old guy just started class last week after leaving DAL.

Overall, I can't recommend leaving DAL for here. I did turn down an offer from a DAL 767 checkairman a few weeks ago to walk my stuff in, but that's because I've already got a seniority number here with people under me. You've already got your number at DAL. I wouldn't give it up. If this latest downturn taught us anything, it should be that giving up seniority at any major is a big risk. Ask the dozens of guys that left UPS and FedEx in 2000 to go to places like UAL and AMR that have been on the street for the past 5 years. Jumping from job to job and giving up seniority is like playing russian roulette.

 

[BoeingBaller]

The answer is do what makes you happy.

 

[Peardc10]

What BoeingBaller said, do what makes you happy, who would of thought that five of the seven legacy carriers would be in bankruptcy court at the same time!

This is a crazy industry were in and who knows what might happen in the next 5, 10, 20 years. Be happy first and the rest will fall in place.

Again my .01Cents worth