Scoop

Yes, but going through a 30-35 year behind a 4600 Pilot bulge will have ramifications throughout your career. Assume that a new hire today is the average age of the recent Pilot hires. He will not top 4600 until very late in his career. Compare that to an early 2014 hire who may spend over half his career in the top 4600 -huge difference.


Is this the end of the world? Hell No. Can a new hire today still have a great career at Delta? Yes. Its just another data point in a career where almost everything is determined by your place in the line.


Scoop

e6bpilot

I work at SWA. If I lived in the ATL and planned on staying there for the long term, the choice would be a no brainer. Go with the airline that has a huge presence there.
It will suck in the short term since a second year FO can do pretty well here and you are just starting to feel the effects of what a little seniority can do, but you will gain that back in spades by living where DL does.
All these posts about equipment and cool widebody flying are just guys patting themselves on the back. Do what is going to be right for you and your family. Discuss it at the dinner table and come up with a rational decision and try not to look back. You are behind a big bulge of hiring at Delta, but things look very rosy for the future there. They are both awesome places to work.

WhaleSurfing

^^^^THIS^^^^
My career was reversed in that I flew large wide-bodies for 25 years (747-400, MD-11) after a very short time in the commuter world before ending up on the 737 (with I enjoy). Very, very boring flying in very big airplanes. To each his own.

Cosa Nostra

I'll have to disagree ... 4600 out of 14600 on property isn't a big deal at all when comparing to the growth. The 8000 that we need in the coming years, now that is a huge number. Get in while you can

TED74

How does the SWA upgrade timing compare to an ATL 737 at DAL? That would be part of my calculus.

That being said, I flew with a guy who consistently broke 400k/yr for a couple years, living in ATL but flying as NYC7ER F/O. So even NYC upgrade timing could also be relevant, depending on one's druthers.

DAL has variety aplenty...which is of course a double-edged sword.

gloopy

Gotcha.

While all of us put together may be able to partially clarify what to expect, I'll say this based on what you're saying.

You will most likely take a significant QOL hit at DL for a while. You may be forced to commute for a while, possibly while getting hammered on reserve covering a 3 "co-terminal" base. You may be forced into Malaria-belt flying sometimes. You could find yourself in the same plane flying out of the same airport, but for less pay and lower QOL for a while.

Its also possible you could immediately find a niche that suits you better at DL, especially if you're a "work the contract" kind of pilot. But all things equal I'd say expect a pay and QOL hit for a while. If you can't handle that financially or psychologically and will find yourself deeply regretting anything you "lost" then it may not be for you.

However, IMO the long term opportunities for pay and QOL at DL will most likely be greater than SW in the medium to long term. There are far more options, including many little microclimates to be "senior" somewhere. While SW obviously has "junior bases" etc, the opportunities there are far more stovepiped than what you'll find at DL.

SW is a good airline to be at. So is DL. What you are weighing right now is the classic "first world problem" and if you do nothing you still have a great gig. If you make the jump, only do it if you weigh and value the medium to long term upside while accepting (including your family) the the short term (year or two?) will likely be a net negative over your current present position.

As for what to expect, ask a lot of different opinions across at least several years of hiring, multiple fleets and bases, and keep all in the context of when in each hiring wave they got on.

If it helps, I think you're stuck trying to make two right choices. You really can't go wrong.

Hank Kingsley

I think it's less patting and more about the variety. The spice of life. Anyway, what a problem to have.

JamesBond

I was wondering the same thing

Sputnik

Might wanna take a look at ATL 73. It's way more senior than the other narrow bodies. No I don't know why.

Your overall point I agree with though.

flyguy81

Apply. If you don’t get a invite, or don’t get hired there’s no decision to make.

If I switched from SWA to DL I’d likely go to the 75/67 and chill there. A new hire there likely won’t see WB CA until just before retirement, if at all.