Fly4FunAA

Currently I’m a SWA FO on mil leave with my 1yr at SWA coming up next month. I’ve already decided I’m leaving SWA, but I have a good problem I’m contemplating.

I’m 28, mil duty is in MCO, home is in IND. I really really like Delta, but I’d be foolish not to consider United with the MCO base. I have a CJO/Class Date with Delta and have an interview soon with United.

ATL/NYC/DTW work really well for me with Delta. MCO/ORD/EWR work well with United. I want to fly widebodies and both have that. Delta has a better contract and brand, but United’s bases could allow me to easily live in base.

Both seem like really good options. A lot better than SWA in the current market. My only worry is with recession possibly looming, of a furlough.

Would one carrier be better than the other when it comes to furlough protection? Is there something more I should consider before I make a decision? I’m leaning strongly Delta, but I don’t want to overlook United.

Meme In Command

I'd go to DL. You wanna fly WB's and you're not gonna get that with UA out of MCO so you're gonna have to commute for that anyways. In my opinion, I think at worst DL will slow or stop hiring if the defecation hits the oscillation. And I think if DL is furloughing, I doubt UA would magically evade it. Come to DL, make big money, realize how much money you're leaving on the table to go deal with BS during drill weekend, leave the military and make big bucks.

myrkridia

Well I wrote some big reply and got timed out of the forum. I'm sure you'll get a lot of helpful answers but I'd say that you might find even more answers if you search Google with the prefix site:airlinepilotforums.com followed by variations of UA vs DL, United or Delta, etc. All in all it is probably a crap shoot given how young you are and many important variables are impossible to forecast over such a potentially long timeframe. Either would be great in the long run. Congratulations!

Flyweight

Commuting to two jobs is nuts. Btdt. Live in one of them or quit one. That will kill any family time if thats a concern. Just doing two jobs and trying not to mil drop is bad enough.

IMO, Delta has far better financials, far far better contract, and a better union.Id go into it expecting to get furloughed once.

United is a great job too, but I don't believe a thing Kirby or Bastian says. I just base it off past results and future potential.

Kirby is spending money like he did at American. May work. May not. I like that Delta buys cheap planes.

plus. Delta has yet to throw the book at us on DEI the way United has with 40% of the quarterly cbt time being DEI.

Fly4FunAA

yeah trust me I have plans to work on that commuting to two jobs thing. Either down the road switch my guard/reserve unit closer to IND or buy a place in base in ATL.

Fly4FunAA

yeah I’m already seeing the difference currently between time spent in the mil and not being able to start at Delta lol.

Meme In Command

All my buddies that commissioned with me that were pilots all got out the instant they got a legacy job and served their service commitment. The math is undeniable, and I was already losing money on year 1 FO pay previous contract.

beernutt

Huh? Are things like this a something to make a career choice over?

DeltaboundRedux

In re: "furlough protections".

Furlough protections are a myth, or at least enough so that I wouldn't make career decisions based on these policies even when negotiated in good faith.

Not trying to be a Debbie Downer here; it's just best to proceed imagining that no one is ever "safe" in this career from economic downturns. Actually easier that way, really.

gloopy

If you already have a DL class/offer and nothing for UAL yet, based on everything else you said, this one is easy. Go DL and never look back. Manage the reserve job and move however you want down the road.