Delta/Northwest Integration List

As an airline pilot, seniority is everything. Not so much in any other aspect of the airline industry. As a pilot, wages, schedules, vacations, elections etc are all based on your seniority. Unlike other occupations if you switch companies you can still be hired into a top level position. Example, a bank manager can be hired right into a bank manager position at another bank and doesn't need to start over as a teller or apprentice.

In my line of work switching companies loses all date of hire rights from any previous employer. This has bitten me time and again even though I have flown under the Delta colors most of my aviation career. I had 10 years with Delta and left as a B737-200 systems instructor, left for 3 months and flew with American Eagle before transferring back to Delta owned Atlantic Southeast Airlines and flew for them as a Delta Connection Carrier for 7 years. Each time starting again at the bottom seniority of 1000's of pilots. Being hired as a line pilot for Delta in Aug. '07 I again started at the bottom of the pile of about 7000 pilots.

Now with the merger of the Northwest pilot group and the Delta pilot group I received my new seniority number. Out of 12,434 I am number 11547. I have 796 pilots below me. I was hoping for 1000 below me. Before the integration list was handed down by the arbitrators 93% of the Delta pilot group was above me. Now the merged list has 92% above me so percentage wise I gained actually just over 1/2 a percent.

Looks like a peons life for me for quite some time. Ah well, maybe things will improve as I still have 17 years to build seniority.

Teotihuacan Ruins

Our family on the Pyramid of the Moon.

View from the Pyramid of the Moon looking down the "Avenue of the Dead". The Pyramid of the Sun can be seen on the left side of the avenue. The main plaza is just below the pyramid. Most ceremonies here were by invitation for the more elite.

Dallan, Mom and Shawn standing on top of the Sun Pyramid with the Moon Pyramid in the background. The Moon Pyramid was the main ceremonial pyramid even though the Sun Pyramid was much larger.

Teotihuacan city ruins to the south of the Pyramid of the Sun.

India Attacks

As a pilot I was concerned about the attacks on the the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. That is where our Delta Pilots and flight attendants stay each night. Thankfully our company was right on top of it and got everyone out and relocated without incident.

Mexico Trip

We are excited about returning to Mexico together. Last month Dallan and mom accompanied me to Mexico City for just an over night stay but today we get to stay all afternoon and all day tomorrow! Should be fun. Plan on going out to the pyramids and loosing my breath climbing the first 15 stairs on the things.

Survey

Just want the family who take the survey to know it is annonymous. I have no idea who logs on and votes. Basically this tells me how I am doing in my family relationships. I am told from time to time that I need to improve my social skills. Maybe so but like John Candy says in Planes, Trains and Automobiles...."I am happy with me. I like being me."

Bailout Baloney

I was surprised that the senate leaders did not fork over money to the auto industry...namely the UAW union. This would really have made me mad. Then I heard today that they may still give the executives of these badly run businesses a second chance to plead their case since they screwed it up the first time. Bailout Baloney if they give it to them.