Airline pilot cliques?

[Center_Mid]

This is kind of a juvenile question, but are there cliques among airline pilots? Do airline pilots have the "cool kids" and the, um, "not-so-cool kids"? Military versus non-mil? Northerners versus southerners? Texans versus everybody else? Captains versus FOs?

I don't want to start a flame war, but I know that many industries have some kind of coolness hierarchies (lawyers certainly do). Even though most adults pretty much can ignore them or live with them, they can still exist. Any thoughts?

 

[Mr_Creepy]

yes. It's called the ALPA MEC

 

[Cheechako]

When I was based in Portland, there was a group of pilots and flight attendants that would regularly get together outside of work and go water skiing, drinking, and partying. I think it was more a function of they were the only ones they knew in town and not so much being cliquish.

You can't tell who the "cool" kids are on the playground because we're all wearing the same uniform. There are no Tommy Hilfiger pilot shirts or Calvin Klein polyesther slacks! Although some could spend a little extra to get them hemmed to the proper length (there's a high-water plague that runs rampant in the crew lounges).

Most of the close friendships come from trainging events, flying several trips together, or mutual friends.

 

[derg]

I haven't seen many cliques at Delta at all.

Although I do see a difference between flight attendants from different bases.

Luckily, since we all wear uniforms, there's a graduated pay scale and everything is seniority based, there is very little 'classism' that I see.

Even the former Thunderbirds and Blue Angels that I fly with are just regular guys and still botch landings.