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I just don’t get it. On a somewhat recent Delta flight I saw a guy go up to the cockpit and talk to the pilots and then came back with a big smile and a card in his hand. He seemed almost giddy and had a spring in his step as he made his way back to his coach seat.
I also don’t get that someone has the entire set of cards (going way back) and has them listed for sale on eBay for, get this, $3000 USD!
Geezzzz!
Now I get that having that listed for that vs. selling for that is a completely different matter and I would be shocked to the core if some AVgeek paid the hefty price for the cards that you can get free for the asking.
To be fair I was never the kind of person who collected baseball or football cards so maybe the subset of adults who love these things grew up as such a collector and this reminds them of those long gone days?
One person is so into these cards that they have created a Google Docs spreadsheet with all of the cards the year the card came out as well as most of the photos for each card front and back!
My other issue is bugging the pilots during boarding time. They are, after all, working on a checklist to get us up in the air and someone asking for a “dumb” (my words clearly) trading card is a distraction they don’t need. Beyond that the person may also be blocking the flight attendants from their duties before we fly. I mean I have no issue if you want to be one of the last off the jet and ask then but my guess is folks are most of the time bugging pilots before we fly.
So you tell me. Educate me on why these cards are soooooooo uber cool and worth the effort to not just collect but bug Delta pilots to get them! – René
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[Personal attack redacted] …brings someone else happiness.
Personally I don’t get people’s obsession with the NFL but they build their personalities around it. It’s like people all have different interests and they don’t need to be explained to others or justified. If you don’t care about the cards or football.. great. Find something you are interested in and if people question it.. tell them to piss off?
Different strokes for different Folks. Some people collect stamps, baseball cards, airline vomit bags and now airline pilot cards. Just sounds like an avgeek thing, no harm. Maybe flight attendant cards next ?
FWIW, from another site: “Delta encourages asking pilots for trading cards. On November 20, 2023, Delta Air Lines posted to its official TikTok account, promoting how the company’s pilots have aircraft specific trading cards. The 12-second TikTok video has text that reads ‘pov: you always ask the pilots for a trading card.’… This is a cute initiative on Delta’s part. It’s a fun idea for aviation geeks and children, and it creates a way for pilots to interact with passengers, adding a human touch that’s often missing in the travel experience.”
@Mike L – Thanks. I guess Delta is aok bugging pilots pre takeoff!
I hear you – with the publicity now calling attention to this practice, my guess is they will need to impose some sort of restrictions.
As a Delta pilot, I LOVE this initiative. It has given me the very welcome opportunity to meet and interact with more passengers during the last few months than ever. It has added a human touch to an otherwise highly technical (and sometimes isolating) career.
Most people come up at the end of the flight, although a few ask to come up during boarding. Usually by the time boarding begins, we’re done with preflight checks and we’re just sitting there chit chatting anyway, so it’s rarely been a bother.
All have a big smile on their face, and all become giddy with excitement when I hand them a card. Some just say thank you and leave quickly, but some have a few questions or want to check out the flight deck and have their pics taken.
Overall, it’s been a very positive experience, both for the passengers and for the pilots. The bins at the Chief Pilots office which contain the trading cards have been empty for weeks, so the cards are becoming a hot commodity, but it’s an indication of how popular this trend has become.
@Pete – Many thanks for your comment. A question – it sounds like after flight is better time to request one. Does requesting pre-flight interrupt departure check list etc?
I was flying with my 10yo son in first class. Pre-flight, a pilot came to us and invited my son into the cockpit. He let my son sit in his seat, ask questions, etc. probably spent 10-15 mins with us. He then brought a card and pin to our seat before takeoff.
The whole experience was awesome for my son. The card was just a topper to a great experience.
I would have never thought to ask for a card on a different plane/flight with my son. But, Delta seems to want pilots engaging with passengers pre-flight. Great recruiting tool if kids pursue flying based on their experience with these pilots.
Come on…..I think it is a bit of a stretch to say these cards are compromising the safety and efficiency of the flight. It takes the pilot no more than 2 seconds to reach into his pocket to pull these cards out. What’s next, no more gold plastic wings for the kids? No more tours of the cockpit? I have spent more time waiting in line for Mr. 2B to be served his pre departure gin & tonic than I have waiting for a young flyer to receive these highly coveted cards.
@TLloyd – If you take the time to review the history of aviation disasters over time – many are the result of a mistake in pre departure checks. I would rather cards enthusiasts wait till post flight yes!
During the height of the pandemic, the pilots would almost always come into the front cabin and thank everyone for flying and let us know that they appreciated our loyalty. It meant something, even when we were all masked up and may not have caught every word. I personally miss this as it seems that this practice has all but disappeared. More interaction between the pilots and the passengers can only help the relationship between Delta and the flying public and me be one reason why Delta didn’t have the same degree of people doing stupid things board coming out of the pandemic that some others (SW & AA especially) experienced.
I haven’t asked for any cards, but think it’s cool, especially for kids.
I have 10 of them!!