ACA questions

[ACA Hopeful]

I need some info on ACA as I am attempting to set up an interview playing phone tag with Recruiting:

1) What are ACA's commuter policies? I am hoping to commute to ORD from a major hub airport of NWA.

2) What is a typically good commuter schedule regarding days on/off, show times, etc.?

3) Other threads have speculated that ACA is either overstaffing or hiring for upcoming expansion yet unannounced. I think the latter is the case (i.e., AirWis recent Airtran announcement justifies their recent hiring flurry). What are thoughts here?

4) What does ACA provide for travel to class, and travel to/from home after ID is issued?

5) Are crashpads ample or scarce near ORD, and how expensive?

6) Anyone else have interviews scheduled? Recent class dates awarded?

Thanks!

 

[C-5 MEM]

ACA has a very good comute policy. One good thing is if you listed yourself on two flights prior to your show time and unable to make it, it is taken care off. But you must list with UAL/ or Delta. They must confirm somehow. You cant just say that you listed yourself on NWA and unbale to make it.
You will be on reserve for about 6-8 months, so it would be hard to figure out a line for your commute.
There is no reason for why ACA is hiring like mad. No one knows why, but some talk about expanding to the midwest.
You can jump seat once you get your ID. Also you get travel benefits on your first day. Now being in IAD and being a friday travel. Its going to be overbooked. So it might make it difficult on stand by travel. It depends on where your trying to get. I was commuting from MEM and it was not bad. I used US Air.

Crashpads run about 250 per month. Some upto 350 for a private room in the crashpad. Hotel costs run $59 per night.
If you stay at Town House Suite you get a small kitchen and that come in handy.


Terry Vickers
CRJ/FO
ACA

 

[20sx]

My latest reserve schedule has 3 three day off periods and one 2 day period. Of course, right now its not that hard to move them around for a longer period of time off. If you want or can, you can drop some days also.
ORD won't be a problem to get, I believe that's where most of the growth will be in the next year. I would also imagine reserve would end quicker there also. And just for your info, last month on reserve I only flew 6 days (IAD).

Travel privileges on United and Delta are now the same...free. The employee has more priority than the spouse, unless she's with you.

Hope this helps

 

[House_X]

In the Dornier, I held a build up line one month after training and kept a build-up for three months. Reserves seems to come and go as the lines change...there seems to be no pattern.

Lines should be coming back after we move to cinci. Right now we have LOTS of folks on reserve. My buddies in the CRJ are sitting around in ORD as well...

Commuting on NWA can be risky in the wintertime if your out of MSP or DTW, it depends on where your based. You mentioned you'd like to go to ORD, but keep in mind you may be assigned to our beloved Dornier (CVG or BOS).

 

[20sx]

There is a minimum of 11 days off a month. After that, its all about what your seniority can hold. I believe the best schedules give off 18 days, maybe 19, can't remember for sure.

 

[Gator Aviator]

ORD commute

I am planning to eventually commute out of MSP to ORD in the CRJ (class date 11/11).

If I understand it correctly, if I list myself on at least 2 prior flights on UAL then I'm covered if I can't make it out because we got a 6' blanket of snow as we Minnesotans are prone to get? How do you "get listed"?

Hopefully something will be announced soon regarding future growth plans or many of us new-hires may be sitting reserve for some time (it would appear).

 

[Av8tor]

Here's our policy:

a. Pilots are responsible for reporting to assignments in a timely manner. These
provisions are not intended to relieve pilots of that responsibility.

b. A pilot who is unable to report for duty as a result of a delay or cancellations
due to flight schedule disruptions or the unanticipated unavailability of a non-
revenue seat shall notify crew scheduling/tracking in the manner specified
herein (see BB.4.d. below), shall comply with the procedures for listing on an
approved flight (see BB.3. below), and shall report to the departure gate for the
flight (see BB.4.b. below). If all of the above requirements are met, the pilot
shall not be subject to any disciplinary action as a result of his inability to report
on time.


2. Carrier

a. This commuter policy applies only on Company airlines and to carriers on which the
Company has direct access to their computer reservation system.

The Company shall provide a list of qualified carriers to the MEC Chairman and
update the list any time that it is modified.


3. Listing for Travel

a. Any pilot commuting to an assignment must be listed in the computer
reservation system as a non-revenue passenger. The pilot must be listed on an
appropriate flight not more than forty-eight (48) but not less than twenty-four
(24) hours in advance of the scheduled departure time for the flight he expects to
use to commute to work. This flight is designated by the pilot as his primary
flight.

b. Pilots may only list for travel on flights which have seats available for sale to the
public during the time period described in 3.a.
c. The primary flight on which the pilot elects to list must be scheduled to arrive at
the airport where he is assigned to commence his pairing in advance of his show
time. There must also be at least one “back-up” flight scheduled to depart from
the same airport later than the primary flight on which he is listed. This back-up
flight must also be scheduled to arrive prior to his show time.

d. Pilots may elect to use jumpseat privileges for primary and back-up flights on
which they are listed and when doing so will be considered to have complied
with the provisions of this section.

a. Pilots commuting to an assignment must arrive at the designated gate for the
primary flight on which they are listed at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the
scheduled departure time of that flight.

b. After arriving at the departure gate, if the pilot becomes aware of a
delay/cancellation or the unavailability of a non revenue passenger seat on his
primary flight, he will immediately notify crew scheduling/tracking. The pilot
will provide the flight number and departure time of his back-up flight(s) and
discuss any other possible travel alternatives with the scheduler.

c. Following the delay or cancellation of a primary flight the pilot will report to the
departure gate of his back-up flight as soon as practical.



Here's our policy:

 

[Tooslow]

Av8tor

What is the average reserve time currently on the DoJet328. I heard it was around a month....

 

[Av8tor]

Re: Av8tor

What is the average reserve time currently on the DoJet328. I heard it was around a month....

I would say its a little longer these days with more guys coming out of training every day. Im not really sure though, Maybe 2-3 months as a guess.