Air Tran or CAL? haven't we been here before?

[Patriot328]

For comparison, here's what seniority movement looks like for someone hired roughly last fall and 30 years old. It gives an idea of the retirement rate each year for the next 30 years or so at CAL. This doesn't include early outs, medicals, etc, but is a rough estimate of how much movement there will be due to attrition.


Rest of 2006 - 74
2007 - 252
2008 - 199
2009 - 204
2010 - 194
2011 - 210
2012 - 211
2013 - 183
2014 - 198
2015 - 169
2016 - 188
2017 - 178
2018 - 181
2019 - 153
2020 - 145
2021 - 155
2022 - 152
2023 - 187
2024 - 132
2025 - 149
2026 - 123
2027 - 104
2028 - 114
2029 - 120
2030 - 99
2031 - 57
2032 - 50
2033 - 36
2034 - 24
2035 - 13

 

[Lame Lizard]

Here's what quality of life looks like at Airtran:
From Now until Whenever:

0.

 

[Airtran717]

Here's what quality of life looks like at Airtran:
From Now until Whenever:

0.

sure. yeah my QOL sucks...

 

[a10hogplt]

The only people that are going to say Air Tran are the poor people that work there. Do you realize how many new hires are prior Air Tran? A lot!!

 

[vetrider]

Call me old fashioned, but I'd start at Air Tran and not look back. In my observation, constantly seeking greener grass more often than not ends up biting one in the butt.

 

[Kharma Police]

Here's what quality of life looks like at Airtran:
From Now until Whenever:

0.

That's funny. How are things at Midwest? I like the new terminal in MKE! Are you guys getting any more airplanes this year? Any more routes or just increases in frequency? How many more RJs is SkyWay going to get? Just curious, sorry for the thread deviation.

 

[FlyAuburn]

sure. yeah my QOL sucks...

Hey dude, how long does it take to swap a trip at Da Tranny? Is it true that it's done by paper?

 

[Airtran717]

Hey dude, how long does it take to swap a trip at Da Tranny? Is it true that it's done by paper?

By Fax right now yes, but they have been pretty good about it. We start using FLICKA this month for bidding and should have real time (internet) trip trades/swaps active by November

 

[FlyAuburn]

By Fax right now yes, but they have been pretty good about it. We start using FLICKA this month for bidding and should have real time (internet) trip trades/swaps active by November

Good for you. Hopefully you'll get the mode where there is no scheduler input to approve or deny, unlike my previous employer. Also, first come, first serve open time is mighty sweet if you have FLICA alerts to your cell phone. Now that's QOL baby...

 

[Lear70]

Actually, I haven't had any drops or trades denied as long as I do it more than 72 hours in advance.

I drop down to about 14 days off on reserve, still see 90-100 hours credit.

QOL isn't bad; it's sure as heck better than PCL!

The only people that are going to say Air Tran are the poor people that work there.

Didn't I say CAL might be a better choice overall if you had the choice either before you got hired or just after?

 

[Hair-on-Fire]

airTran definitely won't be "pulling a jetBlue", we're probably going to post profitable quarters and years for quite a while yet to come, no reason to defer deliveries, I think they'd ACCELERATE THEM if they thought operationally they could get away with it.

This must be your first airline job.

 

[Lear70]

No, it's my 4th.

But thanks for asking.

 

[DBCOOPER]

Hair-on-fire,

You couldn't have posted a better question/comment. Anyone that is THAT confident that their airline is too good to do a 180 (sometimes for reasons out of the company's control) is fooling themselves.

Airtran has been an exciting place to work for a few years now, and there is always a group of people that get too caught up in the "kool-aid drinking". They make comments like this guy....it does nothing but show his/her arrogance. It's actually kind of humerous to see that there are still pilots out there that think their company is invinsible.

And, to do my part for the title of the thread......I will go to the first one that calls. If I had the choice, I would take CO for many of the reasons already listed. However, I'd happily stay in ATL and get reaquainted with my old airplane again with Airtran.

 

[Airtran717]

Airtran is most definitely not invincible. But it is a decent place to work. It could be better (contract 2005 hopefully) .....but it could be a lot worse.

We are ALL (by that i mean everyone on this board) just one terrorist attack away from furlough.

Ill even go farther and say we are ALL just one "bad management decision" away from furlough.

 

[propjob27]

There was a guy in my CAL new hire class (Aug 2006) who was allready employed by AirTran. And in fact, he is not an isolated case. However, to my knowledge, there are NO former CAL guys in AirTran new hire classes.

That might tell you something.

 

[Lear70]

You couldn't have posted a better question/comment. Anyone that is THAT confident that their airline is too good to do a 180 (sometimes for reasons out of the company's control) is fooling themselves.

Airtran has been an exciting place to work for a few years now, and there is always a group of people that get too caught up in the "kool-aid drinking". They make comments like this guy....it does nothing but show his/her arrogance. It's actually kind of humerous to see that there are still pilots out there that think their company is invinsible.

First, the word is "invincible".

Second, I never said we were "invincible", I simply said that I didn't THINK, given our financial performance and fares only going UP, that we would be selling off aircraft like jetBlue did.

I never said we were furlough-proof, recession-proof, fuel crisis-proof, or any other such nonsense.

I also said many good things in support of CAL. So how does that make ME arrogant?

Read the post and understand what it means before you go off on your high horse.

And, to do my part for the title of the thread......I will go to the first one that calls. If I had the choice, I would take CO for many of the reasons already listed. However, I'd happily stay in ATL and get reaquainted with my old airplane again with Airtran.

So you bash someone that works at airTran then say you'd like to work there?

That's classy...

 

[ASA]

There was a guy in my CAL new hire class (Aug 2006) who was allready employed by AirTran. And in fact, he is not an isolated case. However, to my knowledge, there are NO former CAL guys in AirTran new hire classes.

That might tell you something.

So you should base your decision on what other pilots do? Would you also follow the herd to the great Eastern back in the 80s? Think for yourself--these former AirTran pilots at CAL might regret that decision one day. None of us know the future.

 

[Eagle757shark]

The bottom line is everyone has to choose what is best for them and their family. As far as WE ALL KNOW RIGHT NOW, both companies are doing well in this current environment and I think there is a bit of excitment at both companies for the future. Growth, upgrades, whom....in this crazy industry we could even see CAL and AirTran merge together! Surprises are always popping up in this industry! ( I don't recall any management coming to us pilots and asking us) Good luck to all wherever you end up, we won't know the end until its time to retire!

 

[DBCOOPER]

Lear Boy,

You weren't specific at all with that JetBlue comment. You mentioned nothing about financial performance or rising fares to back that up.

I read and understood your post just fine. That was the only arrogant comment made....and it was. That's why someone else asked if it was your first airline job.

As far as challenging (or bashing in your words) an employee.......and then having my app in with Valujet at the same time....YEA, your point is?

Look, I have many friends over there.....they bash Valujet everyday. The simple fact of it is, the last few years have been good mainly due to alot of growth and quick upgrades, that won't last. Most people I know, including me, would work there b/c at the time there isn't much else out there. It would be convenient due to the fact that i live in ATL, and I have a few years in the 737NG....THAT'S IT!! Believe me, it's not that sharp looking pilot group that gets my heart pumping....

Alright, I'm getting off the point but just please don't make comments like that. Valujet could defer jets next week for all you know. You think guys at JetBlue thought that would be happening a year ago? NOPE.

Please check my spelling now, I think I did pretty good. Although, that one word...."convenient" really had me thinking

 

[Ty Webb]

DB Cooper:

Trade in your mullet and your Molly Hatchet t-shirt for something current.

Valujet was ten years ago . . . . and the "new" contract that made things good "for the last couple of years" was signed in 2001. The last DC9 was out of here when . . . hell, I can't even remember when, that's how long it's been.

We'll have over 125 aircraft by the end of this year, and by the end of next year, we'll be sitting very close to 150 aircraft and we'll have a new contract (dam.n straight we will).

As for our pilot group . . . every pilot group has its snazzy dressers. Some of our larger models came from Legacies with crew meals . . . but I'm sure they all look pretty to you and Uppercrust at closing time.