AirTran, ATA, Frontier?

[Newjetjockey]

Besides Southwest and Jet Blue, which LCC is the best to work for? Which has the brightest future?

 

[Pickle]

ATA, F9, FL

Well, I may be biased, seeing as how I work for ATA, but of the ones you mentioned, including jetBlue, I would say ATA. jetBlue has a cost structure that is going to get higher, their most senior employees are what, 3 or 4 years seniority tops?? Also, they are sure to end up unionized on either the F/A or pilot front at some point, and when that happens, other labor groups usually follow suit, raising labor costs even more.

ATA carries more passengers than jetBlue, AirTran, and Frontier, though I think that both Frontier and AirTran serve more cities on a scheduled service basis. When you add in charter and DOD stuff, ATA goes to more places than any airline in the world, I think.

Pay at ATA is better than all the others, in some cases even better than SWA. Just looking at base hourly pay rates, and comparing only 737 pay scales from ATA, not 757 and/or L-1011, the ATA rates for Captains and First Officers are better than the minimum pay rates and worse than the maximum pay rates. I don't know how they decide which scale to use, is it based on airline performance?? Also the ATA pay is based on a 75 hour guarantee, and SWA has a minimum TFP of like 89 per month, and I don't really understand the TFP either.

I don't think Southwest is the place it once was either. In the past SWA always hired for attitude and trained for the job. I think all the people who had a work ethic had been hired (either by SWA or other companies) and now the SWA employees are no better or worse than any other company.

So to make a long answer even longer, I would say that, for me anyway, ATA is the airline of choice of ALL LCCs. And factor in the fact that most majors have thousands on furlough for who knows how long, let me change that answer to ATA is my airline of choice out of ALL airlines. And lest you think I am clinging to any raft out there in a tossed up industry, I have been at ATA since 99, back when all the airlines were hiring. I wanted to work for ATA, and I want to see it succeed.

 

[texanpilot]

I have only been at ATA for a month, and I am not sure any other airline could be so pleasant to work for. No one furloughed, positive future, up to 100 more new hires this year, more new planes comming. Dynamic flying - domestic, international, DOD, charter.

 

[flyhard]

Being in the same boat as texanpilot I have to agree with the two previous posts. I don't know of any other lcc carrier that does the kind of flying that ATA does. Not to mention the chance to fly a 757. That will not happen for a while at jetblue, airtran, or frontier for quite some time. Don't get me wrong the 717, airbus are good airplanes from what I hear. I think it comes down to what kind of lifestyle you want.

 

[b757driver]

Gentlemen,

I'm glad to hear all yr comments re ATA & just wonder if you can enlighten me further, please?

Since 1997, ATA was also my preferred airline to get on with. At that time, I was flying the 737 then 737-800 for a foreign carrier in Europe and used to update my resume on a regular basis, even the occasional international phone call to the IND CP's office (think it used to be Kim Maurer for Mike Carlozzi?). Nothing much ever happened despite my persistence and updates. So, I seized a chance to come back stateside in 99 to fly the 757 with National Airlines (oh dear!) based in LAS. Got typed and almost made it to CA. We all know what happened next.

Once again, I started re-aplying to ATA back in Nov 02 and religiously updated my resume (nothing much to update when you're unemployed!) since I was still current on the 757. I also know that they did hire a bunch of National guys around the beginning of this year/early spring. Being the resourceful chap that I am, I went off to get a rating on the 737 (w/training & sim ride on the -800 series) and...updated this info in Mar. Now I was current on the 737NG. Still nothing.

So...the $64 M question is how does a guy like me get an application/interview @ ATA? As you can see left, I'm type rated on two out of three types you operate with good time on both, have a military background (as an engineer), college degree, international experience, LCC experience, persistent with ATA for a long time etc. There really is nothing more I can add to my resume or updates since I have respectable hours as well. I know that you are hiring in limited numbers but what is the secret here.

Of course, I'm aware of the number's game but what do you have to do to get noticed here? I heard that if you can get an ATA pilot to make a recommendation then you will almost certainly get an app. I know a L1011 Capt for the past 10 years but never flown with him. When I asked him if he could get me an "in", he said he would love to but could not do this any longer (I think it may be a conflict of interest with his side business but not sure). Also, I know those ex-N7 guys, some of whom I have flown with but they are all newbies.

Any suggestions, guys?

Your comments would certainly be most appreciated. If I can only get an app/interview, I can do the rest.

Thanks.

_______________________________________________
It's Nice To Be Important, but It's More Important To Be Nice!

 

[sayagain?]

b757driver-

Newbie or not, any ATA employee can recommend someone and they will get an application. I've only beem here since October and recommended 4 pilots. All received applications and two were hired. Have your ex-National pilots write you a letter. There was one National guy in my class.


sayagain?

 

[BigEasy]

This may sound like jumping the bandwagon with ATA but I must say that everything written so far here is correct. I was hired back in March and have never looked back. The moral of the pilot group is something that I have not seen in a long time. Times are tough but they are getting better, making it perhaps more difficult to land and interview.

Jeblue, Airtran, Frontier are not bad companies at all. I used Airtran to jumpseat several times while in training and they treated me great everytime. Remember it is what you want out of your career, then you will figure out which comapany to go with.

Just to reaffirm, ATA seems to be the best spot, new airplanes, good contract, low cost structure, great moral, and just a lot of fun. This may be subjective but I call it as I see it.

 

[texanpilot]

b757driver

Two of my letters of rec came from guys still in IOE. New or not, get a LOR and send in the resume. The rest is up to you after you get the app.
Good Luck.

 

[ATR-DRIVR]

If you don't happen to know anyone there is there a remote chance of getting an interview/application?
thanks!

Oh, how do you like the 757-300's?

 

[njcapt]

If you don't happen to know anyone there is there a remote chance of getting an interview/application?
thanks!

Oh, how do you like the 757-300's?

Yes, there is a VERY remote chance, but it is getting more rare all the time. The company has applications from thousands of over - qualified pilots with recommendations, but there have been a few guys on this forum who have made it without one in the last year.

Can only comment on the 75 from the back. The -300 is a long freakin' airplane. If you sit in the back, at rotation you drop 10 or 12 feet and get to within a couple feet of the ground. I think I'm going to like the new seating in the -200, though. With only 200 seats it should be much roomier.