Airtran Contract

[Capt.LongThrust]

So, "Capt" (Capt of the unemployed, I take it??)

How many "edits" did it take YOU to come up with that zinger? I see I'm no match for your razor sharp wit.

However, before I go...I see you come to flightinfo to call someone a "whore". How original.

Pardon me while I go count the days until retirement (23) when I take my stock options and fully funded plan and go. Sorry you won't be joining me.

But before I go, I have one question. How many checkrides did it take you to master the mighty, mighty Bro? Yeah...that's what I thought.

G'day sucka.

Called no one a whore my friend. Only said you can be one if you want to. It may be time to get out of the cockpit since you can't read. Checkrides, well now it seems to be a bit of jealousy. Since the old mighty 737 was all those old crusty hands could ever grab. Now who is the sucka.

 

[Capt.LongThrust]

One more thing, The only reason I said anything is because once a month someone always gets on this board and says they are concerned with AirTran's contract pay etc...

Long T, If you call flying a new jet with great air conditioning and a stocked galley for 120.00 per hour + 10 1/2% in your 401K from the left seat work. I'll say to you what I say to my wife, "You are'nt ever going to be happy"

Stocked galley? I have ridden on AT before. A/C, turboprops have that. Never said anything about being concerned over AT contract or pay. Just seemed like you fly as much as a commuter. But hey if that is what you like then great. Hopefully you won't take pay cuts and can maintain that pay rate.

 

[fletch717]

We do fly like a commuter, kinda like the most successful airline in history southwest. Is it pronounced Dumas?

 

[gt1900]

Ok boys and girls......Yes, AT pilots fly alot, and they get paid fairly well for it (not the top, but far from the bottom). Maybe some other airlines should start flying there pilots a little more rather than taking their pay. How is it that SW has the highest payed 737 pilots in the industry, and they still make money.....Well, yes fuel hedging is part of it, but, they also work the hell out of them while they are on the job. That's why a lot of SW's schedules have 17 to 18 days off and they still fly 75-85 hours. They also have the lowest number of employees per airplane (don't quote me but I'm pretty sure) so they can pay the ones they have a little better since they get more production out of them. I for one, would rather fly 8 hrs a day and only have to work days to get my 80 hours a month. Simple fact, considering the industry right now, AT is a great place to work, I'd rather be working there than UAL, AAR, or DAL right now. For the people who brag that SW or AT are the best, well, UAL and DAL were saying that a few years ago. Remember when nobody wanted to fly for SW because there pay sucked and they worked to hard.....No airline will sit on the top forever, SW included, they will stumble, just like everyone else has. If they wouldn't have taken a chance and hedged there fuel, they wouldn't be nearly as well off as they are now. Imagine SW if the fuel was at $24 a barrell and there gamble that fuel would remain high didn't pay off. They would look like complete idiots right now. As it stands, they look like geniouses, but remember, management teams change, and so do airlines. The guys at AT, JB, and SW can enjoy it while it lasts, cause it might not be the same way in 3 years. So don't climb too high on your soap-boxes, because it might be a long fall on the way down!

 

[fletch717]

actually, Airtran has 68 employees per plane, southwest has 74, Jetblue 96. I never said Airtran was the best, If you don't work for SW the view of the dog's butt is the same no matter where you work.

 

[Capt.LongThrust]

well said GT1900

 

[717pilot]

Heres my 2 cents. Ive flown for Airtran for over 4 years. I love it here. Previous job at Piedmont as a Dash-8 Captain. had to listen to mainline and ALPO tell me I wsnt good enough to fly for them (USLLESSAIRWAYS). Ill take what I have here anyday and enjoy it all the way to the end..whenever that might be. As for now it looks like its gonna last awhile. Hopefully my friends at other carriers will see good things come there way. Im very fortunate and have always said that. I would believe most AIRTRAN pilots would say that.

 

[Whine Lover]

Ty,

I have read your posts on this board for several years. My impression was always that you were fairly well versed on many subjects, had a grasp on reality, and in addition displayed some sense of wit at appropriate times. I am sorry that my first post in this venue has drawn such venom from, of all people, you. Bad day perhaps?

Let me respond to a few points:

Whine lover:

"You obviously are a poser. Anyone with the type ratings you list would understand the difference between "Block" and "Credit..."

Yes Ty, I certainly understand the difference. I fought hard as a member of an ALPA Negotiating Committee to try and bring both Trip and Duty Rigs to my airline, one of the Top Ten Majors.

" you have a lot of "stones" to come on here and bad-mouth a contract when you don't even understand the most basic industry terms."

Where did I "bad mouth" your contract? Look, my base pay is one thing...If I choose to pick up several extra trips per month, I too will "work like a dog" in my opinion. That doesn't say anything about the quality of my ( or your) Contract.

"Let's see . . . I have a trip this month that I am gone for 22 hours (that's less than 1 day, genius, I'll do the math for you, so you can leave your shoes on). During that 22 hours, I fly 6 hours, and get paid for 10 hours."

O.K. - I have a trip this month where I fly 4:43 and get paid 10:00. TAFB is 20 hours. So what? We all have a "Minimum Pay Per Day" or something like it. Ours happens to be 5 hours per day. Big deal.

"Hmmmm . . . . yeah, we're working like dogs over here."

Ty, I didn't say "you" (collectively) were working like dogs...I said that this ONE individual "chooses" to work harder than many to make some extra cash. In my opinion, giving up days off to make more money IS " working like a dog". I value time more than money, but it doesn't make someone else wrong for choosing to work extra either. It's all a matter of personal choice.

"WAFI !"

Ty, personal attack and sarcastic invective do not become you. As I said before, your posts are usually quite well written...This is not one of them, however.

Here's the point I was trying to make ( and the reason why):

It always bothers me when people want to talk about "how much they make" and fail to tell the whole story.

We have Captains here who earn 200 Grand a year, but our Captains don't make 200 Grand a year. Get it?

Likewise, a 5th year Airtran Captain doesn't make $145,000 annually, but he can earn $145,000 annually with some extra work. THAT is all I was trying to say. Sorry if you took it differently. Why so defensive?

Anyway, I really haven't looked at your Contract that closely. But, I do know, that it is not a "bad" Contract at all. ( I especially like the way Reserve is Credited) As a matter of fact, I'll ask my Littlest Brother to look at his: He's a 3 year Airtran Captain.

I'll also ask him to set you and me up for some face to face "Beer" time, if you like, so we can discuss this further if necessary.

Do I have to bring my Licenses and Logbooks to prove I'm not a "poser" or could you just take a fellow "Airtrainian's" ( My Brother's ) word on it?

See ya' in ATL someday.

W.L.

 

[Ty Webb]

Whine Lover:

From reading your post, I thought that you did not understand the difference between "hard pay" and "soft pay". Apparently, I was mistaken.

As for the tone of my post, I was responding to your comments to FLetch, who, although he has many "dog-like" qualities, working "like a dog" is not one of them . . . he does know how to work the system, though, and seems to soak up a lot of "time and a half" trips and other forms of soft pay.

FWIW, as a third year FO, getting fairly decent schedules, my goal was 85 hours pay with 17-18 days off, with commutable start and finish. My flying was right around 700 hours that year . . . . 1000 hrs credit, 700 hours flying, or 58 hours a month . . . hardly working like a dog!

Now, as a junior CA, I am not getting that great of a line, but that will improve.

Tell your brother to keep an eye out for me in the crew room . . .He will spot me for sure . . I am the swingingest 737 pilot there, with many gold zodiac medals wearing around my neck, and I spend much time on the green couches, sitting next to the foxes. Too bad the foxes sure aren;t what they used to be . . . poor foxes, many of them have gone to the dogs.

 

[XGmaninGA]

Hey, I thought I was the swingingest 737 pilot on the planet!