AirTran Folk

[Whiskerbizkit]

Just wondering how the feeling is over at AirTran. Have a few friends there that when I ask how it is I get " Its ok, nothing your not use to". When I talk to SWA. JBL, UPS, FEDEX, I get its great,put your stuff in, which I have. Is AirTran better than ok? Im to old to jump from airline to airline so IF Im fortunate to make the move I want it to be the last one. Not looking for flame bait here, just want to some honest replies.

 

[Okie Pilot]

I was at AirTran for a short time. I liked AirTran for lots of reasons. Great airplane, 717, great pilots and flight attendants, but honestly, it did feel more like the regional that I had left. That's not really bad because I also really liked the airline I was at before it. I felt like I was really just changing airplanes though. In some ways it was strange because my regional airline that I flew for before was bigger than AirTran and went more places. Don't get me wrong, I really liked the place and it has some great things going for it. Once you upgrade, pay is good and there is an excellent B fund. You do work hard there, but that is the name of the game for the Low Cost Guys. I was planning on staying there for my career, and I have 30 or so years. Granted, I did wonder if it was going to be merged or bought in my career there. It does have a more personal feel to it since it is small, only 1000 or so pilots, and I liked that feel both in the school house and on line. I also prefered flying for a traditional airline over the contractor role that I was in at my other airline. Long story short, I would certainly leave any "regional/feeder" airline to go there, as it is more stable and offers better pay and retirement in the long run. Good luck.

 

[Airtran Fanatic]

My name says it all. I've been here just a little while and I couldnt be happier, great crews, great airplanes, great company! Airtran will be around or a long long time and were growing like crazy! Not only are they seeing double digit (by percentage) growth every year and adding passengers but the flying public just plain DIG US ! We are seeing double digit revenue percentage increases every year over 25% more passengers enplaned Airtran planes over last January alone!

We have been running classes of 15-25 every 3 weeks and plan on hiring around 300 pilots in 2006 with 100 737's on order. Airtran has made a profit the LAST 7 YEARS IN A ROW!! That is unheard of in the current climate. The only other airline that can say that is Southwest and now Airtran is flying almost 35 daily departures from Chicago and nearly 40 from Baltimore. This is Southwest territory! Not to mention nearly 17 daily departures out of DFW and of course about 140 daily departures from ATL.

As far as QOL, here is what you can look forward to. Im not sure what regional you come from but Airtran was definitely a great improvement to my quality of life compared to the regional I came from. I can give you a few examples and what I remember from training.

AIRTRAN

• 85 B717's
• 23 B737's (50 firm orders, 50 options)
• classes of approx 15-30 new hires every 3 weeks through the end of 2006
• The nations youngest all Boeing Fleet.
• Trip Rigs
• Duty Rigs (so no 5 hour sits)
• Fly to great places like LAS, LAX, SFO, Grand Bahamas, Cancun (currently postponed), but still fly to the same places that most regionals do too.
• Upgrade is currently about 3 years (its a crap shoot, will not always be that way, but as an FO you will still eventually make more than a captain at a regional).
• Scheduling supervisor came in and talked to us and was asked about JA's he said that he has only had to "JA" 2 people in all of 2005.
• 100% cancellation pay
• 100% deadhead pay
  
  RESERVE
• 70 hour guarantee
• 3.5 hours per day of reserve (whether you fly or not) and anything you fly over the 3.5 hours per day is ABOVE guarantee!! (heck, a MSP turn out of MCO is nearly 7 hours!) I have a friend in the crashpad who flew 72 hours last month but got paid for 103 on RESERVE!!!
• Most new hires are only sitting reserve about 1-2 months right now.
• Max 12 hour duty day (scheduled).
• 2 hour call out.
• Contract states you can leave 4 hours early on last day of reserve and dont have to call scheduling.
  
  TRAINING
• Got paid 4 hours per day in training, expect to get 84 hours of pay in the first full month.
• The VP of flight ops calls you personally to offer you the job. Then comes into the class and went around the room and shook everyones hand to personally welcome you.
  
  COMMUTING
• Cheif Pilot commutes!! He walked in on day 3 to welcome us and said "hey, if you have tried a couple times to get to work and cant in time for your trip, call me, dont call in sick, save it for when its important, dont call scheduling, Ill call scheduling for you and pull you off your first round trip"
• 60-70% of the Airtran pilots commute.
• Not only can you ride the cockpit jumpseat but you can also ride the extra FA jumpseat if its open.
• For every month you dont call in sick they give you any of the following, your choice.
  1. $30 cash, on your check
  2. $40 towards the Airtran Store (uniforms, t shirts, airplane models)
  3. $50 towards your tuition payment.
• 10.5% B-plan

About the B-Plan... AirTran has a B fund retirement program. I want to clarify that AirTran's retirement program is NOT a promise to pay you a lump sum or a payment amount at some later date (i.e Delta, US AIR..etc). They make contributions to your retirement account twice a month to Fidelity, who also handle your 401(k)'s. You can then invest that money in funds of your choice just as you would your 401(k), and you are vested in the entire amount after 5 years of service, or immediately if something were to happen to AirTran. Anyway, putting a regional in the rearview mirrors as quickly as possible and getting a number on a "major airline" seniority list should probably be the main goal of all pilots and I wish everybody good luck in doing that.

As with any move, do some homework, there is plenty of great info on Airtran out there. Im sure you will see the potential, as well. Here is a great place to start. Posted by another Flightinfo member.

http://library.corporate-ir.net/library/64/642/64267/items/184941/InvestorBook0206.pdf

I hope this helps.
AF

 

[airline#5]

Everything Okie Pilot said is 100% true. I've been here a short time and it is no doubt just like a commuter airline, or whatever the kids like to call the feeders these days. FO pay is poor, capt pay is fair. Unfortunately, the historically quick upgrade is a thing of the past and those now getting hired will stagnate as fo's for a lonnnggggg time unless more aircraft orders are placed. Much uncertainty lies in the fact that Leonard has stated he is planning for some kind of a merger/acquisition of the company. We may as well spray paint "For Sale...Cheap" on the side of all our birds with these type of comments.

 

[Airtran Fanatic]

Much uncertainty lies in the fact that Leonard has stated he is planning for some kind of a merger/acquisition of the company. We may as well spray paint "For Sale...Cheap" on the side of all our birds with these type of comments.

False information. I have never heard any rumor about Leonard saying that. In fact, Leonard was asked about mergers/acquisitions in a "meet and greet" for new hires in January and he said that they are NOT looking to buy any airline and that all those rumors are completely FALSE.

I do agree that FO pay could come up a little bit, but still, even if it did stagnate (which I dont see happening) I would much rather be making Airtran FO pay then say Jetblue E-190 FO pay.

I must say this. Coming from another major (as it sounds like airline#5 has) will make a big difference in your attitude, your expectations are higher. Coming from a regional (as you are Whiskerbizkit), its a major, major improvement. Could it be better, sure! All airlines could.

 

[FN FAL]

I must say this. Coming from another major will make a big difference in your attitude, your expectations are higher. Coming from a regional, its a major, major improvement. Could it be better, sure! All airlines could.

Shoot dude, flying carvans for the FedEx feeders is "major, major" improvement over most regionals. Going to "more places" like Okie Pilot said, isn't enough to cut it...who want's to go to more places? I don't. I want to put my head on my pillow at my home, more than go to "more places". Going to more places don't pay my car payment or rent and flying a jet for "fitty" grand to more places doesn't swing my cow bell either.

 

[c9skytrain]

I just finished training, very happy to be here. I am not the wow! excited! type of person so when I say I am very happy, I mean wow! excited!

The upgrade time is I am looking at is 3-3.5 years. There were upgrade captains in the same aircraft specific class I was in training with and the youngest one had been there 28 months. I don't know what Mr. Airline#5 considers a lonnnng time.

I just flew my IOE flight in aircraft 322, less than a week from boeing, and they are looking at getting another 78 737s.

 

[sluminginpit]

I thought the government changed the time to be vested to 3 years in your retirement accounts?

 

[CatfishVT9]

I just flew my IOE flight in aircraft 322, less than a week from boeing, and they are looking at getting another 78 737s.

Those new ones smell nice don't they?

Quite a step up from the old H-3! You must be a Navy guy (and an old one like me).

Welcome, life is good.

 

[Lear70]

How many days off guaranteed on reserve?

As a lineholder?

Thanks, and congrats to all the new-hires at Air Tran!