Airtran job

[T3700]

Chief Pilot said new hiring was currently going to very experienced (7000 hr plus) pilots. Remainder of new-hires to come in late fall. Expects hiring to accelerate in 2011 as new aircraft come on line. New hiring policies dictated by EEOC regulations mean a computer spits out a list of interviewees based on things other than recommendation letters (some sort of point system). A recommendation will still help you to get hired, it just won't help you get an interview.

 

[Jetjockey]

Will never make SW pay.

Keep telling people you're not good enough...............they start believing you.

 

[JerryLundegaard]

...New hiring policies dictated by EEOC regulations mean a computer spits out a list of interviewees based on things other than recommendation letters (some sort of point system)....

Does this mean the end of the open house job fairs where hopeful pilots could take some initiative and meet some AT recruiters and have actual human contact, or (per the gov't) do we now turn even that function over to some brainless machine to select prospective cockpit crew members for interviews?

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

No, a machine will not select crew members, unless the organization hiring wants it to.

That is how things are: The company hiring, hires who they want to, the way they want to.

I read that a LOT of guys were pissed about Alaska's no-tobacco policy. It is their airline, and they can make almost any requirement they want.

If we don't like it, and we don't meet a requirement, we can apply somewhere else.

cliff
NBO

 

[rigger]

Hi!

No, a machine will not select crew members, unless the organization hiring wants it to.

That is how things are: The company hiring, hires who they want to, the way they want to.

I read that a LOT of guys were pissed about Alaska's no-tobacco policy. It is their airline, and they can make almost any requirement they want.

If we don't like it, and we don't meet a requirement, we can apply somewhere else.

cliff
NBO

Your right Cliff, It is their company and they can do as they want. Problem is due to the contract crap they have turned the hiring/recruiting of pilots 100% over to HR. In any company today HR has turned into the know all be all of hiring people. They are responsible for nothing in the company and have no input to the bottom line. As in this case Airtran has turned this hiring process into a computer driven ass covering. They set the criteria and the computer spits out "qualified" people. Problem is by not taking/talking to people referred to the company by your employees you 100% miss the opportunity to give your employees the ability to "help" build their company. I am sure that is the idea....makes no sense if you want the best folks, but since when did this industry really want the "best" folks?? Jerry did get this right....Hard work, initiative, and drive do not count here today.....only a score given your paper by a computer....Moral of the story Lie your ass off on the application to make it a level playing field once again. (youll never get hired but youll make it to the dance floor by your tenacity, then maybe HR will get another Black eye and they will have to change the process....imagine the chief pilot not being able to hire who he wants, Oh what fun it must be working at Airtran!

 

[climbhappy]

I wonder if this was intentional since this technique would minimize strong relationships which increase solidarity? they don't want you to bring your friends on because it fosters strength...

 

[T3700]

Employees do not "help build the company" at AirTran. Employees are no different than paperclips or copiers. AirTran views its employees as nothing more than any other cost unit to be minimized to the max extent possible.

 

[johnsonrod]

I hear you guys at AirTran will be getting something like 50+ 737-800s in the future - will these supplement your current fleet or replace existing aircraft? Also, how much longer do you think you'll operate the 717s - another 10 years? Personally, I'm a big 717 fan and I hope they stick around for a long while...

 

[bmpilot]

From what I understand the union will persue option 2.

My understanding is yes, probationary pilots who honor the picket line could immediately be fired.

Additionally, probationary pilots do NOT have access to the grievance process for terminations. In other words, if you get fired on probation, there's nothing the union can do to get your job back except ask really, really nicely.

In this case, the MEC has two options:

1. Ask the probationary pilots to go ahead and fly trips assigned by the company. The company will have it's 10 percenters (senior captains who will vote against a strike and who will cross the picket line) so that's about 160 captains, give or take. Let's say the company hires 100 pilots before we can get a strike vote, get a cooling off period, and get released. There would certainly be enough Captains to pair with those probationary F/O's but they could only fly a fraction of the company's schedule and not for very long as people started timing out 30/7 and 1/7.

2. Ask the probationary pilots to honor the picket line. You get fired. The union then requires in the T.A. that all probationary pilots who refused to cross the picket line be given their jobs back.

Risks abound to both sides. I don't know which of those two our MEC would pursue, probably based on what Herndon's thoughts these days are...

Hopefully you don't have to find out, and the company comes to a reasonable agreement before a strike happens, but if they don't... they certainly can't say they weren't forewarned.

 

[V1rowt8]

Well, said no to a March 15th class. Not able to bypass was told accept now or will have to interview again. Which was not what I was told when I was hired. Originally I was told I could bypass once for six months without having to interview.

The decision... too much to risk at the moment but am hoping that a much improved contract gets ratified which would reduce the risk. Time will tell if I made the right decision.

Good luck AT Pilots, I'm pulling for ya.

 

[maxblast72]

I hear you guys at AirTran will be getting something like 50+ 737-800s in the future - will these supplement your current fleet or replace existing aircraft? Also, how much longer do you think you'll operate the 717s - another 10 years? Personally, I'm a big 717 fan and I hope they stick around for a long while...

The last official data given to Wall St about deliveries (last annual shareholder report put out in spring 2009), stated that Airtran had 51 737s on order with delivery dates between 2011 and 2016. Supposedly these are all growth airplanes (forecast ASM growth rate in the single digits for 2010, 2011, and 2012). Airtran leases most of the 717s and supposedly they are on 18 year leases. The first delivery of the 717 was in 1999 and the last 717 was delivered in 2006. So unless Airtran or Boeing wants to eat the costs due to early retirement, it looks the 717s will be around for another 14 years at least.

 

[Lear70]

Well, said no to a March 15th class. Not able to bypass was told accept now or will have to interview again. Which was not what I was told when I was hired. Originally I was told I could bypass once for six months without having to interview.

The decision... too much to risk at the moment but am hoping that a much improved contract gets ratified which would reduce the risk. Time will tell if I made the right decision.

Good luck AT Pilots, I'm pulling for ya.

That was ballsy. Seriously. Good on ya', and I appreciate your support, but I think you just gave up any chance to work at AirTran, just knowing how this company works.

Hope it was the right decision for you... Too bad they wouldn't let you defer, but I'm not surprised they wouldn't. March start dates will be online in time to be flying when we get down to release.

Good luck to you!

 

[Captain Jeff]

Well, said no to a March 15th class. Not able to bypass was told accept now or will have to interview again. Which was not what I was told when I was hired. Originally I was told I could bypass once for six months without having to interview.

The decision... too much to risk at the moment but am hoping that a much improved contract gets ratified which would reduce the risk. Time will tell if I made the right decision.

Good luck AT Pilots, I'm pulling for ya.

Good move. This place sucks. If you have a job, any job, dont come here.

 

[V1rowt8]

Thanks Cap. I sure hope that it sucks less in the future and AT pilots get a much deserved contract ratified soon, enough is enough already!!

 

[greyskyracer]

What is reserve like? min days off? call out? long call? do reserve pilots ever break guarantee?

 

[Raskal]

Employees do not "help build the company" at AirTran. Employees are no different than paperclips or copiers. AirTran views its employees as nothing more than any other cost unit to be minimized to the max extent possible.

I would seriously question that employees, specifically pilots, mean anything different to any other employer in current time. We are numbers, nothing more.

 

[Lear70]

What is reserve like? min days off? call out? long call? do reserve pilots ever break guarantee?

Oh boy... you just hit one of the biggest nerves there is besides SAP, insurance, and pay rates. I'll let one of the reserve guys go off.

 

[maxblast72]

What is reserve like? min days off? call out? long call? do reserve pilots ever break guarantee?

During the busy season (March until August) and during a prolonged stalled negotiation process, reserves get used each of the 20 scheduled reserve periods a month (with occasionally double duty period day), 10 or 11 days off (depending on 30 or 31 day month), 2 hour call out, no long call, and get paid anywhere from 95-115 hours with about 70-90 actual block (the remaining credit from deadhead, duty period guarantee, and other rigs etc).

For those wondering what a double duty period day is on reserve, occasionally reserves fly one leg inbound in the morning (for 4 hours credit), get put into rest for 10 hours in base, and then fly another leg to outstation at night for another 4 hours credit thus crediting 8 hours for the day with only 3 or 4 hours block.

 

[Lear70]

You forgot to mention what happens when staffing is good and what URP means...

The contract does contain a provision for Long Call Reserve.

The company has never used it.

 

[maxblast72]

You forgot to mention what happens when staffing is good and what URP means...

With the pilot group's overall happiness at record levels, I don't foresee much URPing until September.