AirTran or NetJets?

[BengalsFan]

AirTran folks

I have a buddy at AirTran who is trying to convince me to come to AirTran. I currently have the goal of going to NetJets. Does anyone out there have an arguement on why AirTrain is better?

It appears to me that the pay is about the same, throughout a career, and I would assume I would work more days at AirTran that the 14 a month I would work at NetJets.

Just looking for input.

Thanks

 

[Phaedrus]

Sounds like its whatever fits you best.

 

[USARET]

The time listed in your profile doesn't meet the min of 2500 total time required for AirTran, and with just the min requirements I don't think you would be very competitive right now. Maybe NetJets would be a better option for you.

 

[AppBrookie]

I spent 19.5 months at NetJets(X Driver) after hitting the street from a major. I have now been at AirTran 2.5 years(single digit #'s from holding left seat).....Absolutley no regrets!!!!!!! I know they got a very well deserved improved contract, but that still would of not kept me there. I'm a 121 guy, who likes to know what I doing a few weeks out and I like the 3/4 on, 3/4 off lifestyle, 7 Full days is a long time away from the little ones!

 

[jimcav]

I have a lot of buds at NJ and a few are the same seniority as I am at AT. They are still on the Citationv making a lot less than me and working more. However Im on 7th yr pay and fairly senior on the 737. Another friend started on the X a year ago and is still looking at a few yrs to upgrade on the V. AT upgrade apprx 2.5 yrs right now. Tough call because NJ is a good place to be but if you dont fly the BBJ you probably wont do quite as well as you would at AT. Real senior guys at NJ may beg to differ.

 

[XRMEFLYER]

The time listed in your profile doesn't meet the min of 2500 total time required for AirTran, and with just the min requirements I don't think you would be very competitive right now. Maybe NetJets would be a better option for you.

Dude, that screen name is taken!

 

[Lake Alice]

Airtran.

Switching jobs is never easy but I will give you my perspective. Going to Airtran will give you a lot of flexibility. You will know when and where you are going. That is huge. You can trade or drop trips and bid a schedule. This is also huge.
At NJA you will probably get a Sunday start which means you will go to work on Sunday and come home Saturday. It will be quite some time before you could ever have a weekday start and then you still will NEVER have the opportunity to have weekends off.

You could commute if you dont live in ATL and NJA could make you move. NJA will fly you to/from your home base which is nice but having the potential for weekends off is better for me.

At NJA you will get good benefits, a lot of free food and hotel benefits. Airtran will give you flexibility and QOL. 7 days on the road is a long time as well.

I am pretty sure you will make a lot more money in the long run at Airtran as well.

Ultimately for me it boiled down to QOL. Having the flexibility to work certain days and not others was huge. Also, not having to shlep some owners bags around was a plus as well.

Good luck with your descision.

 

[BengalsFan]

Thanks for the replies all. Its tough, and seniority is everything...

Is there much of a turnover rate at AirTran? With guys going to Southwest, UPS, FEDEX... looking for more money?

Also, a few of you have mentioned that I would work less at AirTran. How many 3-4 day trips would one have every month... ie How many days do you work in a month?

 

[Lake Alice]

One other thing. Seniority is everything at an airline. At NJA is counts for very little. For example, say your 7on/7off line falls with your 7 days off over X-mas. If someone else bids into your airplane and they are senior to you, you cannot be bumped off your line. In short, if you bid it and get it you own it. Good or bad thats the way it works.
So if you get stuck in an Ultra and have X-mas off and you want to bid a different plane you may not get the same holidays or vacation days.
Obviously at an airline things are more flexible. Depends on what you are looking for.

 

[be-400xpdriver]

I have a lot of buds at NJ and a few are the same seniority as I am at AT. They are still on the Citationv making a lot less than me and working more. However Im on 7th yr pay

If your buddies have been at netjets for 7 years than they can hold any aircraft they want, ultra, encore, 400xp, excel, 800xp, X, g200, giv, f2000, but maybe not the f2easy and the bbj.