AirTran Pay Cuts?

[Dave Siegel]

I'm going to be nice.

 

[TAZ MAN]

Welcome to my Ignore list. YOu can have fun in there with the one or two others who I have bothered to add in years past. You guys have fun in there, and no piloow-biting, y'hear?

Is this suppose to hurt my feelings?? Really haven't enoyed you either. See ya!!

Please someone enlighten me. Why is it a bad thing to refer Air Tran as Critter?

 

[FL717]

Does everyone get their own call sign at Air Tran? Wow, that's cool.

Yes we each get issued a callsign during indoc.

My callsign is "Fred Garvin". This one day (at band camp) while I was on downwind in ATL....... some other airline crew got on the radio and would say "male prostitute" after each of my transmissions.

ATC: "Fred Garvin .. descend maintain 7000".

Me: "Down to 7000 .. Fred Garvin".

Unknown Voice: "Male prostitute".

I still don't understand what that means.

 

[Dave Siegel]

I'm going to be nice.

 

[Hobiehawker]

Is this suppose to hurt my feelings?? Really haven't enoyed you either. See ya!!

Please someone enlighten me. Why is it a bad thing to refer Air Tran as Critter?

I'm with you. I can't understand why this is that huge of an issue.

And don't worry Taz. Ty is alot more unpopular than he thinks. And I think his story about CP's and firings is a load also. I notice he does this from time to time.

 

[FarginDooshbahg]

Yes it does. Am I the only one?

"Manatee" was the call sign of the original Air Tran. You know, the one that merged with the old Valujet, call sign "Critter". So, while there are a number of "critters", there are also a number of "manatees". But, there are an even greater number of "citrus" guys that were neither. So, what's the big deal? I don't get why anyone is making an issue of this. Just another worthless, stupid and pointless debate on a worthless, stupid and pointless internet message board.

(Although I DO have to give FL717 credit for his "Fred Garvin, Male Prostitute" bit. Now THAT'S funny.)

 

[Malcolm]

Hi everyone.

I'm new here just looking for some friends to say hello to.

Hello.

 

[jetdawg]

Why is it derrogatory or offensive to call you Critter? Is that not your old call sign before you bought Air Tran and changed the name?

To tell you the truth it really is not an insult. The problem we have with it is it is not done as hell what a great airline to work for, or did they make a hell of allot of money and put a little hurting on the competition. yes, a airline with pretty $hitty maintenance must not forget that.

They (who knows who? Big D?) are saying it as a little slap and yes it does Pi$$ off a few of the pilots here. I rode in the cockpit of a 757 into ATL about 5 years ago as a new hire with FL and as we taxiied in the D cpt. said "hey there goes kill em all airlines" with a FL a/c in front of us. at first I did not really believe what I heard then he said "oh just kidding" B.S.

I did not come back with all the D crashes or ever other airlines accidents. I am bigger, hell no I just did not want to get into it.

So being called critter is not a round of applause when flying into ATL. Hope this may shed a little light on your question.

 

[llowwelll]

I just wanted to address the original question again. The way I understand it, as other AirTran folks have said here, management wants to achieve 12% in cost savings. They are not demanding that pay rates be reduced by 12%. The request for 12% in cost savings also has to be viewed through the lens of the fact that we are in contract negotiations right now. It is natural for management to ask for something like this and I'm kind of surprised that they didn't start out asking for more. For example, Alaska Airlines management started out asking their pilots for something like a 38% reduction in pay. They are in arbitration right now. The latest I heard from my Alaska friends is that the pilots will end up taking an 11% cut.

To address Dave S's point of SWA buying out or merging with AirTran. I have no idea what our guys would think of this. However, my SWA friends tell me that management at SWA does see AirTran as it's biggest threat. My concerns would center around how many jobs would be retained on our end and how seniority issues would be handled. Personally, though, I don't see SWA buying us out.

 

[Snake]

An airplane is an airplane. So what? Delta is like an old lady that was once a beautiful woman. She looks in the mirror and does not see that she has grown old and worn out. AirTran is the 17 year old with the great body and ugly face. She thinks she is a looker when in reality, she is laughed at. Just my two cents worth. Oh well, I bid you all a GOOD DAY.

 

[FarginDooshbahg]

An airplane is an airplane. So what? Delta is like an old lady that was once a beautiful woman. She looks in the mirror and does not see that she has grown old and worn out. AirTran is the 17 year old with the great body and ugly face. She thinks she is a looker when in reality, she is laughed at. Just my two cents worth. Oh well, I bid you all a GOOD DAY.

WOW. First post after being registered for almost 3 years and having this long to think about it. And this was your best shot? $.02 worth?? Hardly.

 

[Snake]

Dooshbahg:

You must fly for Delta or Airtran. I don't know and don't really care what you do. It's your life, no matter how sorry it might be.

 

[717pilot]

"CandyGram for Mongo....CandyGram for Mongo!!!! FL717 the next time I see you in the crew room Im gonna kick your A--!!!

Guido the Killer PIMP!!!

 

[Angus]

An airplane is an airplane. So what? Delta is like an old lady that was once a beautiful woman. She looks in the mirror and does not see that she has grown old and worn out. AirTran is the 17 year old with the great body and ugly face. She thinks she is a looker when in reality, she is laughed at. Just my two cents worth. Oh well, I bid you all a GOOD DAY.
__________________
Nothing says "I love you" like a fat woman on a cold night.

You seem to be stuck on the old, fat, ugly woman analogies don't ya. I guess your ole' lady's a fat old hag huh??

Hey... at least she lets you have a couple on minutes on the internet every several years..... but shouldn't you be taking this opportunity visiting bigbutts.com instead of arguing here... with guys no less??

 

[fletch717]

Critter and Valujet is derogatory as people in this industry see AirTran as an airline of scabs. Valujet was comprised of former Eastern pilots, most Eastern pilots are on the ALPA scab. I was'nt a pilot when Eastern shut down so I don't what the real story is. My last Look at our seniority list shows roughly 75 former Eastern pilots remain out of 1,100 total. 85% of all pilots were hired after the AirTran/Valujet merger. People used to laugh because I flew a J32 not the almighty CRJ now they say they laugh at my Airline. I'm sure my 125K a year and job security (being 1 of 3 airlines consistently profitable while growing 20% a year) would'nt work for some of you because the color on the tail does'nt suit you. Call me anything you want on the radio, two things you won't call me is poor or furloughed.

 

[Ty Webb]

And THAT, Ladies and Gentlemen, pretty much sums it up.

 

[FarginDooshbahg]

Dooshbahg:

You must fly for Delta or Airtran. I don't know and don't really care what you do. It's your life, no matter how sorry it might be.

Nope. That makes you 0 fer your two mighty posts. But I reckon you got yer big 'un to keep you warm in your "Snake" hole. So that makes your life GRAND compared to my "sorry" one. Rrrrriiiiiiiiiiiggghht.

 

[-9Capt]

Not that anyone seems to care, but back to the topic...

Our union polled the membership rather throughly and the vast majority was unwilling to even discuss the possibility of give backs. Not saying that it isn't possible, only saying what the union told us.

The company wants relief from our 12hr max sched duty day and LVI (line value index) which pays pilots a lump premium for high block time schedules. They probably want other stuff too (rigs), to which I say, good luck with that. I haven't spoke with anyone who believes these cuts are necessary, especially considering Joe Leonards new (and vastly improved) contract.

An important thing to remember is we are in section 6 negotiations, these are the companys opening numbers, I'm sure ours are equally high.

Back to the name calling...

 

[JethroF15]

Not that anyone seems to care, but back to the topic...

Our union polled the membership rather throughly ...

Man, that must have been really painful! I cringe just thinking about it.

 

[Snake]

The Truth from a Man of The Truth:

There are certain airlines that I will not let my family fly on. Without naming names, one of them is based in Atlanta and I don't mean Delta. With that said, Critter is what my airline refers to you as and I personaly refer to you as ValuCrap. Don't feel bad though, I won't let them fly on Mexicana either.