AirTran quality of life and growth?

[5-early]

How is the AirTran QOL?
How long to hold a line?
Is the growth going to continue?
Best airplane for commuters?
Hiring Plans?

Thanks for any insight

 

[mnboyev]

Life is good. ... Its a good place to work ... safe, secure, regular pilots.. not too many big egos... In house union ... doing a good job in my opinion.

Pay is good to fair for equipment... FO pay needs to come up a bit in the future. Benefits will improve with time.

Its a good place to work... No issues... fly your four day trip and go home.

Some three day trips depending on the time of year and amount of flying. I guess they are hiring about 250 for 2006. Good Luck.

 

[800Dog]

Life is good. ... Its a good place to work ... safe, secure, regular pilots.. not too many big egos... In house union ... doing a good job in my opinion.

Pay is good to fair for equipment... FO pay needs to come up a bit in the future. Benefits will improve with time.

Its a good place to work... No issues... fly your four day trip and go home.

Some three day trips depending on the time of year and amount of flying. I guess they are hiring about 250 for 2006. Good Luck.

Probably a decent place to work. I have a friend who has been there for just under one year and is unhappy. He says the company treats him like sh**t. He seems to be in the minority. He is a former ASA pilot. My advice, go to Fedex or UPS. Good luck.

 

[CKJET]

I know a DC-9 Capt. or maybe he is 717, has been with them for a long time know and he loves it. He gets nice layovers in PHL.

The Air-Tran guys on the board all seem to be very positve which is a good sign!!!


How is the Wendy's promo working for you guys?

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

I have a friend who has been there for just under one year and is unhappy.

Theres always one, he can leave at anytime.

 

[Citrus531]

The wendy's promo is doing great....we've issued thousands of free tickets so far...with ATL,FLL, CAK, & PHL being the best markets for those.

 

[pipejockey]

I guess giving free travel to loyal customers via a frequent flyer program is not beneficial anymore? Free travel is just given to any bum that can collect cups or bottles or something?

 

[EMB170Pilot]

I see them on ebay now selling wendys cups


way to go wendys employees ..... making a little extra coin:beer:

 

[Steeler Fan]

I guess giving free travel to loyal customers via a frequent flyer program is not beneficial anymore? Free travel is just given to any bum that can collect cups or bottles or something?

Personally, I thought it was a good idea. When I went to Wendy's on the C-Concourse (ASA side), I had to chuckle a little when I saw the AirTran ad on the side of my cup. I thought that was pretty good advertising.

We have other promos as well for people to get free flights, so maybe one of thoseis more to your liking.

 

[SWA/FO]

QOL = a paycheck you can count on. My buddies love their jobs at AirTran.

http://www.wkbt.com/Global/story.asp?S=4310812

 

[75M]

I guess giving free travel to loyal customers via a frequent flyer program is not beneficial anymore? Free travel is just given to any bum that can collect cups or bottles or something?

I thnk the fact that we're giving some tickets away to people who (most likely) wouldn't be flying anyway is almost irrelevant compared to the national exposure the airline has received.

 

[Phaedrus]

How is the AirTran QOL?
How long to hold a line?
Is the growth going to continue?
Best airplane for commuters?
Hiring Plans?

Thanks for any insight

-Depends on how you define QOL. Decent pay, decent trips, decent pilot group.
-As an FO it seems to be hovering around 2-4 months to hold a line.
-Who knows the answer to that question? It's been pretty consistent for some time at AirTran, but as you well know that means nothing for the future.
-The one parked at your domicile Seriously though, it doesn't matter.
-Again, depends on opportunities and economics.

 

[Ty Webb]

Probably a decent place to work. I have a friend who has been there for just under one year and is unhappy. He says the company treats him like sh**t. He seems to be in the minority. He is a former ASA pilot. My advice, go to Fedex or UPS. Good luck.

This is pretty unusual. As a 1 yr FO, he shouldn't be having any contact with the Company . . . . He would be a lineholder with a decent schedule . . . show up, do your trips, go home . . . . probably pretty decent line, too.

I'd like to hear exactly what his gripes are.

 

[wood pecker]

One of my refrences already left also. His reasons were the same for all airlines, will I have a job in 5 years? He got nervous about a new Delta while crappy for Delta pilots would emerge down the road with 100 seaters and low pay combined with frequent flier perks that could compete with AAI. Plus other LCC seem to be growing eventualy adding competition and the fact that US Airways did not go away raining on the dream of an abandoned lucrative east coast.

He was ex-ASA also only looking at AAI for the ease of living in ATL plus upgrading in less than 4 years making good$, however felt that what is good for the pilots will be bad for the bottom line unless your Southwest. His example was flying near gaurantee but raking in close to 100 hours of pay which would get the attention of the bean counters one day.
Another reason is that everybody and their mother wants to have an airline job. Once AAI drops the 121 pic requirement they will enough pilots available to fly for lower wages than what a new contract would desire.

Any way he is not an expert plus he got a night job - cargo. He discouraged me enough to wait out ASA and to see what our future holds with Skywest plus hurricane season is less than a year away.

 

[Ty Webb]

Even if all of DAL's cost-cutting is attained (doubtful) our CASM will still be significantly lower, and the revenue picture is improving quite a bit already. Also, our upgrade is running 2.5 years right now, soon to be reduced to under 2 years, and with 21 aircraft coming in 2006, we will be hiring 250 pilots, and they are having no problem finding qualified candidates- I'm flying with them.

I had heard about a real doorknob from ASA that was really struggling to make it through . . . His story doesn't make sense. . . You sure your buddy made it through training?

 

[Superpilot92]

Probably a decent place to work. I have a friend who has been there for just under one year and is unhappy. He says the company treats him like sh**t. He seems to be in the minority. He is a former ASA pilot. My advice, go to Fedex or UPS. Good luck.

I would be happy to take his place!!!!

 

[717pilot]

Theres always one who dosent like it here. thats ok..he can go. We dont need that kind of attitude here. Ive always said AIRTRAN isnt perfect..but what airline is? Ive flown with several ASA F/Os who LOVE it here and are glad to be improving there pay and QOL! A bit of advise..have a bad attitude? Dont apply.youll get bounced out. Believe me word gets around here fast. As some have said fly as little or as much as you want. This year 2006 with 22 plus airplanes arriving..we may actually need 300 to 350 pilots. Ive been here 5 years and love it. Best move Ive made. Enjoying a great schedule. Looks like 2 classes this month....

 

[800Dog]

I would be happy to take his place!!!!

When he leaves for Fedex/UPS you can do just that. Best of luck to you.

 

[Ty Webb]

Sounds like they'll be getting a real prize.

If he is unhappy with labor/management relations at AAI, wait 'til he gets a taste of UPS.

 

[Airtran Fanatic]

How is the AirTran QOL?
QOL = Awesome! (Especially if you came from a regional). FO pay could come up a little bit.

How long to hold a line?

Right now its running about 2 months before you hold a line.

Is the growth going to continue?

My crystal ball says yes. I predict a profit for 2005.

Best airplane for commuters?

Hmmm... Tough call right now the 717 has been awesome for commuting. But the 737 is getting better and will improve consistantly as we take more of them. Our Chief Pilot also commutes if that says anything to you.

Hiring Plans?
Latest forecast I heard from HR was 280 in 2006 and that was about 3 weeks ago.

Whereever you go you are going to find someone who is not happy and a lot of the same things that you may hear Airtran pilots complain about (scheduling.... etc) you will hear at all airlines. We are in contract negotiations as well so that may affect things as well, but overall, I gave up 6 years seniority to come here and I couldnt be happier. In the end you have to do what is best for you and you will find that most will choose an airline with a domicile in their hometown.

AF

 

[Tonedrvr]

Any idea when the contract may be out?

Do you know if Airtran's medical plan might improve with it?

Are there any out and back trips if you live in Atlanta?

Thanks!

 

[Phaedrus]

Plenty of ATL turns available.
Contract negotiations will go on for some time in my opinion. It is to management's advantage to drag their feet.
Don't know much about AirTran's medical plan...either current or possible future. I'm sure there is someone on here who knows the priority of that item in negotiations.

 

[800Dog]

Sounds like they'll be getting a real prize.

If he is unhappy with labor/management relations at AAI, wait 'til he gets a taste of UPS.

Why do you bash someone just because they do not care for Airtran. Wanting to move on to UPS or Fedex does not make him a bad guy. I doubt he is the only employee at Airtran who does not like it. Don't get your panties in a wad.

 

[-9Capt]

I've had a pretty good time here (8 yrs total, 6 yrs as capt). Fair pay once you get a few years under your belt. Good trip/duty rigs (flew 820 hrs in '05 and made 1103 hrs of pay credit and over 15K deposited into my B-fund).

QOL on reserve can be as bad as any sh!t hole regional, the only difference is you'll rack up the credit time on reserve faster than edited for innapropriate comments. . Reserves start the month at guarantee and can only go up from there. 120+ credit hour months with 70 actual hrs are not uncommon for reserves. You will be treated like a redheaded stepchild on reserve however.

Lines vary from lots of days off/high pay/few days off /little pay depending on current staffing levels. Generally livable and commutable.

My biggest complaint is that upper management could not give a squirt of piss about their employees. They continuously re-interpret the contract. Good luck getting anyone in HQ to ever return a phone call, let alone answer the thing.
Management is playing hardball with contract negotiations. They have no intention of negotiating in good faith at this time and, as a whole, the pilot group doesn't seem ready to force them to.

Other than that it's a good place to work. Rapid upgrade, OK pay and retirement, good union leadership, good chief pilot, useless a-hole ass't chief pilot. Like they said, fly your trips and go home.

-9Capt stepped over the line with comments about another poster's wife...and he's out for a week.

 

[75M]

C'mon, Coach isn't that bad...

 

[boeing747-800]

You guys crack me up.

 

[Reebo]

Is Airtran in CASS?

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Not yet

 

[-9Capt]

C'mon, Coach isn't that bad...

I was being nice.

 

[CitrusGuy]

C'mon, coach got someone with my limited flying skills through our DC-9 type training. That ought to count for something. Remember, you're a part of the TEAM! You want to be that, DON'T YOU!