Alaska Application Submission Difficulties...Anyone Else?

[flyboydh1]

Anyone trying to apply to Alaska having issues submitting your application? Mine is saying I haven't answered all the questions, but I've verified it now at least 20 times, and from what I can tell, all the questionaire is fully completed. Anyone else having issues?

 

[Z_Pilot]

Make sure that you're using the web browser they specified. Internet Explorer 8, I think it was (yes, I know, *cringe*).

 

[Jeff Lebowski]

Now the site is down for mx. Does anyone have any info as to when it might be back up or if the window might be extended?

 

[msmb]

There is only so much you can do with an IBM PC Jr....good luck everyone.

 

[Z_Pilot]

Now the site is down for mx. Does anyone have any info as to when it might be back up or if the window might be extended?

It is back up as of recently, and the window has been extended by one day.

 

[wscrj]

Apparently there have been issues today with the Alaska pilot application website. The recruiting team is aware, and has extended the closing date/time for applications until tomorrow at 11:59 pm.

 

[flythere]

Anyone trying to apply to Alaska having issues submitting your application? Mine is saying I haven't answered all the questions, but I've verified it now at least 20 times, and from what I can tell, all the questionaire is fully completed. Anyone else having issues?

Have you applied elsewhere?? This place is not looking all that appealing down the road! Ya, the profits have been good, but the jig's up and others are starting to catch on!!

1. growth seems to be coming to a halt, the only growth we've seen in the last 7 yrs that I've been here has been through the -800/-900's with more seats. When I was hired in 06 we had approx 115 airplanes around 1435 pilots. We had a bunch of smoke blown up out tail-pipes about 2000 pilots by 2012. Well, 2012 has come and gone and we are still sitting around 1450 pilots and 117 or so airplanes!

2. The threat of outsourcing is very real! I take it you are flying for a regional, maybe Skywest or some other jet operator. If you are so fortunate as to be hired here, you may see more of the flying you should be doing, farmed out to your old company! Yes, Skywest flying our routes with those shiny CRJ's.

3. HA will start taking delivery of those NEO's within the next 2 years, we have VX encroaching even more on our turf, not to mention SWA starting LAS-ANC pretty soon.

There are other factors at play as well, not to mention a bunch of old geezers that could pull the plug with less than 30 days notice, and no reasonable numbers for upgrades in sight!!!

Also forgot about the ongoing contract negotiations, that could throw another wrench into this mess as well!!!

If I were you, I would seriously consider throwing in apps at other places, SWA, AA/US Air, United. 10-11 year upgrade times are possible, maybe longer if they can farm out more flying, SEA-Bay area, SEA-So Cal, oh ya, forgot about the intra Alaska flying and SE they want to farm out to QX.

It's possible by 2017 AK could be sitting at 100 -800/-900's flying transcons and some island stuff, and 3 -700 freighters flying fish and limited freight in AK.

Management is afraid of their own shadow when it comes to competition, we don't have the airplanes or pilots to challenge any type of threat from competition. I have a feeling when HA deploys those NEO's, management will turn tail and pull out of the islands.

Just my 2 cent worth!!!

 

[imacdog]

So where do you have your application in at, flythere?

 

[CesnaCaptn]

Have you applied elsewhere?? This place is not looking all that appealing down the road! Ya, the profits have been good, but the jig's up and others are starting to catch on!!

1. growth seems to be coming to a halt, the only growth we've seen in the last 7 yrs that I've been here has been through the -800/-900's with more seats. When I was hired in 06 we had approx 115 airplanes around 1435 pilots. We had a bunch of smoke blown up out tail-pipes about 2000 pilots by 2012. Well, 2012 has come and gone and we are still sitting around 1450 pilots and 117 or so airplanes!

2. The threat of outsourcing is very real! I take it you are flying for a regional, maybe Skywest or some other jet operator. If you are so fortunate as to be hired here, you may see more of the flying you should be doing, farmed out to your old company! Yes, Skywest flying our routes with those shiny CRJ's.

3. HA will start taking delivery of those NEO's within the next 2 years, we have VX encroaching even more on our turf, not to mention SWA starting LAS-ANC pretty soon.

There are other factors at play as well, not to mention a bunch of old geezers that could pull the plug with less than 30 days notice, and no reasonable numbers for upgrades in sight!!!

Also forgot about the ongoing contract negotiations, that could throw another wrench into this mess as well!!!

If I were you, I would seriously consider throwing in apps at other places, SWA, AA/US Air, United. 10-11 year upgrade times are possible, maybe longer if they can farm out more flying, SEA-Bay area, SEA-So Cal, oh ya, forgot about the intra Alaska flying and SE they want to farm out to QX.

It's possible by 2017 AK could be sitting at 100 -800/-900's flying transcons and some island stuff, and 3 -700 freighters flying fish and limited freight in AK.

Management is afraid of their own shadow when it comes to competition, we don't have the airplanes or pilots to challenge any type of threat from competition. I have a feeling when HA deploys those NEO's, management will turn tail and pull out of the islands.

Just my 2 cent worth!!!

I always find it interesting when people claim AS doesn't compete. I think they just pick their battles. What did we do when VX entered our markets? We started the Westmost schedule and improved our onboard experience. I admit that we have since cut back our Westmost response, but VX cut their LAX-SEA route from 4 flights a day to 3 a few years ago and haven't added any flights back.

B6 adds a flight from SEA to ANC. Do even remember how that went down? We announced our SAN-BOS flight and within 24 hours B6 announces SEA-ANC with no schedule published. For all we know, it was just a competitive response to us moving into their turf. Did you know that we matched fares, added in a flight or two within an hour of their flight, and gave triple miles to our "loyal" customers.

PNW to Bay is a battle of attrition. No one is making money on those routes. Cutting those flights back and perhaps giving them QX or other CPA is just slowing the bleeding.


Of course outsourcing is a real threat. The junior pilots in each seat want scope and they want it now. As per usual, the senior guys just want more of what they have ($ and time off). Don't get me wrong, I want scope, but I don't see a wholesale gutting of mainline flying if management gets their way. I don't think Alaska's fleet will change dramatically, up or down--not in the foreseeable future.

HA, with their shiny new NEOs will be a threat. We will fight back with our -9Maxes. I don't see us completely pulling out of the islands. If we do, we will find new routes. I feel like that's AAG's MO. They stay cautious with fleet growth--pull losers and find winners. SAN and C. America could be our new source of growth going forward.

So, if you are at a regional, what do you do? The only airlines that are growing right now have B-scale compensation (save for HA). You would basically be looking at the seniority lists and calculating retirements. I think UA, DL, WN, and AA have the same chances of growing as we do.

Our stock has basically been going up for the past 5 years. It's managements job to keep that trajectory. Unless there is another economic shock, I don't believe we will "shrink to profitability."

I had a few conversations with pilots with varying positions within the union. They were all of firm belief that the company wants to get a deal done (dream all day long about why). The most notable thing said to me was, the company gave their comprehensive proposal and it wasn't that far off. Of course, either side could hit a sticking point at any time, but so far things are marching along in the right direction.

Seniority stagnation at this company can be so frustrating! Given that frustration, this place is pretty well run. I wouldn't cross it off a list of top airlines to work for.

 

[msmb]

Yeah.... What he said! Preach it brother. Seriously, if someone is that unhappy at AS then leave. I for one think things are better here than at many other places, that's why I said no to SW and others. The grass is always greener... NOT.

 

[Boxboy]

It's a crap shoot.... as the old saying goes, you go where you are hired. As much as I/we bitch about AS, it ain't a bad gig overall. There are plenty of other s**t sandwich airlines out there.
Hey, good luck to all of you guys and gals!

 

[flythere]

You are right, it's not a bad gig today, it's the future that I'm looking at! There seems to be no movement towards the future. The training dept isn't growing to handle an increase in training, there is still two sim bays that are empty, there's no talk of replacing the freighters/combi's.

There is talk of QX moving into the state of AK and taking flying up there, management has confirmed that, we are working on the 3rd month in a row were almost the entire month is blocked for trading/dropping trips, 4th month in a row that I could not get a single trade or drop in 1st or 2nd step trading! So I bid open fly looking for some flexibility to trade that way, nothing!!

Don't get me wrong I won't complain about getting a PBP check next week, at some point it's not all about the money! Quality of life factors in, and for the last few months the QOL for those at or near the bottom has not been all that great.

Every weekend they are paying time and a half for trips that can't be covered! The union has voiced this loud and clear to the company, what's their standard response? Month after month they say we are adequately staffed, there was an unusual number of pilot sick calls, that's why we are so short! That's their response when not enough pilots VSA to cover the schedule!

Money can't buy happiness!!

As for me, I'm too old to move on now! So you guys are stuck listening to me whine!!!!

 

[msmb]

Hang in there brother....It will get better by the time we retire.....maybe.

 

[Boxboy]

You are right, it's not a bad gig today, it's the future that I'm looking at! There seems to be no movement towards the future. The training dept isn't growing to handle an increase in training, there is still two sim bays that are empty, there's no talk of replacing the freighters/combi's.

There is talk of QX moving into the state of AK and taking flying up there, management has confirmed that, we are working on the 3rd month in a row were almost the entire month is blocked for trading/dropping trips, 4th month in a row that I could not get a single trade or drop in 1st or 2nd step trading! So I bid open fly looking for some flexibility to trade that way, nothing!!

Don't get me wrong I won't complain about getting a PBP check next week, at some point it's not all about the money! Quality of life factors in, and for the last few months the QOL for those at or near the bottom has not been all that great.

Every weekend they are paying time and a half for trips that can't be covered! The union has voiced this loud and clear to the company, what's their standard response? Month after month they say we are adequately staffed, there was an unusual number of pilot sick calls, that's why we are so short! That's their response when not enough pilots VSA to cover the schedule!

Money can't buy happiness!!

As for me, I'm too old to move on now! So you guys are stuck listening to me whine!!!!

I don't totally disagree with you and I know what you mean. As long as I've been here, nothing has really changed. There were more than 1550 pilots a little over 10 years ago. Growth.... what growth? Growth was through number of seats (-900s and -800s). That's what happens when you have a management with tiny cajones and miniscual minds, IMHO. Alot of these guys came from managing a commuter airline.... Horizon comes to mind! You talk to some of the older guys on the property and they'll tell you the same thing. 2000 by 2000 never happened and vision 2010 was a total joke. Hawaii was just a windfall due to Aloha going out of business. We just happen to be at the right place at the right time. Management can pat themselves on the back all they want.

 

[flythere]

I'm willing to give half of that PBP back, if it meant I could occasionally drop or trade a trip during a month. I guess there are worse thing's I could be complaining about!!!

This summer will be a nightmare, short staffed, high block lines, and an occasional nice day thrown in the mix along with graduations, wedding's etc!!

 

[Ocity]

I'm willing to give half of that PBP back, if it meant I could occasionally drop or trade a trip during a month. I guess there are worse thing's I could be complaining about!!!

This summer will be a nightmare, short staffed, high block lines, and an occasional nice day thrown in the mix along with graduations, wedding's etc!!

A great schedule is just a phone call away! If one intends to wait around until an airline provides them with happiness, one will be waiting a hell of a long time. Just do whatever you need to do...within reason, and nobody will even notice. High pay and stability, even from the right seat, is paramount to me. The check is literally, the only thing you can take to the bank. The rest is just wishful thinking and words.

 

[igneousy2]

if someone is that unhappy at AS then leave.

Which is the exact attitude that prevents anything from getting done at this airline. If anytime anyone criticizes the current regime they say...well, if you're not happy leave - which is a conversation ender that is not constructive if not destructive...and people wonder why nothing REALLY gets done.

How about something more constructive...how about if you're so unhappy volunteer for the union. How about come up with some ideas and submit a resolution.

The truth about the Alaska pilot group is that we have never had to fight for anything. Years of contractualy mandated binding arbitration will do that to you. We do not know what it means to act like a union in order to effect change. The vast majority of our pilot group voted in a contract with efficiency gains for the company while we had pilots on the street. Created a 'B' scale retirement scheme. Neutered our ability to have our grievances heard in a timely fashion.

With this companies insistence on a "cost-neutral" contract, this pilot groups proven inability to look past an increased hourly rate as the measure of a contract, and our painfully obvious lack of foresite (we are only trying to bind Air Group to our scope clause now...really?!). I fear what surprises a new contract will bring.

 

[Ocity]

Which is the exact attitude that prevents anything from getting done at this airline. If anytime anyone criticizes the current regime they say...well, if you're not happy leave - which is a conversation ender that is not constructive if not destructive...and people wonder why nothing REALLY gets done.

How about something more constructive...how about if you're so unhappy volunteer for the union. How about come up with some ideas and submit a resolution.

The truth about the Alaska pilot group is that we have never had to fight for anything. Years of contractualy mandated binding arbitration will do that to you. We do not know what it means to act like a union in order to effect change. The vast majority of our pilot group voted in a contract with efficiency gains for the company while we had pilots on the street. Created a 'B' scale retirement scheme. Neutered our ability to have our grievances heard in a timely fashion.

With this companies insistence on a "cost-neutral" contract, this pilot groups proven inability to look past an increased hourly rate as the measure of a contract, and our painfully obvious lack of foresite (we are only trying to bind Air Group to our scope clause now...really?!). I fear what surprises a new contract will bring.

Go ask literally, ANY other pilot group that HAD an A plan if a 13.5% defined contribution is a "B" scale retirement plan. I take my money off the table every two weeks. Do you honestly think the A plan will not be threatened in the next 40 years? Your pension can evaporate with the strike of a gavel. I'm not willing to bet on that. I soft froze mine and went option C.

 

[Z_Pilot]

I agree. We've had a great run recently. However, new market challenges, such as JetBlue and VirginAmerica up to Anchorage, Allegiant and SWA ready to pounce on Hawaii are heating up, and our stubbornly conservative management has put us into a position not to respond (very little, or no new airframes...mostly replacements...also, just a trickle of hiring and hardly any upgrading).

Additionally, they're eager to farm all of the North-South California-Oregon-Washington flying out to Skywest.

I am not saying we're doomed, I just think we had our 15 minutes of fame, and that is winding down.

ZP

 

[flythere]

I agree. We've had a great run recently. However, new market challenges, such as JetBlue and VirginAmerica up to Anchorage, Allegiant and SWA ready to pounce on Hawaii are heating up, and our stubbornly conservative management has put us into a position not to respond (very little, or no new airframes...mostly replacements...also, just a trickle of hiring and hardly any upgrading).

Additionally, they're eager to farm all of the North-South California-Oregon-Washington flying out to Skywest.

I am not saying we're doomed, I just think we had our 15 minutes of fame, and that is winding down.

ZP

Isn't that what I said earlier?!?!

Now Daddy Delta is ramping up on the west coast? LAS flying?