Alaska Application Submission Difficulties...Anyone Else?

[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?