Alaska Poolies called??

[av8instyle]

There's rumors floating around of a pretty significant bid coming very soon, and that the pool will finally be emptied. Any poolies get called or contacted yet?

 

[Rhino]

I was emailed last week to make sure my on-line profile was up to date and that they were "excited and looking forward to bringing in new pilots to Alaska Airlines."

 

[BarbrPole2theOM]

Does anyone know for sure if you are supposed to reformat your cover letter and resume to look correct on the web site, or will it format back to normal when they look at it? The directions just say copy it from word, then past it in the space


Also, how do you get the internal recomendations to post to your application? Is there a link that I'm not finding?

Thanks

 

[ILStoMinimums]

Are the MD-80's leaving AS now, or is that still in the future? I've heard about all the -800's coming, but looks like they will just replace the -80's.

 

[lumax]

As I understand the MD's are here to stay until the lease expires because breaking the leases would be expensive.
What follows is a quote from Bill Ayer's announcement back in June:

"Delivery of the 35 new aircraft will be phased over the next six years, with the first new airplane slated to enter Alaska’s fleet in January 2006. The delivery plan gives Alaska flexibility to expand its fleet by approximately 60 aircraft through 2011 or replace older airplanes with new aircraft without increasing fleet size".
So as the fearless leader said, anything and everything is possibble!

 

[Rhino]

another email...

From alaska HR today...

"We will be contacting you within a week or two with more information.

In the meantime, I've attached the Pilot wage scale for you to review.

Regards,
Employment - Flight Operations"

 

[flx757]

What I can add (as of today....)

With regard to the MDs, they are around for a while. 9 are leased and 17 are owned outright. Two leases expire next year and one in 2007 with no plans to renew. After that they expire at the rate of 1 or 2 a year through 2013. As mentioned, to get out of the leases would be expensive. The last number I heard was around $200M. There is no current market for the ones we own. When the recent aircraft order was placed, there was no provision for Boeing to buy out any leases or otherwise take any of the currently operated aircraft. Instead the company negotiated very attractive terms for the new 737-800s. Plans are being made to make some upgrades to the navigation platforms in both the aircraft and the sim. While anything can change at any time, the current plan is to continue to operate the MDs for some time to come.

As to the new bid...it should be out in a week or two. The numbers I heard today were 60 new positions from one source and 80 from another. We have been told in training to expect 8 crews per month (on both fleet types) beginning in Oct. This is going to put sim time at a premium, especially on the 737, beginning in Jan. They were still talking today about how to manage the required sim time.

The projected block hours for 2006 for the MD fleet remains about the same as this year, even though the 2 aircraft previously mentioned will be going away. The projected block hours on the 737s for next year are increased over this year's, reflecting planned growth and additional aircraft.

Again, anything can change...and probably will. But this is what I hear as of today.

 

[sf340flyer]

I heard bid out by the end of the week, with 43 new hires on it. Another bid will be out end of year/begining of 06 with more new hires. I heard about 40 on that bid as well.

 

[mach none]

Latest 10Q says we are taking 10 -800s next year. Someone has to fly them. We certainly don't have enough pilots right now to run the present airline.

Lots of rumors about the bid...I guess we will see very soon. I think management wants to do something to placate the troops. Movement on the list will certainly help. We have had the same guys on reserve for the last 4.5 years.

It will be impressive to see the same block hours with the MD and two less airframes. Maybe they aren't working the present a/c enough? There is no doubt that all the growth and the future is with the 737. I just wish we would order a real long haul a/c and expand even more.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/050816/alk8-k.html

 

[tico]

It would sure be nice if Bill would clean out the mgmnt. deadbeats that gave us the summer of 05.....What a complete joke, to go from 1st to worst in the blink of an eye.... we need to stay shrunk for a while and not come out with a bid or hire another pilot until we figure out how to run this new virtual airline of ours...We don't need more pilots now what we need is somebody to come here and build a new model and once it is running then start talking about growth........instead it looks to be the same old clown show.....take a bad model, make it bigger, point fingers at everyone else, accept no blame for collosal mistakes and then hire a bunch of new cheer leaders that are "just glad to have the job" throw a couple of bids out to placate the "herd" and everyone will forget that they are making the same coin with that shiny new captain job as they used to make as a senior co-pilot........this job at this point would be a great gig if we only had to come to work 10 days a month....that would leave 20 days a month to go an earn a living... now were talkin......

 

[Yank McCobb]

From what I hear, there is plenty of blame to go around for the "summer of '05". I guess it's convenient to point the finger at "management" but from what I hear from those on the front lines, the fingers could be pointed in any direction (including inward) and find someone at least partly responsible for the meltdown.

I also agree that a completely fresh start with new ideas and a new model is the only way to stop the snowball, if it can be stopped at all.

Good luck to anyone and everyone.

 

[ILStoMinimums]

I just wish we would order a real long haul a/c and expand even more.

http://biz.yahoo.com/e/050816/alk8-k.html

What fleet type do you think would fit for long haul? 757's?

 

[mach none]

What fleet type do you think would fit for long haul? 757's?

787 and expand to china for example. Atleast apply for some slots and if we don't need or use them, sell.

 

[flx757]

We had an "all hands" meeting today in the training dept led by the Managing Director of Flight Standards and the Director of Training. I took notes to try and keep up with the important parts and gather some information. I will type it up into a document and hold on to it in case anyone wants a copy. It's really too much to post here, but I will get all the info down in some format.

The short version about growth is that it will be pretty flat for 2006, with most of the new bid (that will be out Friday) shuffling positions and increasing the ANC and LAX bases. No real gain in total aircraft, but some increase in ASMs. The bid that will come this time next year will be, according to the Managing Director, "the largest ever at Alaska Airlines". By the end of '06 we will be taking delivery of 3 airframes per month into early 2007, with growth for 2007 to be at least 6%. There are too many operational challenges ahead for the short term that need to be sorted out first, so they are not looking for any real growth (as far as number of aircraft) in 2006. However, training is spooling up (4 crews per month in the MD and 8 in the 737 starting in Oct.) and will max out late in the year and into 2007 (6 crews a month on the MD and 12 on the 737). They are looking into somehow getting another 737 sim, either buying, leasing or finding significant time on one somewhere. He made it sound like acquiring another 737 sim is very likely and it will be operational by mid 2007.

At any rate, I will get all this and the rest of it together in one place so that it makes some sense and if anyone wants the info, let me know and I'll send you a copy.

 

[mach none]

Great, another side bid. Back to reserve.

 

[flx757]

Great, another side bid. Back to reserve.

Maybe not. BG was speculating that many of the senior FOs who have not bid Captain to hang on to their QOL may now feel the need to do so to try and recoup their lost pay. He seems to think that there will be at least some upgrades amid the shuffling.

 

[RIDETHELIGHTING]

Any calls go yet?

 

[tico]

"We had an "all hands" meeting today in the training dept led by the Managing Director of Flight Standards and the Director of Training."

With any luck those two will no longer be in their respective positions and we can stop creating the most expensive 737 pilots on the planet......it must have been a sea of khakis, loafers and plaid shirts up on floor 2....I wonder what concessions they will ask for in trade for next years "big bid".... I dont think that we have any business growing at all until we get past our "contract situation" and that is a solid 4 years away....Someone needs to tell the monkeys that the objective is not to have the most people at work to get the job done it is to have the least.......It still has the potential to be a great part time job, but to make a career out of it or call it a profession is a Joke.. plain and simple

 

[flx757]

Actually, it was at Azteca and not on "floor 2". But I'm sure they will welcome your plan. I recommend you stop by with it as soon as you can so we can get this ship headed in the right direction.

 

[mach none]

"We had an "all hands" meeting today in the training dept led by the Managing Director of Flight Standards and the Director of Training."

With any luck those two will no longer be in their respective positions and we can stop creating the most expensive 737 pilots on the planet......it must have been a sea of khakis, loafers and plaid shirts up on floor 2....I wonder what concessions they will ask for in trade for next years "big bid".... I dont think that we have any business growing at all until we get past our "contract situation" and that is a solid 4 years away....Someone needs to tell the monkeys that the objective is not to have the most people at work to get the job done it is to have the least.......It still has the potential to be a great part time job, but to make a career out of it or call it a profession is a Joke.. plain and simple

Tico,
If indeed you work at Alaska, we are always looking for committee volunteers at ALPA. You seem to have lots of ideas, we will welcome your influence.

 

[tico]

Actually, it was at Azteca and not on "floor 2". But I'm sure they will welcome your plan. I recommend you stop by with it as soon as you can so we can get this ship headed in the right direction.

Lets start with this idea..... If you don't physically work at the airport..As in the people that can and do make a difference with the paying pax or the on time departure of their flight(csa, ramp, cleaners, caterers, line mechs, pilots and flight attendants) then your job should fall in the outsource category ( flight ops engineering, most of the training for pilots, flight attendants, mechanics, csa's etc.. printing and manuals, tech report writing, sim techs and that is just in your world and then we should cross the street and get rid of benefits, payroll, corporate and employee travel, mundane accounting... the list is long

It is just an idea but it would definiteley limit all of the costly, ridiculous empire building that passes for a corporate structure that we now have..... It seems to work for our neighbors that are trying to move to boeing field maybe we should try it......radical isn't it.....

 

[tico]

Tico,
If indeed you work at Alaska, we are always looking for committee volunteers at ALPA. You seem to have lots of ideas, we will welcome your influence.

I would love to, well not really but I don't seem to have the time between my full time job and my hobby flying for Alaska..... maybe some day

 

[Z_Pilot]

PM said directly to me and during his "speech" at a job fair 2 weeks ago that Alaska is going to hire 16 this fall and 60 next year.

Z

 

[alaskaplt]

What I can add (as of today....)

With regard to the MDs, they are around for a while. 9 are leased and 17 are owned outright. Two leases expire next year and one in 2007 with no plans to renew. After that they expire at the rate of 1 or 2 a year through 2013. As mentioned, to get out of the leases would be expensive. The last number I heard was around $200M. There is no current market for the ones we own. When the recent aircraft order was placed, there was no provision for Boeing to buy out any leases or otherwise take any of the currently operated aircraft. Instead the company negotiated very attractive terms for the new 737-800s. Plans are being made to make some upgrades to the navigation platforms in both the aircraft and the sim. While anything can change at any time, the current plan is to continue to operate the MDs for some time to come.

As to the new bid...it should be out in a week or two. The numbers I heard today were 60 new positions from one source and 80 from another. We have been told in training to expect 8 crews per month (on both fleet types) beginning in Oct. This is going to put sim time at a premium, especially on the 737, beginning in Jan. They were still talking today about how to manage the required sim time.

The projected block hours for 2006 for the MD fleet remains about the same as this year, even though the 2 aircraft previously mentioned will be going away. The projected block hours on the 737s for next year are increased over this year's, reflecting planned growth and additional aircraft.

Again, anything can change...and probably will. But this is what I hear as of today.

These bids always confuse the crap out of me. I see that they are adding 51 captain positions and reducing 8 captain positions. They are adding 20 fo positions and reducing 22 fo positions. Could one of you please explain this. I have worked at another airline where this was not confusing at all. I have yet to figure out what Alaska's bids mean. THat adds up to a net loss of fo's. Will they have to hire.

Thanks

 

[flx757]

These bids always confuse the crap out of me. I see that they are adding 51 captain positions and reducing 8 captain positions. They are adding 20 fo positions and reducing 22 fo positions. Could one of you please explain this. I have worked at another airline where this was not confusing at all. I have yet to figure out what Alaska's bids mean. THat adds up to a net loss of fo's. Will they have to hire.

Thanks

I don't know that I can explain it, but as to the "will they have to hire" question, I believe the answer is yes.

There are 41 more additions than there are reductions on this bid. What I was hearing roaming the halls as the bid was released is that they are planning on hiring between 44 and 50.

I guess more answers might be forthcoming after the award posting on Sept 16.

Finally, there was this note about the next bid: "We are estimating that the next bid will come out the first part of 2006 with an effective date around the middle of 2006. The size of this bid is estimated to be the same approximate size as this one--basing yet to be determined."

 

[Rhino]

from HR

" Here is the latest update. We will be hiring 44 pilots between the months of
October 2005 - March 2006. (The pilots in our pool will take 16 of those
positions.) "This is per the email from HR yesterday...

 

[mach none]

There will be a bid in the spring of approx. the same size as this one and one in the fall, size yet to be determined. This is via the SEA assistant BCP.