America West???

[Tony Montana]

Has anyone that frequents this board interviewed lately with America West? Has anyone been hired by them and went through training? What is their training like and what are the minimum requirements to apply. Any info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

T.M.

 

[Wiskey Driver]

T.M.

We are hiring and word has it we will continue to do so until atleast June. A class of 21 starts on monday. Training here is pretty dam good and the people in the training dept go out of their way to help. The mins are 2500tt with 1000turbine and a letter of rec.

WD.

 

[Auto-throttle]

Wiskey Driver,

Isn't it time to change your logon name?

Autothrottle

 

[Heavy Set]

I like his avatar though... Hey WD, how do you like the Airbus vs. the CRJ? How's the lifestyle in PHX?

 

[Wiskey Driver]

Wiskey Driver,

Isn't it time to change your logon name?

Autothrottle

Hey A.T. what up?? I thought about changing it but I haven't come up with anything to change it to. I mostly haven't applied myself in that direction plus I really looked hard for an avatar that fit my logon and really don't want to give it up.

Heavy Set, I absolutly love the Bus!!! Great machine. The Rj was sweet and really enjoyed flying it but compared to the A320 it's no contest. PHX is cool NOW but I really ain't lookin forward to the summer heat! Maybe it will help me sweat some of this fat off my A$$!!!!

WD.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Be careful going to America West

Hi all,

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble and I know in today's aviation environment a job's a job. But I would still be very careful about taking a job with Cactus. Apparently their prospects are dicey.

I know they about broke even in 4th quarter (or eaked out a tiny profit) but keep in mind the taxpayer-funded handouts are over now. And their fares are down to 80 bucks from NY to the West Coast. I doubt you can make money on those fares even with full flights. But to make it worse, someone in the know over there told me many of those flights have only 20-30 paying pax!!

It makes sense when you think about it. Joe Passenger can take United or American, fly a widebody, build frequent flier miles, have possibility to upgrade from coach, and get a movie to watch, plus a meal. Another option is JetBlue. No meal there (you have to bring your own) or widebody, but you get leather seats, live Direct TV, outstanding customer service, etc.

So why would you fly Cactus? You get the worst of both worlds. No widebody, no upgrade from coach, no meal, no in-flight entertainment, no leather seats, no worldwide network of frequent flier miles, etc. So it seems the only chance Cactus has is to offer fares below cost....and that isn't a viable strategy for very long.

I'm not trying to flame or rain on anyone's parade...just a word to the wise to fully investigate a company before you gamble your professional future on them. Any Cactus people think I have the facts wrong, feel free to reply. I'm not trying to put you guys down...just analyzing the situation as best I can. If I am wrong please point out where I made a wrong turn. Later...

 

[starchkr]

Where do you send resumes to? The website says they are not hiring so i can't get any further than that. Also, is that 1000 turbine PIC or just turbine?

 

[Wiskey Driver]

Re: Be careful going to America West

Hi all,

I don't want to burst anyone's bubble and I know in today's aviation environment a job's a job. But I would still be very careful about taking a job with Cactus. Apparently their prospects are dicey.

I know they about broke even in 4th quarter (or eaked out a tiny profit) but keep in mind the taxpayer-funded handouts are over now. And their fares are down to 80 bucks from NY to the West Coast. I doubt you can make money on those fares even with full flights. But to make it worse, someone in the know over there told me many of those flights have only 20-30 paying pax!!

It makes sense when you think about it. Joe Passenger can take United or American, fly a widebody, build frequent flier miles, have possibility to upgrade from coach, and get a movie to watch, plus a meal. Another option is JetBlue. No meal there (you have to bring your own) or widebody, but you get leather seats, live Direct TV, outstanding customer service, etc.

So why would you fly Cactus? You get the worst of both worlds. No widebody, no upgrade from coach, no meal, no in-flight entertainment, no leather seats, no worldwide network of frequent flier miles, etc. So it seems the only chance Cactus has is to offer fares below cost....and that isn't a viable strategy for very long.

I'm not trying to flame or rain on anyone's parade...just a word to the wise to fully investigate a company before you gamble your professional future on them. Any Cactus people think I have the facts wrong, feel free to reply. I'm not trying to put you guys down...just analyzing the situation as best I can. If I am wrong please point out where I made a wrong turn. Later...

Well Partner let me see,,, how many different ways can you be wrong!! We do offer upgrade to first for as little as $50 we do have movies on the flights, leather seats?? they are good for the home and even in my car by why invest in that?? Our prospects actually look pretty good, classes every month new routes. The buy a meal program as I heard it will be making a comeback and as for the loads I have been having a tough time non rev-ing so there went your pax load theory. Oh well maybe you can come up with something else!!

WD.

 

[Auto-throttle]

hey KID CHARLEM

No upgrades, no food, no FF miles, no international network on milages on SWA and JET-Whatever-that-company-is either!! (unless i'm wrong, they both do trans-con)

Do people really give a $hit if the airplane is NOT a widebody?

 

[Fly-n-high]

What are you gunna do, hold out for American? I hear they only lost $111 million this quarter. How about US Airways? They might come out of bankruptcy sometime. Maybe United?

Sheesh. Cactus is probably one of the best places to be right now.

 

[Intruder One]

Let's get real you don't pick,they do.You apply with everyone that is hiring and then keep your fingers crossed that you get picked.It is a hirers market and will be for quite some time.The days of being selective are over.

 

[PCL_128]

How about US Airways? They might come out of bankruptcy sometime.

Actually, US Airways is out of bankruptcy protection and has been for some time now.

 

[CACTUS A-320]

Hey Kid, as my colleague Whiskey Driver pointed out, you are uninformed. I listened today to over an hours' worth of our senior management's conference call with investors covering 4th qtr. and 2003. We are very well positioned with the most cash in the bank in our 20 year history, and the transcons were at break even in Dec. -our second month in those markets. We are only at these unrealistic low fares to match other carriers that are trying to oust us. We have the lowest CASM's, though, so we aren't going anywhere but to more destinations to be announced soon. Our 4th qtr. profit was 6.8 million and 54mill. for the year. Also expecting profit for full year 2004 with 8-10% growth. Record load factor of 74% for the year, and the transcons are in the high 60's%.
Do at least some research, Kid, to save youself the embarassment.
Anyone who wants the FACTS on AWA go to americawest.com under investor relations and find the webcast.
Strange how you warn people to "investigate the company" while you never bothered to.

 

[Wiskey Driver]

Where do you send resumes to? The website says they are not hiring so i can't get any further than that. Also, is that 1000 turbine PIC or just turbine?

1000 Turbine!!!! Had a starchecker in my class!!!

WD.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

For the record.....

Take it easy guys, I told you I wasn't trying to start a flame war. Obviously there were some things relating to Cactus I was unaware of - not surprising, since I don't fly for them. But I stand by my predictions, we shall see what happens over the next year or two. Then we'll know who was right.

When I said a good number of the trans-cons are going out with less than 30 pax, I know that to be true for a fact. Got it from an inside source. Hard to see how to make money that way, but then again, what do I know?

Cactus A-320:

You berate me for being ignorant and not doing my homework...but then you come along and make the ridiculous claim that Cactus has the lowest CASM!! That's patently absurd. Even if you have a CASM lower than SWA (and I haven't seen any numbers that show you do, but I honestly don't know).....there's no way you're lower than JBLU, unless you intend to claim a CASM in the 5 cent range!!

That's all for now folks.....peace out!

 

[350DRIVER]

Kid,

If I were you I probably would spend less time with the ignorant and uninformed posts and spend just a little more time reviewing and educating yourself about AWA. Obviously you are not even in a position to make a comment about where AWA will be let alone claim that people should be "careful" about going to Cactus.

When I said a good number of the trans-cons are going out with less than 30 pax, I know that to be true for a fact. Got it from an inside source. Hard to see how to make money that way, but then again, what do I know?

3 5 0

 

[captxxx]

The AmericaWest website does not seem to reflect a hiring mode; how come?

 

[TWA Dude]

Updating websites costs money. Few airlines put much priority in it especially since they seem to get plenty of resumes anyway.

Dude

 

[Wiskey Driver]

Re: For the record.....

Take it easy guys, I told you I wasn't trying to start a flame war. Obviously there were some things relating to Cactus I was unaware of - not surprising, since I don't fly for them. But I stand by my predictions, we shall see what happens over the next year or two. Then we'll know who was right.

When I said a good number of the trans-cons are going out with less than 30 pax, I know that to be true for a fact. Got it from an inside source. Hard to see how to make money that way, but then again, what do I know?

Cactus A-320:

You berate me for being ignorant and not doing my homework...but then you come along and make the ridiculous claim that Cactus has the lowest CASM!! That's patently absurd. Even if you have a CASM lower than SWA (and I haven't seen any numbers that show you do, but I honestly don't know).....there's no way you're lower than JBLU, unless you intend to claim a CASM in the 5 cent range!!

That's all for now folks.....peace out!

Man I keep trying to keep from making you look bad but you insist on not helping me!!! Here is the real info on us that you seemed to be so missed informed on. My bro Cactus A-320 already led you to the water but you still didn't drink. This is just some of it you MUST READ THE INFO FOR YOURSELF and stop this he said she said $hit!!!!

WD.

Operating revenues for the fourth quarter 2003 increased 7.7 percent to $554.3 million from $514.5 million for 2002. The airline's revenue passenger miles (RPMs) during its fourth quarter 2003 increased 4.3 percent to 5.3 billion on a one percent increase in capacity. This resulted in a record fourth quarter 2003 load factor of 75.5 percent, an increase of 2.3 points over the airline's fourth quarter 2002 load factor of 73.2 percent.

Operating revenues for the full year 2003 increased 10.1 percent to $2.2 billion from $2.0 billion during 2002. The airline's full year 2003 RPMs increased 7.1 percent to 21.3 billion on increased capacity of 3.3 percent. The airline generated a record load factor of 76.4 percent during 2003, 2.8 points above the load factor generated during 2002.

Passenger revenue per available seat mile (RASM) during the fourth quarter 2003 increased 4.3 percent to 7.46 cents despite a 7.4 percent increase in average stage length. Passenger yields during the same period increased one percent to 9.88 cents. For the airline's full-year 2003, RASM increased 6.2 percent to 7.58 cents, despite a 5.9 percent increase in average stage length, while yields improved 2.3 percent to 9.93 cents.

The airline's operating expenses in the fourth quarter 2003 decreased 1.5 percent to $544.6 million. Continued cost diligence and increased capacity resulted in a 2.5 percent decrease in the airline's cost per available seat mile (CASM) in the fourth quarter 2003. On a fuel exclusive basis, the airline's CASM in the fourth quarter 2003 declined 4.3 percent to 6.44 cents. Excluding fuel and special items, the airline's CASM decreased 8.8 percent to 6.20 cents in the fourth quarter 2003.

 

[TrimixDeepDiver]

Right after 911 all I remember hearing was how America West had no chance in hell to survive and would be out of business or at the least in ch11. Fast foward to today, the predictions were wrong. The stock price is the same if not more than Delta,United,American,etc. The company broke even and is doing good. I wouldn't hesitate to goto AWA, especially if your stuck at one of those regionals flying an RJ. America West = Good company with Good people.