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ASA, Air Willy or CoEx????

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Millls22

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2005
Posts
17
Just lookin for some advice about which to go to. It looks like the upgrade time for all of them are about the same, 4 years or so. The pay is relatively the same too. Where are the new Air Willy bases going to be? Also, does anyone know about how long reserve is lasting at any of them....I know someone that works at Comair and the reserve there seems to last forever!!
 
COEX and CHQ are probably winners.

ASA is a horrible place to work. Crew scheduling is an absolute nightmare. The retirement of the ATR's will stagnate the upgrade opportunities and who knows how many airplanes will be diverted to SkyWest? Then we have the issue of contract negotiations getting to the really nasty stage and performance so bad that we constantly change managers hoping that someone has the solution (hint, pay your support staff more than Wendy's pays theirs). And speaking of pay, the Delta guys are dealing with a proposal to pay their 100 seat Captains $88 and FO's $60 after 12 years. It probably will not happen, but those rates are lower than ASA and will bring negative pressure on our current pay.

I listened to the junior folks calling crew scheduling to get released tonight. As they got their days off taken to work through another weekend I thought to myself, "why does anyone stay here." A guy with 6, or 7 years in might have some reason to stay. Anyone else is just wasting their time....

Here is a little reading and may I suggest that the airlines with better performance are better run, with happier employees. ASA is the pits....

http://sltrib.com/business/ci_3090707
 
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~~~^~~~ said:
ASA is a horrible place to work. Crew scheduling is an absolute nightmare.

Do you think any of this will change with the future of ASA/Skywest?
 
Before you turn down a job at ASA you need to know both sides of the story. Remember most people on this board are here because they are pissed off already. Ive been here for 4 months now, schedualing is not bad. Hell, most days Ive been on reserve I havent even been called. If I have been called it was to go do an out and back flight. I call after the flight and theyed told me to go home every time. The contract negotiations, most pilots dont seen to care, as for you (amnd them) remember that you came in knowing what the contract and the pay was. If it gets better great, if not owe well. As for the Delta pay stuff, if that happens it will hurt the pay at every regional. Remember ASA and Skywest, CHQ all fly for Delta and would all be effected the same way. As for reserve the guys before me spent a month on it and then got a relief line, im looking to do the same.

Just remember this, in 3 years when ASA has a nice new contract, we are hiring, and the delta/skywest thing is ironed out everyone will be flocking here to work. It runs in cycles. Just remember Express Jet could furlough tomorrow, Skywest could furlough tomorrow, ASA could furlough tomorrow. No one is any better than the other in the grand plan of things, only the current.
 
I second fsworld. I've been at ASA for about 9months now and have had nothing but good experiences in all aspects. I'm holding good lines with about 13-16 days off and have never been bothered by scheduling. If you get an interview at least stop on by and check us out.
 
Damn Fins,
The next thing I know I'll be reading in flight deck news that you walked into an ATR prop or jumped off the C tower cause you were so miserable at ASA. Do you have more than 5 years in here? Cause that's to many if you ask managment. So go get a real job cause they obviously don't think what we do is.

There are worse companies and better companies to work for right now and I used to work a one of the worst (TSA). ASA is far from the best or worst and has the potential to go either way. We should really be advising people to get their head checked for wanting to fly for the airlines right now. Some of us(Fins and I) seem to be too far gone to be helped. Take in all the advice, research what company fits your life best and make your decision.
 
fsworld said:
Before you turn down a job at ASA you need to know both sides of the story. Remember most people on this board are here because they are pissed off already. Ive been here for 4 months now, schedualing is not bad. Hell, most days Ive been on reserve I havent even been called. If I have been called it was to go do an out and back flight. I call after the flight and theyed told me to go home every time. The contract negotiations, most pilots dont seen to care, as for you (amnd them) remember that you came in knowing what the contract and the pay was. If it gets better great, if not owe well. As for the Delta pay stuff, if that happens it will hurt the pay at every regional. Remember ASA and Skywest, CHQ all fly for Delta and would all be effected the same way. As for reserve the guys before me spent a month on it and then got a relief line, im looking to do the same.

Just remember this, in 3 years when ASA has a nice new contract, we are hiring, and the delta/skywest thing is ironed out everyone will be flocking here to work. It runs in cycles. Just remember Express Jet could furlough tomorrow, Skywest could furlough tomorrow, ASA could furlough tomorrow. No one is any better than the other in the grand plan of things, only the current.


Wow, a 4 month wonder with a complete grasp on the mood at ASA. I think the bar of soap is soon to land at your feet.
Unless your 23, still living at home, starring at yourself in the mirror in uniform on your off day, we do care about the contract at ASA.

That being said, never turn down an interview.
 
AV8700 said:
Wow, a 4 month wonder with a complete grasp on the mood at ASA. I think the bar of soap is soon to land at your feet.
Unless your 23, still living at home, starring at yourself in the mirror in uniform on your off day, we do care about the contract at ASA.

That being said, never turn down an interview.

23 would make me old but no i dont stand in the mirror and look at myself. I know ASA isnt perfect but its not that bad either. I came from a few years of 135 charter, now thats punishment. Im not saying pilots dont care about the contract but everyone here came in with the current contract or a worse contract. The only guys that really seem down are the ones that paid for training years ago. And living on this salary, living at home would be nice! But again, I came into it knowing that and next year it will be more than the average college graduate will make after college.
 
Go to COEX (Expressjet).


Bye Bye--General Lee
 
It all depends on your expectations. The first year I was here I got transferred to DFW against my will, was paying for two houses, sitting around bored on reserve, flying naps in the E120, getting junior manned when I was 1,000 miles away from base for .98 hours of block time and made $12,200 for the year. The strange thing is - I was happy because I was flying airplanes. Those are the shoes Doo Doo Brown and FS World (short for Flight Simulator?) are apparently in. They are happy because they are "airline pilots."

Now I make 5 times that amount and hold schedules as a CA in my chosen domicile. But I get mad when the phone rings at 02:30 several times a month on my off days (plus every holiday) to junior man me. I get mad that Crew Scheduling uses a calling card and tells my children "it is one of your daddy's friends," tricking them on the phone. I get mad that our Company has an ASAP program to report pilots to the FAA (which starts certificate action) while denying pilots an ASAP program without negotiating it into the contract. I get mad that crew scheduling can run you up to 02: 00 into your off day and not compensate you and can junior man you without regard for seniority (ever day off is a day of reserve at time and a half at this airline) You think you can drink a beer on your day off - think again. They junior manned a friend of mine and assigned him a trip while he was int he middle of a lake in a Bass boat holding a beer in one hand and a pole in the other. And yes he got a trip failure / occurrence when he no show'd despite the fact he was physiologically incapable of operating the airplane.

A slave is someone who has no control of their schedule or their life. We are slaves.

Another friend of mine was driving home to be with his dying mother. He was junior manned and threatened. He turned down the assignment. His mother died. ASA fired him. That is the sort of airline this is.

A professional pilot is someone who asks how much a job pays before asking what kind of airpane they will be flying. Over the years you realize that this is a profession and you begin to want to be treated like a professional. ASA would prefer that you left the Company when you reach that point in your professional life. Our current president put the number at 5 and 1/2 years, which is about right.

In balance some corporate / 135 jobs are like ASA. You have an boss who holds your Certificate out to the FAA every time he screws up and you have no control over your schedule. If you like that sort of thing, could use the excercise picketing, and like to stand around a barrell burning wood with your union buddies this winter - welcome aboard. Just don't expect much.
 
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