ASA Hiring

[patriotflier]

Only 2 A/C types in DFW CRJ-200/700

CRJ200 in DFW is the most junior in the company.

Best of luck

 

[e120pilot]

Patriotflyer,

I would be the first to admit our reserve system needs some improvement, but it's by no means the "worst in the industry".

We have no airport reserves, and a 2 hour call out is pretty good at a regional. There are a certainly better reserve systems out there, but there are more than a few that are much worse.

Unfortunately with the stagnation, people are just having to do a lot more reserve than in the past. It sucks, but thats just the way it goes.

 

[shamrock]

Our reserve system might not be that bad but Scheduling could give any other airline a run for it's money in the stupidity and abuse category.

They either don't know the contract or they choose to ignore it when need be. Either way, they s*uck donkey balls.

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

Class seniority

Not sure if this is true for pilots, but all other positions (ramp, gate agent, etc) don't go off age seniority anymore. Someone brought up the "discrimination" card I believe. Now it goes by the last 4 digits of your SSN. What I dont remember if lower or higher is better. But basically, if lower was better, and your last 4 digits were 1234, and the other guy was 9876, then you would be more senior in the class regardless of age/experience.

 

[73belair]

That is discriminating on where you were born! I'm going to the union on that one!

 

[Mmmmmm Burritos]

Well, last 4 digits not so much, first three digits is discrimination for sure. Not for me though, mine starts with 1

 

[nfg]

Just got a call for a Feb. interview! I was hoping someone could answer these questions for me:

1. How exaclty does the reseve system work? I have heard people complaining about it, but never any specifics.

2. How long would it be approximately before one can hold a line in DFW or ATL?

3. How is the commute with sitting on reserve? I understand its a 2 hour call out, but what time do you usually start your duty day?

Thanks

 

[e120pilot]

nfg,

Congrats on the interview. I'll try to answer your questions:

1. On reserve, you get 10 days off per month. You bid for 4 "golden days" off, which are days which you can't be made to work. The other six days can be moved. You'll ususally do 5 on 2 off, with one 4 day stretch in there. The biggest complaint I've heard about reserve is that there is no seniority based call out. How scheduling calls people is completely random. You may fly every day for a week, then not at all for a month. I've done my fair share of reserve here, and it's not as bad as most people say. If you live in base, I think it's cake. If you plan on commuting, then it's a little tougher.

2. Getting off reserve is hard to say. Right now, junior lineholders in DFW are around 13 months, while ATL is around 2.5 years. However, that means absolutely nothing when it comes to what it might be in the future. We actually shrank in 2003, so people hired in the end of the last wave are seeing lots of reserve. I'd say if you're hired in the front of this cycle, you'd probably see a line in 6 months-1 year. Could be less(DFW), could be more(ATL).

3 Commuting on reserve sucks. Lots of people do it, but it's not the easiest since your days off are limited. I'm not sure what you mean by "when do you usually start your day?" I've been called at 5am or 9 pm, and everything in between. Reserve periods are 15 hours long, so usually as you get later in your reserve shift, it's less likely you'll get called.

Hope that helps. Good luck with the interview. If ASA gets some more airplanes for 05 & 06 you may be getting in at a good time.

 

[wil]

nfg- Reserve at ASA is confusing. I have no idea how they pick who is going to fly. You start your reserve period and remain on until the end of your period. For me, 10am-12mid. Of course, our booze policy is 12 hours so no night cap until your days off!! (which is a whopping 10, 4 off which they can't move). Don't know on line holding, they called me out for a trip Sunday to fly as F.O. so maybe we are short in DFW? As far as commuting, you will need a crashpad. Our call out is 2 hours from duty in. Important to remember that from the parking lot to ops could take up to 20 minutes or longer with train delays. Congratulations on the interview. I interviewed 4 years ago so I couldn't give you the new skinny on how the process works. All the best- Wil

 

[nfg]

e120pilot and wil,

thanks guys. That's what I was looking for. One other thing: does ASA have a commuter clause?

nfg