ASA or CHQ?

[Swaayze]

May have a choice soon.

Commute out of the midwest. Want some stability and growth and a place that I can live with permanently if it comes to that.

Input (without bickering)?


Thanks

 

[sabreliner]

If you want a place you could hang your hat if it came to that, I'd say ASA hands down. Then again, I'm a bit biased since I work there.

At ASA, we have a 5 year old contract that is still better than CHQ's. We are in negotiations right now for a better one, and mgmt is making sure that they get our group fired up so that we won't accept anything we don't really like. Things may get a little ugly for a little while, but in the end I would't expect a stirke. Our Comair friends taught mother Delta that lesson.

The only problem here is one of upgrade time/movement. Depending on those 25 airplanes, it may move pretty quick or if they are taken hostage during our negotiations it may move pretty slow. However, we do have 20+ 700's to look forward to, and we are working closely with Comair and DAL MEC's to try to coordinate and assure the health of the 3 owned pilot groups.

CHQ will probably have a quicker upgrade, as long as everything keeps going the way it has been, but then again I thought I'd be a line holding RJ Capt by now, so we all know how thast goes. Also, us three are going to do everything we can to assure that as little DAL growth goes there (or anywhere else outside the family) as possible in the future.

Hopefully you'll have the choice. ASA is a pretty good place and has gotten a lot better just in the 3+ years I've been here.

Almost forgot, we have the DFW base, and it is growing right now, so it could be an easier commute from the midwest depending on where you are coming from.

 

[wil]

Congrats on having a choice!! I have commuted from T-Town on CHQ a bunch and have nothing but the best to say about them! Great group of pilots and FA's. But, if your asking about future plans and, importantly, commutability I would say ASA and DFW!! A couple of weeks ago some wx rolled in to DFW and all the flights were delayed. My buddy had a 250p duty in and I started reserve at 1200 so I was on the hook for a 200p show. We got on the road at 1030, and even with all the bad wx through Atoka and Durant we made it to the terminal for 215!
Good luck! I think either company is a good choice I'm just biased

 

[General Lee]

If USAir tanks this Summer, then Chataqua could have a lot of exposure. Delta is doing OK for now, so ASA is a little more stable.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[OldManPilot]

If USAir tanks this Summer, then Chataqua could have a lot of exposure. Delta is doing OK for now, so ASA is a little more stable.

Bye Bye--General Lee

sp: Chautauqua


I have to respectfully disagree. When we lost the flying for America West out of CMH, many said the same thing, but our aircraft were quickly swept up by Delta.

 

[General Lee]

oldmanpilot,

I don't think your AWA portion was as big as your USAir portion, and if it unfortunately tanks this Summer and Bronner liquidates it---you will lose more. I hope it doesn't happen, but it sounded like he was serious....

Bye Bye---General Lee

 

[Swaayze]

Well, no choice yet.

Naturally I need to decide very soon on CHQ and waiting on the yes/no from ASA. Really need to secure employment asap and who knows how long before I'd warrant an ASA class if I'm put in the pool.

I'm leaning way towards ASA mostly for domicile and general reputation, but I do anticipate the possibility of being a pawn in the negotiations and a very long wait to upgrade. With DAL going into negotiations lots could change either way.

CHQ otoh, while highly exposed to U, does have some diversification with different codes. I expect they will be flying 170s for USAirways within a year, and there are rumors of a new code share for them as well (UAL?).


Thanks for the opinions!

 

[~~~^~~~]

If given the choice between CHQ and ASA.... ASA - all the way.
Particularly so if you don't mind flying out of DFW.

 

[79%N1]

No question..........ASA

 

[WWEfan]

Sounds like ASA hands down. Go with CHQ. We cant all be right.

 

[ERJDRVR]

THE 1ST ONE THAT CALLS FOR A CLASS DATE!!1

 

[FurloughedAgain]

Look at Swaayze's qualifications. He can afford to be at least a LITTLE bit choosy -- he doesn't need to pounce on the first airline to call him as if he were some 1200 hour flight instructor desperate to put on an airline uniform.

I think he's doing the right thing. Research the companies that interest him and, hopefully, make a decision that he and his family can live with.

With qualifications like his either company will be fortunate to have him.

 

[OldManPilot]

While it is true that our exposure with US Airways, (32 aircraft), is greater than the exposure we had with AWA, (12 aircraft), our managment has show that they do not sit back and wait for things to happen. They are always looking for new opportunities for both growth as well as limiting our exposure with any one airline.

Back to the thread. I also believe that the best thing to be done is to talk to some pilots from both airlines. I also think that the comment to join the first to call with a class date is also a smart idea. Both airlines have top notch pilots, but as you already know from being furloughed, seniority is everthing.

Best of luck.

 

[ERJDRVR]

If USAir tanks this Summer, then Chataqua could have a lot of exposure. Delta is doing OK for now, so ASA is a little more stable.

Bye Bye--General Lee

That's ok, we got another near bankrupt carrier to take up the slack... UAL


That is a total of 50 jets this month.

 

[Swaayze]

50 jets? 13 DAL +32 UAL + 5 for whom? Congratulations on the growth.

It just keeps getting tougher to decide! Got a letter today and a "conditional offer" from ASA. Then CHQ goes and gets another 30% growth.

More questions. Any ASA folks know for sure how long the wait is for family medical benes? This is a biggie, what with my previous employer shutting down and COBRA becoming unavailable soon. Unfortunately the ASA pool system is a bit of a mystery, though it seems a class date would be soon (maybe late Apr or May?).

And how are the rsv lines usually scheduled? At ASA do you get the 1 block of 4 days and then three 2s or are the other 6 often 1 off at a time?

Please don't mistake any of this for whimpering. I am thrilled to have a choice and have been nothing but Blessed since my first furlough! I hope we all soon have such a dilemma.


Thanks again.

 

[kepjet]

50 jets? 13 DAL +32 UAL + 5 for whom? Congratulations on the growth.

It just keeps getting tougher to decide! Got a letter today and a "conditional offer" from ASA. Then CHQ goes and gets another 30% growth.

More questions. Any ASA folks know for sure how long the wait is for family medical benes? This is a biggie, what with my previous employer shutting down and COBRA becoming unavailable soon. Unfortunately the ASA pool system is a bit of a mystery, though it seems a class date would be soon (maybe late Apr or May?).

And how are the rsv lines usually scheduled? At ASA do you get the 1 block of 4 days and then three 2s or are the other 6 often 1 off at a time?

Please don't mistake any of this for whimpering. I am thrilled to have a choice and have been nothing but Blessed since my first furlough! I hope we all soon have such a dilemma.


Thanks again.

The other 5 are for Delta as well. Those 5 were announced before the 13 RFP aircraft. Delta still has 25 options that are separate from the RFP annoncement.

As for working for ASA or CHQ, I think you would be happy with either company. Both pilot groups are very professional and the ASA folks have always treated me with respect. However, at both companies, you will have a handful of whiners which I suppose you would have that anywhere. I guess it boils down to domiciles, upgrade time, QOL for yourself, etc. I have been extremely happy working for CHQ and would recommend it to anyone.

Best of luck in your decision!

 

[FurloughedAgain]

So what did you decide?

 

[LegacyDriver]

sp: Chautauqua


I have to respectfully disagree. When we lost the flying for America West out of CMH, many said the same thing, but our aircraft were quickly swept up by Delta.

Nobody cares how it is spelled. They spell it wrong on purpose, in fact. Don't fight that battle...

 

[ifly4food]

I would go for the first company to offer you a class date.

ASA now has a huge pool (~300?), and the current classes are drawing from that pool.

New interviewing is to refill the pool, so if you're hired, you may be waiting in that pool for a long time.

Also, since we're in negotiations, anything could happen. The "phantom 25" could disappear, and all newhires could become hostages, as happened at Comair.

If CHQ offeres you a class date, you should take it. Then you have stable work until we get our ducks in a row over here at ASA. Then make the switch. Long haul, ASA is a good place to be, it's just going to be "interesting" for the next couple of years.

 

[Swaayze]

300 in the pool? Where did you get this info? Some of the guys I interviewed with about a month ago have been called for Apr 12.