ASA Pilots, question on growth

[RJFlyer]

they will likely be on reserve for 1 to 2 years, may have to commute to (or worse live in ) Dallas, TX

Get this straight - you WILL be on reserve 1-2 years...in ATLANTA. Dallas new-hires have been getting lines within 4-5 months. And the Atlanta operations blows. You could do much worse than get based in Dallas.

We are entering contract talks in Sept. That means limited growth, Skywest invading our hubs, and management screwing with us through the schedule. . . They should also look at what happened to Comair with their 89 day strike, and expect the same treatment for ASA in a few years.

The fact that we're entering contract talks has nothing to do with whether or not we'll be growing. You have obviously bought into the standard airline pilot mantra that everything management does is solely to screw the pilots. What would mgmt accomplish by pissing us all off before contract talks even begin? And expecting a strike, let alone expecting the contract talks to last several years, is rather self-defeating at this point, don't you think?

The point is, there are MANY worse places than ASA to be right now, and any USAir WO is on that list. We ARE interviewing and occasionally hiring. We ARE getting more aircraft. We ARE entering contract negotiations, but many people I've spoken to don't expect them to last long. I don't think you'd be making a mistake by coming to ASA. We've got our share of issues, but things are slowly improving, and we're growing.

 

[~~~^~~~]

Tudor and Sleepy:

I agree with what both of you had to say. Let me get your thoughts on this...

If you look at the history of ASA growth, it has always been tied to mainline scope negotiations. In February of 2001, mainline reached a TA on Section 1 and blammo, ASA stopped hiring - all but a trickle. The E-120 was to be retired and pilots were being forced to downgrade.

Then scope was relaxed as a result of the Comair situation (loss of block hours as they recovered) and 9/11. Here comes the airplanes and the E-120's get to stay a little longer.

Last week, the Delta MEC announced scope negotiations (which we all knew were coming months ago) and all of a sudden, jet deliveries are being deferred.

Our jets are expensive - Delta does not want a $18,000,000 to $21,000,000 jet that they can not operate, or can not operate profitably at mainline.

Candidly, I've got no idea where this is going to go. I believe it will either be very good, or very bad. What we need is one list so that everything is not an "us" or "them" proposition.

All that having been said, my choices for a small jet job would be Airtran, Skywest and either ASA / Comair. ASA is close to the top of that list and if things go well for us (depending on Delta management - since ALPA wants to kill us and our MEC is not even able to participate in the negotiations) ASA could be a far out front #1. You certainly could do worse than ASA and might not be able to do any better. I love it here.

Good luck guys!

 

[sleepy]

RJFlyer,

I will say again, ASA is a good place to be. Whether it would be a great place to go for someone leaving a USAir WO with 2 years of seniority (the original question), remains to be seen.

I agree, it all depends on DALPA and DAL management, and the outcome of the scope reset talks, the posibilty of RJ's going to mainline, and what (if any) percentage of DCI flying we can secure through SCOPE. The only thing we have control over will be our contract.

Who knows how it will all turn out? You can rest assured that DAL management will do anything (even loose $300 million with a strike) to keep us in our place.

 

[Ty Webb]

All that having been said, my choices for a small jet job would be Airtran, Skywest and either ASA / Comair. ASA is close to the top of that list and if things go well for us . . . ASA could be a far out front #1.



I think you're comparing apples and oranges. AirTran's FO pay is Comair's Capt pay, which means so you'd have to get what Comair got plus about 50%. The 12th yr Capt pay is $152/hr and the contract is up in two more years.

Also, if a B717 is a "small jet", then what is a CRJ? A "micro jet"?

A B717 is no wide-body jumbo, but it has 117 pax, Business Class, and ramps out over 120,000#, which sounds a lot closer to the B737 that Express operates than to an RJ.

Anyway, good luck to you guys in your negotiations.

 

[MetroSheriff]

Also, if a B717 is a "small jet", then what is a CRJ? A "micro jet"?

A B717 is no wide-body jumbo, but it has 117 pax, Business Class, and ramps out over 120,000#, which sounds a lot closer to the B737 that the Shuttle operates than to an RJ.

Ok Ty, you win...your penis is bigger than his penis. Sheesh!!!

 

[Ty Webb]

Ok Ty, you win...your penis is bigger than his penis.

That may be true, but it's besides the point . . . . . .

I was simply pointing out that lumping AirTran in with ASA, Skywest and Comair didn't make much sense. If that increased the "angle of my dangle" it was purely accidental!

 

[MetroSheriff]

I was simply pointing out that lumping AirTran in with ASA, Skywest and Comair didn't make much sense.

I didn't think it made sense either. I think it was bait. Some folks like to do poke a the ego a bit. I was ribbing you for biting. Nothing personal. I'd take a 717 over an RJ any ol' day myself. But that's because I have a small penis.

Cordially,

 

[Beavis]

aaaahhhh! What to do??? I appreciate the input from all of you! Now, the decision goes into high gear. ASA called today with an Oct. class date offer. Unexpected that it came that fast. Now, I must decide. Blow 2 1/2 years at PDT and jump to ASA. No doubt, ASA is a better company overall. But I cant compare the small details. Quality of life, how the employees are treated by management (poor at PDT), future stagnation???? At PDT, things are bad. We are closing 1, possibly 2 bases. USAIR took our concessionary TA off the table, opening us up for the BK judge. Our flying is drcreasing as a/c are going back to the lessors!! Not a pretty picture. Do I want to go on reserve for 1 to 2 years - not really. But, the overall picture seems to be more promising at ASA. It would be nice if someone had the real answers to the questions!!! WHAT TO DO???

 

[sleepy]

aaaahhhh! What to do??? I appreciate the input from all of you! Now, the decision goes into high gear. ASA called today with an Oct. class date offer. Unexpected that it came that fast. Now, I must decide. Blow 2 1/2 years at PDT and jump to ASA. No doubt, ASA is a better company overall. But I cant compare the small details. Quality of life, how the employees are treated by management (poor at PDT), future stagnation???? At PDT, things are bad. We are closing 1, possibly 2 bases. USAIR took our concessionary TA off the table, opening us up for the BK judge. Our flying is drcreasing as a/c are going back to the lessors!! Not a pretty picture. Do I want to go on reserve for 1 to 2 years - not really. But, the overall picture seems to be more promising at ASA. It would be nice if someone had the real answers to the questions!!! WHAT TO DO???

Beavis, If you put it that way, it looks like a no-brainer, come on over to ASA. The first year will suck, but after that it should get much better. Certainly better than the future you are painting at PDT. Welcome aboard!

 

[ASAFOE120]

Beavis,

I left ALG in July of '01 to come over to ASA after 2 1/2 yrs there. I was 7 numbers from upgrade when i left. It was one of the toughest decisions i ever made. My daughter was 1 at the time and of course we had the car pymt, mortg, etc.. and i was taking a $9.00/hr pay cut!!! OUCH!!! But i had to look at the long term. It is like night and day comparing the 2 companies!! We are still hiring and i keep hearing rumors of 3000 pilots by the time we get done. (We've only got about 1500 presently). Think of all the people under you when the dust finally settles!!!

I have NO regrets about my decision to leave ALG. My 1st yr is over and my paycheck has finally recovered. SHEW!!! If i would have stayed, i would have upgraded and downgraded.

My only regret is that i didnt leave earlier.

Ive seen both sides of your predicament. It is tough starting all over in your career.

I hope this info is helpful to you. If i can provide more info for you, send me a PM and ill send my email addr.

Good luck Beavis, and all the ALG,PDT,PSA guys and gals.

ASAFO