ATA cancels interviews

[Drmagnus]

I just got a call from ATA and they cancelled my interview that I had scheduled for February 25. They told me that their staffing needs have changed and that they don't need to hire anymore pilots for now. Did anyone else get the same phone call? Does anyone know what the plans are for future pilot hiring at ATA?

Good luck to everyone out there looking for a flying job.

 

[boeingdriver213]

Rats! I just recieved my application from ATA today. Think I should send it in?

 

[737 Pylt]

No way that can be any good. Any time you hear things like that, they are followed by an announcement of some type of "restructuring."
737

 

[juan2go]

some type of "restructuring."

.....followed by some type of "new paint job".

 

[Bill Nelson]

...and then followed by some sort of concessions, and then some sort of furlough, and then some sort of announcement about RJ's, and then another announcement about mainline guys flying the RJ's for $60 and hour, then finally followed by a fire sale.

I sure hope ATA has just decided to replace their 3 crew A/C with 2 crew A/C earlier than expected thus leaving them properly manned.

 

[320AV8R]

...and then followed by some sort of concessions, and then some sort of furlough, and then some sort of announcement about RJ's, and then another announcement about mainline guys flying the RJ's for $60 and hour, then finally followed by a fire sale.

....only to be followed by EXECUTIVE BONUSES

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Rats! I just recieved my application from ATA today. Think I should send it in?

boeingdriver213,

A sage pilot once told me, "You can't turn down a job you don't have."

I assume you received the app because you are interested, or expressed interest, in ATA. You may be in the first in a series of classes that starts...sometime in the future.

And no, I don't know why they stopped. Its news to me. Sorry, I never get good info in a timely manner.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

...and then followed by some sort of concessions, and then some sort of furlough, and then some sort of announcement about RJ's, and then another announcement about mainline guys flying the RJ's for $60 and hour, then finally followed by a fire sale.

I sure hope ATA has just decided to replace their 3 crew A/C with 2 crew A/C earlier than expected thus leaving them properly manned.

You crack me up with the concessions thing. The rumor is we are in negotiations with management on 767 pay rates. We only have 6 L-1011's so I don't think the impact would be big. If we are parking L-1011's, just a supposition, the temporary freeze would be until we figure out what to do with L-1011 folks.

Again, its only 6 airplanes on a fleet of over 65.

 

[Drmagnus]

ATA just cancelled their order for 8 757. I guess that would be the reason why they are cancelling the interviews. They also cancelled the March 1 class.

 

[UpNDownGuy]

I've got something to say about that...

I'm not sure how slowing down the hiring turned into "get rid of the 1011's", but I have the solution. I think all the present L10 folks should just be assigned RSV B until further notice, in case the company decides to start flying them again.. On full pay, of course...

Seriously though, we're flying every minute the L10's have available, and we could put 6 more to work just as hard if we had them. If they do decide on 767's, they'd have to have a few in place before they could get rid of the first L10. One of the planes is due a "D" check sometime this summer, which may be why management wants to talk pay rates again. They may have already made the decision to go to 767's, and now they're starting to have a time crunch.

Stay tuned for more developments...

 

[Heavy Set]

Drmagnus,

Were you given any alternative dates or any "hope" that you would be called again? Obviously you must meet their qualifications. The least they could say is,"Well, we can't meet with you now, but you are on the short list for the next round - whenever that might be..."

Good luck

 

[General Lee]

Why would they cancel the orders for the 8 757s? Also, when now are they going to get their next new aircraft? (the 767 rumors are speculation) Interesting.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[flyndesk]

We didn't instantaneously cancel the "order." (They weren't new planes.) We had decided on 7, then 5, then 2, now just one 757 to add this year (N512AT, which is on property, but not online yet.)

A memo came out today from the system Chief Pilot. The base bid was canceled, saying our operational needs didn't allow for a new base bid. We will be getting 2 spankin' new 737-800's, and of course N512AT, the one 757, in 2004. So this is why classes/interviews have been halted.

No official word on hiring as yet. But, without adding those extra 757's, it has to slow of course.

We are in talks for 767 pay scales, as required in our contract. However, the company says while they are looking at 767 to replace the aging 5 or 6 remaining L-1011's, they haven't actually looked at specific planes yet.
(The L-1011's are due for D checks soon, and that means curtains for them- we will replace them instead.) So, the 767 has nothing to do with growth or expansion, per se.

I don't think this means any kind of bad financial turn. I think the company looked at our small growth we intentionally planned this year, against the cost of adding the 757's (converting them to our specs, ETOPS, all that is long and costly). IMHO, it may not have been worth the cost of adding them for the growth planned. We are "cheap ba$tards" as they said in my indoc class, and always reworking the numbers.

 

[General Lee]

No new flight attendant uniforms from "Vera Wang?" We got new ones for our stews from "Steven Tyler..." (who cares?)

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[flx757]

We got new ones for our stews from "Steven Tyler..."

Bye Bye--General Lee

Ah yes...Steven Tyler. The ugliest woman in rock.

 

[Hansoma]

So, you would think that will all the application fees they've collected, they could afford to buy at least one 757??

 

[texanpilot]

I heard we are starting "ATA Lite" and repainting all our airplanes to keep up with all the other bad business decisions in the airline industry. And, the fab five from "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy" are designing our new uniforms. Beat that!

 

[blzr]

Hey Texan, You have the build to wear some of those Queer Eye things. Most of us other pilots can't sashey like that though.

Seriously, p.m. me sometime. hope you and the other PDT drivers are doing well.

 

[ukipilot]

Just got a call today also that my interview for the 25th is cancelled, and I asked sharon about future plans, she said that all hiring for the rest of the year is on halt, what is funny is that I received another app. in the mail today from them, and am not sure what to make of it, since I was already scheduled to come in for an interview, I guess I will send it in again, what the heck, but sharon also said that all classes have also been cancelled.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

I'm hearing that we just got a little ahead on hiring. Don't get too wrapped around the axle.

Sharon Turley will say "not until further notice" until she gets a good word on when to start again.

Don't get mad, think about all the SWA and FedEx poolies who have been waiting over a year.

My personal opinion is that it has to do with 757 purchases, or lack thereof. The military charter operation is going full steam, we wish we had more L-1011s.