ATA Furloughs

[tzflyer]

It's official. ATA today notified that it is furloughing 2 FO's from the L-1011 and expects up to 80 or 90 FO's to go at an unspecified date. They also furloughed some PFE's as well.
Sliding even quicker down the hill, its gonna be a heck of a ride.

 

[sayagain?]

George is supposedly in MDW so we'll have to wait and see about any news, good or bad.


sayagain?

 

[NZCHooverboy]

It's Been in the Works

MGMT and the MEC have been talking furlough to the amount of 80+ for several months today. Apparently we staffed for 40 737's but only received 34.

What surprised me was the small number announced today (2FO/6PFE). Why even bother?

 

[njcapt]

MGMT and the MEC have been talking furlough to the amount of 80+ for several months today. Apparently we staffed for 40 737's but only received 34.

What surprised me was the small number announced today (2FO/6PFE). Why even bother?

A buddy of mine in the 757 was in MDW twice today. He landed right behind the ExecuJet Citation George was riding on - supposedly he was there for a big announcement. Someone in MDW MX said that they had the podium set up and everything, but at the last minute they took everything down and cancelled the press conference. Allegedly the talks relating to the 'big announcement' broke down at the last minute. The miniscule furloughs announced later this afternoon could be face saving on management's part after notifying the MEC that a furlough announcement was coming out today.

I've been checking the ATA web site all day and I'll be dammed if I can find more than a token amount of 757-200 flying in our schedule the second week of November - a fraction of the typical amount of flying to just a few of the normal cities. Mostly Florida.

We'll see what happens when the November bids come out in a couple of days. Supposedly, the Scheduling Committee hasn't been provided with advance copies of the bids in compliance with our contract.

May you live in interesting times

Ancient Chinese Curse

 

[mt2]

K --

It was all way overblown. GM came up to MDW in the Citation, picked up his lost podium, and took it back to Indy. Once there it's been rumored he's practicing for the "really, really big announcement".

MT

 

[flynlow]

I thought GM cruised around in his ATA Lear25 or 35???? Why would he go get a Citation, when he already has his Lear and Helicopters?

Execujet has a Lear 35, a Bell Jetranger and a Cessna Citation 551. The Citation is cheaper to operatre and just as fast on short flights like IND to MDW.

Anyaway this was just another attempt at brand recognition in ATA's multi-pronged advertising campaign. It worked just as well as the rest of the prongs. You know ATA, the biggest little airline no one has ever heard of before.

 

[jjbiv]

This rumor comes with exactly zero evidence to support it, but I just received a call at home reporting that per an ATA F/A the HP crew now is comfortably back in PHX, having "bought us" today. They supposedly returned on a flight her crashpad roomie worked. We shall see what announcements are ensuing.

joe

 

[mt2]

I have a hard time believing a buyout rumor. I can see taking a few 757's off our hands but if you ask me I see a codeshare coming down the pike.

 

[njcapt]

This rumor comes with exactly zero evidence to support it, but I just received a call at home reporting that per an ATA F/A the HP crew now is comfortably back in PHX, having "bought us" today. They supposedly returned on a flight her crashpad roomie worked. We shall see what announcements are ensuing.

joe

Awww, Man. Don't go repeating rumors from Flight Attendants.

 

[FLB717]

Don't be so sure of nobody knowing you guys. About once every two months I get a conversation that goes like this:

Person: Who do you fly for?

Me: AirTran.

Person: Oh, I love you guys, I flew you from Tampa to Indianapolis.

Me: No you didn't.

Person: Yes I did!

Me: No you didn't, you flew ATA, I'm AirTran.

Person: Yeah, ATA.

Me: Hope to see you on another flight.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Don't be so sure of nobody knowing you guys. About once every two months I get a conversation that goes like this:

Person: Who do you fly for?

Me: AirTran.

Person: Oh, I love you guys, I flew you from Tampa to Indianapolis.

Me: No you didn't.

Person: Yes I did!

Me: No you didn't, you flew ATA, I'm AirTran.

Person: Yeah, ATA.

Me: Hope to see you on another flight.

Reminds me of my days at SkyWest...

Person: Who do you fly for?

Me: SkyWest.

Person: Oh wow! They have great fares and that wacky CEO!

Me: No, that's Southwest.

Person: Right.

Me: I fly for SkyWest. We fly commuter operations for Delta.

Person: Oh! Those little puddle jumpers? So, do you hope to be a real pilot someday?

Me: I------fart in your general direction! (Spoken with a french accent!)

Ni!

GP

 

[flyhard]

I think now that we are installing the business class a codeshare with HP would make more sense. But hey, that is not near as fun to talk about as a big merger, buyout, or bankruptcy. That is part of the problem with ATA F/A's if they would put half the energy in customer service that they put in the rumor mill it might actually improve the airline. The F/A MEC put a message on the union board saying that the bankrupt deal is a done deal. So you can see what kind of leadership the stews have.

 

[capt. megadeth]

"I thought GM cruised around in his ATA Lear25 or 35???? Why would he go get a Citation, when he already has his Lear and Helicopters?"
Dude, because you have to completely waste money and screw your employees to be an airline executive....c'mon now!

Guppy,
HA HA, no kidding. I had that conversation a lot when I worked at Chicago Express. I even get it now once in a while. "Do you ever want to go commercial?" Nice avatar...where is that?

Flyhard,
I agree with you about the FAs...they don't have the best reputation around.

I truly hope everything works out for all the ATA employees. It's sad when any airline is struggling.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

Guppy,
HA HA, no kidding. I had that conversation a lot when I worked at Chicago Express. I even get it now once in a while. "Do you ever want to go commercial?" Nice avatar...where is that?

I took the picture of another company plane on the way from Skagway to Juneau, AK. We were on a mail run and therefore able to fly in a loose formation. The aircraft is a Piper Cherokee Six. I took the picture from the same type through the little pilot window on the left side. Since my main job was flying the plane, I guess I just got lucky with the shot. It looks much better as a 5x7!

For those of you who know the area...it was taken just north of Eldred Rock with the Kakuhan Range in the background.

The photo was taken in the summer of 2002. Heading back up there this weekend! Can't wait!

Cheers!

GP

 

[capt. megadeth]

That's awesome! I was thinking it was Alaska. I have never been there but I am getting married in Juneau next summer. I was looking at some pictures yesterday and I have a feeling I will never want to come back.

 

[skidbuggy]

part of the problem with ATA F/A's if they would put half the energy in customer service that they put in the rumor mill.....


This reminds me of the old old joke on the evolution of airline communication:
telegraph, telephone, teleflight attendant.

 

[Dennis Miller]

How can you tell if a Pilot is lying? His lips are moving.

How can you tell if a Flight Attendant is complaining ? Her lips are moving.

 

[GuppyPuppy]

That's awesome! I was thinking it was Alaska. I have never been there but I am getting married in Juneau next summer. I was looking at some pictures yesterday and I have a feeling I will never want to come back.

My wife and I still have a condo up there and are going up to get it ready for our next renter. We were married in Skagway this past summer.

Winters are sometimes difficult to handle. Not so much the constant rain/snow or the temperatures (its generally in the mid 20's to mid 30's in JNU). The hard part is trying to deal with the short length of the days. On a cloudy, drizzly day it can get headlight required dark by 2pm. When it doesn't get light until about 9:30am or so it is difficult to stay alert and awake in the evening.

Is your fiancee from JNU? Where are you getting married? A church, the glacier, or Eagle Beach?

Take care and have fun!

GP

 

[capt. megadeth]

We're taking a Royal Carribean cruise and getting married in the rain forest. My fiancee is not from there but he spent some time up there. I love the mountains and always said I wanted to get married on an Alaskan cruise. I told my fiancee last night that I may not want to come back. He said "we'll go up there when it is dark all the time and see how you like it". That would be tough to deal with, but **CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED****CENSORED**, it looks beautiful!

 

[FlyChicaga]

Well Capt. M you know going to Alaska will be a lot like Chicago in January. Well, they have mountains there! If you move there, send me a sled dog. I've always wanted one.

 

[vclean]

Is there a rain forest in Alaska?

 

[IndyGTP]

It sucks to see my hometown airline that I grew up flying on, struggling.
On another note... ATA's maintenance has been on a hiring freeze since last winter. I was talking to an ATA maintenance controller and he was telling me that they keep extending checks and inspections because they don't have the needed man power. They just started hiring contract maintenance to help on costs so hopefully everything will get up to date on the maintenance side of things.

Another aggravating thing to me is that the mechanic's aren't cooperating with wage concessions. My opinion is that the pilot's have done there part to try and save the company and now the mechanics need to do the same.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Saw the C551 at KPDK near Atlanta today. After hearing Ground instruct "AmTran 99" to taxi to the ramp, I'm expecting to see a 737 with winglets or something to that effect.....instead around the corner comes a little Citation II.

 

[sayagain?]

George must have been in ATL talking to the Airtran folks. Probably hoping to get the same deal that was offered to him in the past.

Just wanted to throw another rumor out there. Everybody else has. Maybe we're buying Delta!

sayagain?

PS Three furloughs in 12 years, can ATA make it 4 in 12?

 

[Jeff Helgeson]

Doesn't any sew anymore?

[QUOTE
Quit being a bunch of old women around the table during a bridge tourny comming up with new rumors, and spreading them.[/QUOTE]
Man, I haven't had a new quilt since my grandma passed in the '70s

 

[storminpilot]

George must have been in ATL talking to the Airtran folks. Probably hoping to get the same deal that was offered to him in the past.

Just wanted to throw another rumor out there. Everybody else has. Maybe we're buying Delta!

sayagain?

PS Three furloughs in 12 years, can ATA make it 4 in 12?

If he was in ATL it might not be for AirTran since their HQs is in MCO. Maybe ATA was talking to World about selling the charter business to them since they are in PeachTree City where he landed.

 

[sayagain?]

Is that was the big announcement was today? Rumor around the terminal, was that SWA and ATA we're going to make a big announcement this afternoon.

Join the old ladies club Wayback. Before telling others to quit posting rumors, maybe you should.

sayagain?