ATA Route Structure

[Lifter]

Questions for ATA guys out there.

Are most of the normal scheduled bids in the 757 domestic or is the majority contract international?

How are aircraft types awarded to new hires?

On your Application, since the essay questions are designed to be used as a background for your interview questions, is it best to give general situation/answers and wait for the interview to go into alot of detail or try a detailed answer in the small space provided?

Knowing ATA after you've been there a while, which aircraft did you pick and would you have picked the same one after being with the company awhile?

Do the majority of internation flights go to Mexico/Hawaii or are they contracted by demand across the big ponds?

Is there more upgrade in the 737 or 757? And which has been faster?

Anything you can add either positive or negative since you've been there awhile that you didn't expect or know going in?

Lastly, what do you like best about ATA?

Thanks for the help,
Lifter

 

[1800 RVR]

Answers...

I've been here about 6 months so far, so I will try to answer some of the questions.

Are most of the normal scheduled bids in the 757 domestic or is the majority contract international?

The monthly bid lines in the 757 are mostly, if not all, scheduled stuff: domestic, Hawaii, Carribean. The reserves will handle most of the 757 military stuff as well as charters, etc.

How are aircraft types awarded to new hires?

They are generally awarded by the needs of the company - you go where the openings are to be filled. However, some people have been able to choose which a/c they want before they get to class, and some have been able to trade with a classmember in the first few days of groundschool, with approval from the company.

On your Application, since the essay questions are designed to be used as a background for your interview questions, is it best to give general situation/answers and wait for the interview to go into alot of detail or try a detailed answer in the small space provided?

This I believe is up to you. I personally can't give a right or wrong answer to this. Personally, I gave some detail then explained further when they asked in the interview. Remember though, don't write an essay that is 2 pages in length for each question. Be concise, try to give an answer that will generally fit in that area on the app, and make sure you follow the rules of interview answers: make sure you have a beginning, middle and end (as appropriate). Also, use your best judgement, and you can do a search on this forum to see the different views on this question.

Knowing ATA after you've been there a while, which aircraft did you pick and would you have picked the same one after being with the company awhile?

I was assigned the 737, and I love it! After 1 month of reserve, I have been able to hold a line. If you are on the 757, you will be on reserve longer (not sure of the exact time frame). If you want mostly scheduled runs, the 737 is your bird. If you want to see the world, but be gone for longer stretches of days (10-12 day trips not unusual), 757 or L1011 is your choice. Different strokes, different folks. I would like to bid the 757 if I can hold a line and do mostly scheduled stuff - it would be nice to see the world, but that seems harder on the married life. That's just me, though.

Do the majority of internation flights go to Mexico/Hawaii or are they contracted by demand across the big ponds?

Scheduled: Carribean, Hawaii, Mexico
Non-Scheduled: military charters all over the world, Ambassadair charters (our internal vacation division) go to many places to even mention.

Is there more upgrade in the 737 or 757? And which has been faster?

Generally, the junior a/c for upgrade is the 737. But we do have some 5-year 757 captains, I believe. After a status bid is filled, the vacated positions are backfilled with more junior awards - how many other airlines out there can you be a 757 captain in your 5th year?

Anything you can add either positive or negative since you've been there awhile that you didn't expect or know going in?

Positives: great people to work with, finances are getting better, making money (supposedly a profit for FY2003), growing, more attention given to the product being delivered, etc. are jus some that I can think of.

Negatives: nothing of substance. Most people are unhappiest with scheduling: the way pairings are put together (AM - PM- Redeye - AM) and trip length (5-day scheduled pairings, ughh!) seem to be the biggest concerns. Some issues are being addressed. All in all, it could be MUCH, MUCH worse. I can live with these things.

Sorry for the lengthy post, but this should help you a little bit. These are my observations, and some might not be totally correct, but forgive me if some of it is not.

Good luck!

1800 RVR

 

[njcapt]

Very accurate post, 1800. I just got a bid to the 757, and anyone off reserve on that airframe would be able to get, or avoid, international trips.