Awa

[146guy]

Is the golden referrel required to get the application, or to get the interview once the app. is turned in?

thanx

 

[Cactus73]

Is the golden referrel required to get the application, or to get the interview once the app. is turned in?

thanx

Not required but people with a GR go to the top of the pile.

Unfortunately, we are done hiring for a while. There are 60 people in the pool and the CP said that this should get us through the summer. Who knows what will happen in the fall. As for next year, they are still formulating their plans.

My guess is that we will hire, just not in the numbers we have been. If you get an application you are almost guaranteed an interview unless there is something in your background that they find they don't like.

It took almost 8 months from my application to interview FWIW.

For some good news, we just released our March numbers and we had our highest load factor and RASM in our history. The bad news is that we will still loose money with the price of Oil over $50. We are about 50% hedged through the summer at $38-$40.

 

[Hpilot]

Hiring

Ditto on what Castus73 said, everyone I know that has recieved an app. has gotten the call for an interview. I've heard the rumor that hiring slowed because we may be giving back 6 737s this summer. Evidently Mr. Parker and the leasing company are not on the same page. If that happens they'll be busy retraining Boeing guys for the Bus. It's a rumor though so take it with a bucket of salt. Good luck on the call.

 

[jetflyer]

Your website says you guys aren't taking applications for Pilots right now

 

[PositiveRate]

The word here is internal referrals only at this point. Hiring is on hold, regardless for a few months.

 

[Formula1]

So, is Cactus getting rid of the older 737's as the leases are running out so they can be replaced with new (cheaper) Airbus leases? Thus making them even more profitable as time goes on and the price of oil hopefully gets cheaper as well?

Are there still Airbus deliveries this year or are they not coming until beginning of 2006?

 

[Cactus73]

So, is Cactus getting rid of the older 737's as the leases are running out so they can be replaced with new (cheaper) Airbus leases? Thus making them even more profitable as time goes on and the price of oil hopefully gets cheaper as well?

Are there still Airbus deliveries this year or are they not coming until beginning of 2006?

Our 737's are on low lease rates that were negotiated after 9/11. 5 of them are up for lease renewal this year. Rumor has it that the leasing company wants to up the price significantly. Parker doens't want to pay any more for them. We won't know until the day they leave the property whether a deal was struck or not. They are good airplanes for what we use them for. Mostly California - west coast flying and a little midwest. Personally I would like to see them stick around. They are reliable and I'm moving up the FO list (selfish of course). I'm not sure about the profitable part. The 737 is one of the most economical planes out there. For a one hour hop to LAX or SAN, the Airbus isn't going to save that much fuel, if any.

As for Airbus deliveries. Aircraft 675 just arrived and was put into service last week. We have 17 more from the 22 aircraft order on the way. We have taken 5 this year and the next six will arrive between October and December.
The remainder come in 06. Something new for AWA - the new Airbus have all leather seating. I got a look at 675 at the gate the other day, looks nice.

This is why hiring is sort of on hold. We have all the aircraft we are getting until the fall and if the 5 737's do leave, we aren't going to need pilots. We have retirements (I think around 45 this year) and of course those that set the EKG machine off you can add to the list. Combine this with the 06 aircraft, we will be hiring again soon (just my guess). Soon will probably be the fall.

Believe it or not our 757's are scheduled to be ETOPS by the end of December. They had a picture of some of our self-floating FA's in the pool at ASU on our company web site. Not a sight you want to see. It almost crashed my MAC, and MAC's rarely crash. The pilots start ETOPS sim and ground school this summer.

 

[Formula1]

Sounds like Doug Parker is just being smart and practical with the aircraft leases- if you can't renegotiate new cheaper lease rates on the older 737's, then get rid of them and replace them with other aircraft that you can get good rates on. i know that was one of the big hurdles that halted the AWA-ATA merger- the aircraft leasing companies were not willing to give better lease terms on our aircraft.

Congrats on getting the E-TOPS, I am curious if AWA will still maintain their code share partnership with Hawaiian Airlines after you get your own Hawaiian operation up and running?

 

[PHXFLYR]

Catus 73;

Re: ".... self-floating F/As in the poll at ASU. Not a sight you want to see"


Amen to that, brother !!

PHXFLYR