Happy Trails Lear 70

[humveedriver]

It's funny how much better the AT job was, AFTER the 9/27 acquisition announcement.

I'm only being vocal now because I have seen both sides. I jumpseated on SWA around 2007, after upgrading on the 737 at AT. It was then that I realized we had a much better/modern approach to flying the 737. I told many a first officer that our procedures were better than SWAs IMO. There are many positives to SWA buying my airline. More access to dif bases. More destinations to non rev to. A larger more powerful company that has increased health and retirement benefits. Not denying any of that. The fallacy is that so many want to believe that SWA can be this personal fun loving airline and its enormous size. It's more of a concept than a practice now, from a top down perspective. Bottom line is I enjoy the drive to work more than the flying now. And that's OK. Everything changes.

 

[Tripower455]

I'm only being vocal now because I have seen both sides. I jumpseated on SWA around 2007, after upgrading on the 737 at AT. It was then that I realized we had a much better/modern approach to flying the 737. I told many a first officer that our procedures were better than SWAs IMO. There are many positives to SWA buying my airline. More access to dif bases. More destinations to non rev to. A larger more powerful company that has increased health and retirement benefits. Not denying any of that. The fallacy is that so many want to believe that SWA can be this personal fun loving airline and its enormous size. It's more of a concept than a practice now, from a top down perspective. Bottom line is I enjoy the drive to work more than the flying now. And that's OK. Everything changes.

Of course.

But I do find it funny how for years prior to the announcement, all I heard from AT crews was how bad it was over there, and many wanted to be over at SW. And not only on FI.

In addition to the folks that I know personally over there, I'd run into AT folks on the prison bus, jumpseats, airports etc. and none of them had much, if anything glowing to say about working at AT. A lot of "you guys hiring?" type of comments. I realize this is anecdotal, but until recently, I never heard how great pre 9/27 AT was to work at.

Too bad the word didn't get out sooner. Maybe some of our junior guys could've jumped ship and enjoyed the wonderful AT experience, and even ended up higher on the list than they are now!

 

[humveedriver]

Of course.

But I do find it funny how for years prior to the announcement, all I heard from AT crews was how bad it was over there, and many wanted to be over at SW. And not only on FI.

In addition to the folks that I know personally over there, I'd run into AT folks on the prison bus, jumpseats, airports etc. and none of them had much, if anything glowing to say about working at AT. A lot of "you guys hiring?" type of comments. I realize this is anecdotal, but until recently, I never heard how great pre 9/27 AT was to work at.

Too bad the word didn't get out sooner. Maybe some of our junior guys could've jumped ship and enjoyed the wonderful AT experience, and even ended up higher on the list than they are now!

Brother, life is what you make it, doesn't matter where you work. After the Wright Amendment and the classics go away, AirTran will be just another picture in my airline album of good memories.

 

[Luv2BFlyin]

Tri, we'd all be better off if the the tranny was a distant memory. Instead, due to the circumstances, the tranny is looking better and being remembered with much fonder opinions by an increasing number of our pilots. There are several reasons for this and some SW will never believe. It's rumored WN mgmt is asking our chief pilot how many of our guys are asking for letters of recommendation so the can plan accordingly for hiring. It appears their opinion of incredulousness when contemplating people not wanting to work there is being overcome by the reallity that they are going to have to hire to replace those that are wanting to leave.

 

[Tripower455]

Brother, life is what you make it, doesn't matter where you work. After the Wright Amendment and the classics go away, AirTran will be just another picture in my airline album of good memories.

I can't agree more. Just posting my observations.

 

[Just thinking]

As far as Airtrran being the end all of airlines.. Nobody believed that. What we believed was that Airtan was growing and we were improving our contract. We did more with less and did it successfully. The pilot group has a huge impact on the performance and we made the airline what it is. We took the responsibility and did not let the excuse of "not my job" keep us from being successful. We worked hand in hand with the gate agents, ramblers, ex and mx to make things happen each and every day. We helped build this airline into a huge threat. I told the above statement to every friend that wanted a letter of recommendation for an interview. That also included those that had spent the money on a type rating and were waiting for the call from swa. I am certain that they were using airtran as a fall back position and that is fine. They have all been well qualified competent pilots. Some went to swa and others stayed at airtran. Personal choices for personal reasons. Swa is not the end all or be all of airlines either. It is a job that we have and I am grateful for that. Many of us were happy with airtran and the opportunity to make something happen. Now we are part of an organization that has purposely lied to us. Nothing different than what we have been dealing wih at airtran.

 

[madjack]

I'm glad u had fun, try and have some here, we need new blood

 

[fam62c]

Tri, we'd all be better off if the the tranny was a distant memory. Instead, due to the circumstances, the tranny is looking better and being remembered with much fonder opinions by an increasing number of our pilots. There are several reasons for this and some SW will never believe. It's rumored WN mgmt is asking our chief pilot how many of our guys are asking for letters of recommendation so the can plan accordingly for hiring. It appears their opinion of incredulousness when contemplating people not wanting to work there is being overcome by the reallity that they are going to have to hire to replace those that are wanting to leave.

There is a difference between talking about wanting to leave and actually leaving. How many pilots have left not counting retirements since the announcement of the deal? If it's a total of more than 50 by the end of 2014 I would be surprised. For every AT pilot that leaves WN gets to hire a new pilot at year one pay, I don't think it's keeping anybody in WN management up at night

 

[Sacha]

BIG difference between the Eastern guys at SWA and Eastern guys from Valujet...

To suggest otherwise is moronic....

Me and every other Eastern guy at SWA wouldn't even think of sending an app into Valujet/Airtran.

Nice try though.

 

[PCL_128]

BIG difference between the Eastern guys at SWA and Eastern guys from Valujet...

Really? And what is that difference? Think before you respond with something that is easily going to be disproven.