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Hypocrisy at its finest

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Big Beer Belly said:
"Winners right now"? I guess I'm not following you. If you mean the 50% decline in quarterly profits last quarter versus last year ... a whopping $11 million ... is that what you are referring to? If fuel increases a nickel a gallon Airtran's barely visible profit disappears. With global oil consumption on the rise (NOT decline!) and US oil refining capacity running at 98.7% ... nearly all oil industry experts are predicting higher prices. Is that what you are touting as being a winner?

Surely you don't equate hiring with being a "winner", do you? Are Airtran pilots "winners" because such a large number of SCABS are employed there? I mean just what exactly is it that makes you feel like you are on a winning team? Surely the lack of progress in your contract talks can't be giving you that "winning" feeling. Wages and schedules at Airtran are not anywhere near industry leading ... so I fail to see where the "winning" connection is made there? In order to "win", you have to be better, not just "participate" in the same industry.

Are you getting paid to fly airplanes? Yes. But Airtran's pay is based on the smallest aircraft that qualifies for the majors. Definitely not a "winner" in the major earnings bracket. Furthermore, by all early indications, Airtran management does not appear likely to reward you with pay increases as would be expected for a "winning" team. International flying? Oops ... not a "winner" there ... unless you consider a few destinations south as the sum total of your "international" network.

Not too long ago, a single airplane crash nearly resulted in this company's liquidation. Though not the fault of anyone directly employed by the company, this event was so devastating to the precarious financial standing of the company that a name change was considered crucial to its survival (thus Valujet became Airtran). IMHO, this is illustrative for its financial implications and the very heavy debt load Airtran carries. By any measure, Airtran is heavily leveraged and dependent on an uninterrupted stream of income for its very survival.

While some may argue Airtran is a decent place to work, I fail to see where it hits a home run to become the "winning" ball club. Perhaps someone at Airtran can share with the rest of us why some feel this is the "winning" place to be.

BBB

Who is it you work for?
 
BBB, I think you are a winner when your company is successful. Profit is profit 1 dollar or 100 million dollars. Yes everyone who made money saw a decline in profit from last year due to the high cost of oil. Any airline that can turn a profit in this enviroment is a winner.

About 80 Out of 1200 pilots are former EAL scabs. They are retiring at a rate of about 15-20 a year. As a Captain I never fly with them. They don't affect my life one bit. I really don't understand what your point is. Instead of pointing out the fact we still employ some scabs, I like to say we have hired 300+ furloughed pilots from TWA,USAIR,Midway,ATA,UAL to name a few. But thats me just being positive.

As far as the pay thing goes, If you understand how we get paid. We make a very respectable wage (Me, 6th year capt will earn right at 150,000 plus 10 1/2% to my B fund which is not endanger of disappearing. And 14-17 days off per month) I could care less how big my airplane is. A jet is a jet is a jet, my ego is'nt wrapped up in the number of seats behind me. If I never got another raise, I'm sure somehow I will have a nice life.

As for the schedules, I know " how dare AirTran actually expect me to fly what they are paying me for". I know of no other profession that pays people 100,000 + to not work other than congress.

Not flying international makes you a loser? Don't tell that to Southwest.

I never said AirTran was hitting a home run, I said we are winners for now.

I suppose flying big planes international, losing millions, furloughing pilots while destroying pensions is your idea of a good place to work.

Unless you are with southwest your airline is carrying a monster debt load too. As long as you make a profit it's not a problem. (There I go being positive again)

I'm sure you view someone like me like you do your garbage man, a happy guy who says hello to you in the morning while he's grabbing the garbage. You can't understand why he could be happy, after all he's just the idiot who picks up garbage for 8.00 an HR. You manage to grunt a greeting his way while you climb in you lexus with a vanity plate that says JETJOCK or 767DRVR and bitch because you actually have to work 40 hours this month for your $18,000 dollar paycheck.

If you happen to see us small plane domestic pilots, please sir flip us a quater and tell us one day you will let us shine your shoes, you almighty skygod.

P.S. The only reason I posted my income info was to show that we are not at the poverty level, as some think.
 
Last edited:
BBB sounds like a guy from UA, AA, DAL, etc. who can't come to grips with the fact that his company ain't what it used to be and that AirTran is actually a pretty good place to work.

Crazy business, huh?TC
 
I think everyone should pick on TY. He likes this board just as much as the rest of us. We all journey here in our down time to sound out and Ty is one of the guys I have always enjoyed watching post. Hes not always correct nor is anyone else. He seems to be funny from time to time and hes been contributing to this board for some time.

I think one of his most scrutinized post were about da boyz at SWA taxxing to fast. It was great and we all enjoyed it. Ive heard lately that SWA is not allowed to run checklist while taxxing (just a rumor). Perhaps SWA can thank Ty for this. I really dont know.. ( I could be wrong about that but I have noticed that SWA is taxxing slower these days.) Yea, lets pick on Ty.

O' and by the way Ty, I still think the Drones are coming....LOL circa 2002 Cargo will see them within 20 yrs. A good buddy from H.S. (lifelong friend) at the VP level with Boeing in Seattle has confirmed this....I hope its not true. Fly NASTY
 
fletch717 said:
About 80 Out of 1200 pilots are former EAL scabs. They are retiring at a rate of about 15-20 a year. As a Captain I never fly with them. They don't affect my life one bit.

Umm,

If those SCABS were not there, you would be sitting 80 numbers higher than you are right now. I would say it has to affect your life a little bit.
 
Focus said:
I think everyone should pick on TY. He likes this board just as much as the rest of us. We all journey here in our down time to sound out and Ty is one of the guys I have always enjoyed watching post. Hes not always correct nor is anyone else. He seems to be funny from time to time and hes been contributing to this board for some time.

I think one of his most scrutinized post were about da boyz at SWA taxxing to fast. It was great and we all enjoyed it. Ive heard lately that SWA is not allowed to run checklist while taxxing (just a rumor). Perhaps SWA can thank Ty for this. I really dont know.. ( I could be wrong about that but I have noticed that SWA is taxxing slower these days.) Yea, lets pick on Ty.

O' and by the way Ty, I still think the Drones are coming....LOL circa 2002 Cargo will see them within 20 yrs. A good buddy from H.S. (lifelong friend) at the VP level with Boeing in Seattle has confirmed this....I hope its not true. Fly NASTY

Focus--If you're trying to get Ty to write you a LOR, you're barking up the wrong tree. He only takes cold, hard cash. Small denominations. :D

I'd love to fly for those EAL SCABS. Two, no, make that three of my very good friends were EAL strikers to the end. I'd love to make the SCABS' lives miserable for a few days. One SCAB I know of (through a former mutual friend) said his reasoning was that "he wants to fly jets". Well, so did I at the time but I didn't scab. He's now driving a gravel truck in Alcoa, TN. And he was a fired striking controller! Go figure.TC
 
I guess because I don't sit around and count numbers on the seniority list it does'nt bother me. It goes along with the big airplane, international thing that I really don't think about either.

Snake is that you?
 
"BBB, I think you are a winner when your company is successful. Profit is profit 1 dollar or 100 million dollars. Yes everyone who made money saw a decline in profit from last year due to the high cost of oil. Any airline that can turn a profit in this enviroment is a winner.

About 80 Out of 1200 pilots are former EAL scabs. They are retiring at a rate of about 15-20 a year. As a Captain I never fly with them. They don't affect my life one bit. I really don't understand what your point is. Instead of pointing out the fact we still employ some scabs, I like to say we have hired 300+ furloughed pilots from TWA,USAIR,Midway,ATA,UAL to name a few. But thats me just being positive.

As far as the pay thing goes, If you understand how we get paid. We make a very respectable wage (Me, 6th year capt will earn right at 150,000 plus 10 1/2% to my B fund which is not endanger of disappearing. And 14-17 days off per month) I could care less how big my airplane is. A jet is a jet is a jet, my ego is'nt wrapped up in the number of seats behind me. If I never got another raise, I'm sure somehow I will have a nice life.

As for the schedules, I know " how dare AirTran actually expect me to fly what they are paying me for". I know of no other profession that pays people 100,000 + to not work other than congress.

Not flying international makes you a loser? Don't tell that to Southwest.

I never said AirTran was hitting a home run, I said we are winners for now.

I suppose flying big planes international, losing millions, furloughing pilots while destroying pensions is your idea of a good place to work.

Unless you are with southwest your airline is carrying a monster debt load too. As long as you make a profit it's not a problem. (There I go being positive again)

I'm sure you view someone like me like you do your garbage man, a happy guy who says hello to you in the morning while he's grabbing the garbage. You can't understand why he could be happy, after all he's just the idiot who picks up garbage for 8.00 an HR. You manage to grunt a greeting his way while you climb in you lexus with a vanity plate that says JETJOCK or 767DRVR and bitch because you actually have to work 40 hours this month for your $18,000 dollar paycheck.

If you happen to see us small plane domestic pilots, please sir flip us a quater and tell us one day you will let us shine your shoes, you almighty skygod.

P.S. The only reason I posted my income info was to show that we are not at the poverty level, as some think."



Excellent Post!!!!
 
AA717driver said:
BBB sounds like a guy from UA, AA, DAL, etc. who can't come to grips with the fact that his company ain't what it used to be and that AirTran is actually a pretty good place to work.

Crazy business, huh?TC

I think BBB is a UPS pilot.
 

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