Tyrone,
Half these guys have been flying for the airlines for only a few years. That was ancient history to them. Cut 'em some slack. They don't know that today's AT was the result of a merger between VJ and another airline.
I never applied to VJ for the same reason I never applied to SWA or ComAir or NW Airlink or Gulfstream or COEX. Not gonna pay to play. Glad it worked out for you guys tho.
Actually, Cappy, I was flying at Southwest
before Ty got to AirTran. I don't know exactly when you started, so I can't comment on that definitively. But if you never worked for AirTran when it was still called Valuejet, then you must be similar in longevity to me.
And I think most people in the industry know the history of your airline. You seem to have inadvertently glossed over your history a little bit. AirTran actually IS the same company formerly known as Valuejet. After serious maintenance issues, and two aircraft accidents (including VJ 592 crash in the Everglades), in 1997 Valuejet changed its tarnished name to AirTran, by purchasing outright a much smaller, but similarly-run below-budget airline and taking
its name. That's the
only reason your company isn't called Valuejet anymore. But it IS the same company.
To be fair, however, AirTran today is nothing like when it started out. After a fresh start with its new name, the company actually evolved into a quality airline, flying new planes, doing proper maintenance, and expanding nicely (not to mention doing away with its actual PFT bit!). Kudos for turning it around.
I don't think anyone here really cares how or why you got to AirTran. Like I said, I'm glad you were happy there. The times have changed, however, and the decision was above all our pay grades. Your boss sold you to our boss. Like I said, if you don't want to fly for Southwest, you have lots of choices now. Plus, your friend the General just
promises that a career at Delta will be so much better! (Uh, you DO have a 4-year degree, right? That's part of the price for admission over there). Just think--if you play your cards right, someday you can be slinging
his gear...
Can we stop the pissing contest now?
Bubba