US Airways hiring in PIT

[Kittyhawk1048]

Looks like Airways took the posting from their website.....Let the waiting begin

 

[bgaviator]

So I am wondering what the likelihood is that any of these companies hiring lately will bring in a round of new dispatchers, only to furlough them this summer if fuel continues to spike?

 

[airbrush]

That's the "Russian Roulette" nature of the airline career search...always has been since I started in the mid-80s. Boom and bust...try to get hired at the start of a hiring wave, so that hopefully you've got enough "furlough fodder" under you when the inevitable downturn hits. But back then it was mostly just the periodic economic cycles you had to worry about; these days things seem much more volatile worldwide, and the constant undercutting of contract carriers and whipsawing of labor groups has reached a level I've never seen before. I know a lot of people who thought they'd finally made their last great career move by getting on with US Airways, United, Delta, etc...in 1999, 2000, & 2001, only to hit the street after 9/11 and stay there for years. When Airways last hired in 2008, the price of oil was on it's way toward $147/barrel and there were rumors of an impending merger with United; I decided not to risk moving my family just to get furloughed, so I withdrew my application. As it turned out, half of the class they hired were furloughed within about 8 months. Here we go again...this time I'm going to roll the dice, for better or worse, because my current situation has reached it's limit.

 

[Kittyhawk1048]

Any one heard anything yet?

 

[bgaviator]

an ex-coworker of mine now back at Airways after being furloughed said when he got hired on that he had applied in December, and his class date didn't start until April! Yikes!

 

[airbrush]

I've spoken to several people since submitting my app, and now that the application window has closed, those they choose for interviews could be hearing something this month. The timeframe I'd heard was for interviews in April, with a possible class in May. One of the dispatch instructors thought that might be optimistic given what is required to set up a class; but he said it was possible. I'm just treading water at this time and letting the process work.

 

[Kittyhawk1048]

I hate this process thing

 

[propturner]

Anyone hear something new about the USAirways process as well?

 

[airbrush]

My latest info is that they should soon be scheduling interviews; they got about 160 applicants total, and will likely interview about 1/3 of them. There is also some speculation that, as they hope to wrap up contract negotiations soon, they may wait until that is concluded to see how many new hires will be needed. One of the concessions a few years ago during Chapter 11 was reduced vacation time, and if that snaps back they may require a couple more new people to help cover that. They also hope to get back a portion of the 30-35% pay cuts they took at the time, but that remains to be determined. So, I'm trying to be "anxiously patient".

 

[bcp7]

any info on the current pay rates?

 

[airbrush]

Approximate starting pay that I was told is about $48K, although I haven't seen that in print. I assume there are shift differentials, holiday pay, OT, and all of that as well.

 

[Squirrel29]

Anyone heard anything?

 

[airbrush]

I was told that HR would be making phone calls to the top 25-30 candidates to set up interviews by today. Nothing so far, from myself or anyone else I know who applied. I guess HR works in mysterious ways....

 

[clr4theapch]

In an industry based on on time performance, "patients" is only practised by people in HR.. Everywhere I look, these departments always march to a different band...

Good luck to you guys waiting.. I only hope the current oil prices don't wipe out alot of new hires hopes..today, at $110/bl... Seems the safest job in the airlines or anywhere for that matter, is as an HR rep.. Say...Hmmmm, Nah..I could not do that to people... nevermind.

 

[airbrush]

Yeah, here we go again....trying to get hired with oil prices rising, the Middle East in turmoil, the economy uncertain....then Doug Parker sounds off again with merger rumors. Whatever. If they hire me I'm going, because this time around I have nothing really to lose; and if it works it would be a MUCH better gig than I have now.