Training
 

What is training like at Alaska ?

It’s pretty good overall. A few of the old guard guys that were negative learning experts retired.

I generally enjoy going to training. You have to study and know your call outs cold but that is standard for any airline.


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that’s good to hear , Is the training program AQP ? How long is the training footprint ?

Initial training is AQP. I was hired in April and I finished around June ish. I was done with OE by July…


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Boeing is AQP. Initial typically just over 90 days to complete. Come back after 6 months on line for first CQ round, then every 12 months.

Airbus is not AQP. Training about the same but it’s the old PC/PT cycle.


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The Airbus training was more difficult than the Boeing training was, but certainly nothing too strenuous.

Boeing is all AQP, so you have specific “gates” that you can focus on, whereas the Airbus isn’t so you’re studying for the oral as well as practicing call outs/flows at the same time. Not that hard, but it was certainly a huge benefit during 737 training to be done with the “oral” (multiple choice test) and to solely focus on procedures and then sim.

Airbus training has you bouncing around as well. We started in SEA for indoc, went to SFO for systems/procedures and then MIA for sim. For Boeing training, I stayed in SEA the whole time. Much easier to plan trips home that way.

As others have said, training is great here. All my instructors (Airbus and Boeing) were fantastic and the company really bends over backwards to give you the support you need. They aren’t here to wash anyone out, they really do want to see everyone succeed.

Whats the health and travel benefits like ? Do you get AA non rev benefits since you’re apart of One World ?

I just went through 737 transition training and it was incredibly laid back and a good experience. All of the instructors were easy going, practical and easy to get along with. Tons of experience in the training department. Time frame from first day to LOE was ~7 weeks.

Once out of training, can you move reserve days pretty easy to do like 6 in a row?

My experience was that there was almost zero flexibility for trading things around on reserve. That was 2018 however…


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Does anyone have the current Alaska contract handy that I could take a look at ?

Next time you wipe your ass just pause and take a glance, it’s basically the same thing.

Health benefits are decent. I cover myself and the family and it isn’t terribly expensive. There’s several options to pick from.

Travel benefits are pretty standard as well. Unlimited flights for you and your immediate family (spouse/travel companion, kids and parents). We get PSTs (positive space tickets) as well to use if/when there’s availability on certain flights. Wife and I went to Hawaii and back on those this summer. Nice not having to worry about loads while on vacation. Lots of ZED agreements with other airlines too.

Being a part of the One World alliance does give us a little bit more priority when ZED’ing on other One World airlines. Haven’t done it so I can’t really speak to how much more helpful that is, but it’s something anyway.

Supposedly we’re working with AA on travel benefits for us on them (and vice versa)? They’ve sort of teased that for a while now, but we haven’t heard anything definitive yet.

Details on the new AA travel benefits is on Alaskasworld. There is no Zero ZED.

Looks like we're stuck with VAL fares, which makes it seem like we are paying more for the off chance there is a first or business class seat open. And kids under 12 don't qualify for VAL fares. They have to buy regular ZED (low).

My two kids are under 12. So if my wife and 2 kids travel together (4 of us), the two adults can only purchase VAL fares and the two kids can only purchase a separate booking for ZED fares. Even if all 4 get seats, how does that make sense with parents sitting in business class, kids under 12 in coach? And no, there is no option for all 4 to purchase ZED low fare for the flight. ZED low is only for parents and kids below 12. Employee, spouse, kids over 12 HAVE to purchase VAL.

I don't get it.

ZED low is cheaper than VAL. I'd rather pay the cheaper price for ZED low and accept the coach class seat, then take a risk for paying a higher amount for VAL fare and then still end up getting stuck with a coach class seat because there was no first/business class. Unless you absolutely know for sure the availability for first/business looks good.

Regardless, looks like we don't even have a choice. It has to be VAL fares.

But just remember, you don't have the big picture and you get so many benefits of the OneWorld partnership....

They are working us to the bone well below our value. So it’s quite fitting the pilot group gets VAL fares.

Keep up the good work! You’re all creating wonderful value for uncle Ben and the shareholders!

TFAYD!!!!


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Are training hotels for new folks single occupancy and what brand?

Residence Inn by Marriott Seattle Sea-Tac Airport.
Airbus training is in several cities so who knows their.

Anyone know what training pay is like?

85 credits per month and per diem every day until you finish

Are new hire classes starting in Oct and how many a month are they doing?

Airbus side: 4 new hire classes of 10 each in Oct.
2 new hire classes of 10 each for Nov and Dec

Both the November classes are all airbus?

Yes, two classes in November. I'm sure there are Boeing new hire classes as well.

When is the soonest you’re able to change aircraft?

As soon as a new bid comes out, you’ll be able to bid into a different aircraft/base. You’re not seat-locked as a new hire. Only after you switch aircraft do you become seat-locked for 2 years.

We all know what you meant by seat lock, but just to remove doubt for anyone not on the property - you’re locked into that position and equipment for two years, unless you’re awarded an upgrade.
Example: You could be Airbus as a new hire, spend 4 years right seat there then bid Boeing FO, finish training and incur a 2-year “seat lock”, but then get awarded Airbus CA on the next bid. You could not get awarded Airbus FO.
Example2: You get Airbus FO as a new higher, then 6 months later bid for Boeing FO. After Boeing training you would have the 2-yr equipment/seat lock.

The latest huge bid closes before the first newhire class in October. Considering this bid is effective May 1 and takes care of summer staffing, a logical conclusion would be the next bid effective date would be around ~September. Effectively, newhires right now should plan on being on their plane until next Fall.

Tentatively, the next bid should be out in June with a November 1 effective. Similar size to the last one with 36 CA and 36 FO A320 reductions.

Back in the prediction game again? That's ballsy after your latest round.

I mean, that does check out with the latest info we have. The Airbus draw up is for flying through Summer 2022, so it's only natural that the Airbus reductions start again effective for Fall 2022. And most likely, Airbus reductions in SFO concurrently with the new Boeing SFO base.

Wait, are we predicting 73 SFO bases or did I miss an announcement?


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You must have missed the JL email from a couple months ago. As far as I know, that info hasn’t changed.

If the last 5 years of working for this company should have taught you is that no plan is solid and everything is reactionary. Other airlines are staging for a period of substantial growth post-COVID. We are soon to be in a capacity war. Parking airplanes, even French ones, might seem like a bad idea.

So for OTZ to come back with firm numbers on reductions is laughable. No one knows anything, especially him.

Nature of the airline industry. Plans are solid until the next downturn/black swan event.

I’m not the quickest study but I’ve learned to not believe anything JL or an other management pilot says. In fact I tend to think it’s the opposite until the issue has resolved itself into official policy.

This has helped me a lot with recent events around threats over sick calls and a lot of other issues that never came to pass.


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yes you missed it. JL and SD and SFO base Chief KP have all confirmed SFO remains a base. Transitioning to 737 next year. SD said it will be same size as current base and possibly a bit larger. Good news for us Bay sisters and brothers.

Is there plans to transition off the Airbus? Fully or partially? When?

So whats the deal does the company pay for the hotels for new hire training now?

Yes, company does pay for hotels through all of training.

It might be different now and somebody can correct me if I’m wrong, but when I went through Airbus training the company did not pay for my hotels for OE out of SFO. When I transitioned to 737, my hotel was paid for through OE in SEA.