Busboy

So...You're saying that he's stupider than the stupid population?

Deuce130

This was actually a pretty funny line...I LOL'd.

Gunter

We hire the friends of current hires. More than any other major. The Marine comment is not entirely off base either.

JL made sure a few marine fighter pilots came in with the "heavy, international, glass" types known then as the purple nuggets.

Flexes worked hard to make sure said nuggets made it through. At least one showed similar skill in SO training.

DLax85

My guess is that there will be vacancy postings first before any hirings ---- MEM 757s, MEM 777s, HKG MD-11s and 727 SOs (if those are needed).

If there are any unfilled seats ---- most likely HKG MD-11s and 727 SOs --- they will offer the pros & corporate guys first shot in whichever jet the company wants to fill first ---- most likely the HKG MD-11s..

Those that don't want to go to HKG would continue to sit in the pool until they've called everyone on the list ---- and then they'd start back at the top in "interview order" and hire into the 727 SO seat.

This is how it was done in the spring/summer of 2006, when they had to fill both ANC MD-11 slots and MEM 727 slots.

No one was forced to go up to ANC involuntary.

If you passed, you just waited your turn for a MEM 727 slot.

The company was very straight forward and honest with this approach.

Daniel Larusso

Yeah, I don't really know what all the fuss is about Astar's comment-at least from us line types who don't have any direct input into how the interview selections are made. While I personally do not think that this company has any background bias in the actual interviews, fact is walk around this place and you will find that most of our pilots have military backgrounds. I think that's reflective of some of things Gunter mentioned, but also it pretty much tracks how the industry hired up until the last big hiring period in the late 90's/early 2000's. The industry fell to roughly 50/50 mil/civ hiring wise in that era and I think our hiring has been reflective of that trend since that time as well. We have a lot of 'mixed' background people because of the industry turmoil of the last 9 years. On that note, I've noticed that of the civilians here, a pretty decent amount have prior military experience either as helo guys or non flight types. No numbers on it, but it does seem to be higher than at other carriers fwiw.

In the end, old Kit Darby was right when he said airlines interview people who are qualified and hire who they like. With new flight management in place since the last time we hired, and a 3 year + backup of 'friends' I'm sure they'll be a new set of 'chosen' ones going forward that we won't recognize until long after the smoke has cleared.

AerisArmis

FWIW, JL was Navy

BooyaOhYeah

Actually, if I am not mistaken, the pro's and corporate guys must (are supposed to) now be taken as new hires ASAP. No waiting now that 4A2B is over. So, they could get offered HKG as long as the bid is out by July.

iarapilot

Yes, and the reason he hired Marines is so he could feel superior!

DLax85

The 4A2B agreement stated if names were added to the seniority list (i.e. the pro's and corporate guys were hired), without a lawsuit, then 4A2B would end ASAP.

...not sure, if the oppositie is true.

BooyaOhYeah

After talking with some of the pros, it is apparent that 4A2B was what was holding them from the line (some of them for 2 years due to Paris closing (their choice of which base to go to then being put into limbo) If you notice the bottom of the seniority list you will see former pros and corporate guys who were all brought online when the company was not actively hiring.

They were called to a meeting on November of 2008 and told they could go to the line but they were also told the company was probably going to furlough pilots and they would be the first to go.

I think a few actually got a class date of mid-January 2009. Then, the company called them up and canceled it and stated that 4A2B constituted an internal furlough and thus invoked the furlough portion of their contract which forbade them from going to the line. Even before 4A2B took effect...but that's another legal issue.

Now that 4A2B is gone, they should be brought on right away per their contract. We are only talking something like 25-30 guys and it's my understanding that they are no longer hiring professionals that meter to the line. So, this is the last bunch. Apparently they said at some meeting they would never hire another metering pro.

Not speaking from personal experience, just the story I have been told by a pro. At least that's the way I understand it.