Fleet Service Employment Opportunites

[Justme]

I was wondering if someone could help me out with information that a friend would appreciate. I've been retired for just over two years now and as a ground school instructor I never really learned much about hiring for jobs on the ramp. So I would definitely appreciate help in this area.

Are there full time employment opportunities at AA either above or below the wing for someone willing to move wherever a job might be found? Timeframe is June of 2019.

The person I have in mind would be more suited for the ramp but could probably do the agent job as well. I'm thinking that a lot of the hiring nowadays is part time but hopefully there is at least some limited FT work available.

If nothing works out with mainline would Piedmont be a viable alternative? Really any of the wholly owned I'm just saying Piedmont because their training people shared space in the PHX flight center and I got to know them a little (really very little), but I assume they still have work in PHX.

I appreciate any and all help. I'll also offer my encouragement to both the IAM, and TWU sides as I realize how frustrating it is when one side seems to not be motivated to work toward closing a deal. My group was under section 6 from 2011 until the company finally said okay, forget section 6 we'll move to a joint contract. That was like maybe 4 years or so of treading water, which sucked since we went to joint contract negotiations with our BK contract 🙁

okay, thanks in advance!

 

[robbedagain]

Check careers.aa.com or go to aa.com n click careers. Jetnet may be another source. If for june 2019 may want to check closer then . I know DCA is hiring like crazy. Hope this helps

 

[Jester]

Justme,

Few observations:

June 2019 way too far out to make predictions as to hiring, in fact, I was just thinking today, in terms of my own job stability and affirming that I am one 9/11 type style attacks from being furloughed-- such as the business.

If your friend desires Full-Time, then I strongly suggest a hub which has been expanding its flight schedule, as LAX, DFW and CLT come to mind. However, it is highly unlikely one to be hired as full-time, but I have heard of full-time upgrades as short as 6 months and it could be much longer. Just never know.

Forget working Piedmont if this is a long-term (career) plan. The entire industry has a shortage of pilots, and regional flying has become sacrificed for larger mainline planes. Piedmont, Eagle, Mesa, etc. are much easier to replace and also better pay, benefits, scope protections with mainline. If this is a college gig or going to flight school, then it doesn't really matter for a few years.

If friend isn't sure about being above the wing vs. below the wing, then probably best to take a personal inventory, as usually people are much better at one vs. the other. America West in its early days attempted to cross-utilize for the ramp and customer service, and the results were predictable-- petite females attempting to stack 60-pound bags, and burly anti-social boors attempting customer service. Working the ramp means being outside regardless of weather day and night, lifting heavy objects in small cargo holds, noisy, sweaty, dirty, and I personally, love the job, especially as bags don't talk back.

Something else to think about, and I have seen this in various stations, but "full-time" and "part-time" could misnomers, as they are many full-timers who work part-time hours and part-timers who works full-time hours. The ramp allows a great deal of flexibility (and I think that applies for customer service agents too), insofar people will drop shifts, pick-up shifts and double-up. Management usually does not care so long as someone is covering the shift. So your friend could be "part-time" but still piece enough shifts together to get to 30-40 hours a week, as I have seen part-timers working consistently 60 hours a week.

Also keep in mind that is far more difficult to get on with American Airlines than it was with America West with the later required little more than passing a background check, drug test and the ability to fog a mirror, but at $7.00/hour starting most didn't last long. Getting hired now would be far more competitive with much better pay and benefits, so it would help if you know someone still with the company to put in a good word.

Hope that answers the questions for you.

 

[Justme]

Check careers.aa.com or go to aa.com n click careers. Jetnet may be another source. If for june 2019 may want to check closer then . I know DCA is hiring like crazy. Hope this helps

Thanks Robbed. I have limited access on retirees.aa.com and I it makes sense that I can't access the career board. And yes, that helps. I think my advice will be to see how things look in the spring.

 

[Justme]

Justme,

Few observations:

June 2019 way too far out to make predictions as to hiring, in fact, I was just thinking today, in terms of my own job stability and affirming that I am one 9/11 type style attacks from being furloughed-- such as the business.

If your friend desires Full-Time, then I strongly suggest a hub which has been expanding its flight schedule, as LAX, DFW and CLT come to mind. However, it is highly unlikely one to be hired as full-time, but I have heard of full-time upgrades as short as 6 months and it could be much longer. Just never know.

Forget working Piedmont if this is a long-term (career) plan. The entire industry has a shortage of pilots, and regional flying has become sacrificed for larger mainline planes. Piedmont, Eagle, Mesa, etc. are much easier to replace and also better pay, benefits, scope protections with mainline. If this is a college gig or going to flight school, then it doesn't really matter for a few years.

If friend isn't sure about being above the wing vs. below the wing, then probably best to take a personal inventory, as usually people are much better at one vs. the other. America West in its early days attempted to cross-utilize for the ramp and customer service, and the results were predictable-- petite females attempting to stack 60-pound bags, and burly anti-social boors attempting customer service. Working the ramp means being outside regardless of weather day and night, lifting heavy objects in small cargo holds, noisy, sweaty, dirty, and I personally, love the job, especially as bags don't talk back.

Something else to think about, and I have seen this in various stations, but "full-time" and "part-time" could misnomers, as they are many full-timers who work part-time hours and part-timers who works full-time hours. The ramp allows a great deal of flexibility (and I think that applies for customer service agents too), insofar people will drop shifts, pick-up shifts and double-up. Management usually does not care so long as someone is covering the shift. So your friend could be "part-time" but still piece enough shifts together to get to 30-40 hours a week, as I have seen part-timers working consistently 60 hours a week.

Also keep in mind that is far more difficult to get on with American Airlines than it was with America West with the later required little more than passing a background check, drug test and the ability to fog a mirror, but at $7.00/hour starting most didn't last long. Getting hired now would be far more competitive with much better pay and benefits, so it would help if you know someone still with the company to put in a good word.
I
Hope that answers the questions for you.

Thanks Jester. That's all good information that will be helpful. I worked with some of the AWA people who experienced the cross utilization (including flight attendant duty) and it seemed like most who were still around from those days had fond memories. Had one pilot in class who was actually hired before the company even took delivery of their first airplane.

I think that this person is more suited to below the wing and has some forklift experience during summer between school years. Hopefully that will show that he knows how to do that sort of job safely.

Like Robbed said, I think that taking a look at how things stand when the time comes will be the thing to do.

Thanks again for your perspective!

 

[La Li Lu Le Lo]

America West in its early days attempted to cross-utilize for the ramp and customer service, and the results were predictable-- petite females attempting to stack 60-pound bags, and burly anti-social boors attempting customer service.

Someone buy this man a beer.

 

[jimntx]

Thanks Robbed. I have limited access on retirees.aa.com and I it makes sense that I can't access the career board. And yes, that helps. I think my advice will be to see how things look in the spring.

However, you and your friend can access the careers section of AA.com. just log on to aa.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Under the About American column head, click on Careers. All jobs currently available are listed.

 

[Justme]

However, you and your friend can access the careers section of AA.com. just log on to aa.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page. Under the About American column head, click on Careers. All jobs currently available are listed.

Thanks Jim. That'll definitely be the course he will need to take. I hope that life after your FA days are going well.

 

[jimntx]

Suggest that your friend sign up with LinkedIn.com. I just saw listings on there for a Line and Ramp Agent with Jet Aviation in Dallas, and a Cargo Ramp Agent with Alaska Airlines in Seattle. Both jobs were entry level; I'm sure they don't require a lot of background or experience.

Jet Aviation is a provider of private jet service (for those that can afford it). I'm thinking since it's both above and below the wing work, a dose of tact and diplomacy is probably an unspoken requirement of the job.

As you probably know, Alaska is a good airline to work for, and though expensive, Seattle is a wonderful city. I have a close friend who flies for them. He was in my new hire Flight Attendant class at AA. When we were furloughed in 2003, he went to work for Alaska and decided not to return to AA when we were recalled.

 

[Justme]

Thanks Jim! That's very helpful especially since I'm not familiar with linkedin and didn't know that they also had a job listing section.