Hiring Freeze

buffalopilot

Well-Known Member
I received a call the other day from a Pinnacle representative stating that the class I am interviewing for is Sept 11 and that is the last class because of a hiring freeze. What exactly does that mean?

Seriously
 
I received a call the other day from a Pinnacle representative stating that the class I am interviewing for is Sept 11 and that is the last class because of a hiring freeze. What exactly does that mean?

Seriously

  1. It's cold in Memphis... Freeze...Get it, it's a joke
  2. Enjoy swimminng.....You may be hired into a pool.
  3. It means you had better make this interview.
  4. seriously though, the well may be dryin up.....
 
I received a call the other day from a Pinnacle representative stating that the class I am interviewing for is Sept 11 and that is the last class because of a hiring freeze. What exactly does that mean?

Seriously

you'll be on reserve and if you're the youngest one there you'll be at the very bottom of the senority list until they hire again.

Essentially expect min days off, reserve, and not having a great QOL until hiring picks up. Also don't expect to get the base of your choice, you'll go to the most junior base they have.

timing is everything
 
1) You should not have pissed off Chuck Colgan.
2) Now I bet you really wished you had gone to one of those 4 interviews with Colgan
3) You are screwed. Maybe you can tow some banners.
4) I guess that big banner ATP advertisement at the top of this site saying, "Pinnacle Airlines interviewing onsite all this month", is false? I don't think so;)
 
Do you think they've gotten so many PFJ folks from Jet University and the likes that they no longer have to hire FOs?
 
you'll be on reserve and if you're the youngest one there you'll be at the very bottom of the senority list until they hire again.

Essentially expect min days off, reserve, and not having a great QOL until hiring picks up. Also don't expect to get the base of your choice, you'll go to the most junior base they have.

timing is everything


All so true. I just got awarded DEN the other day...it took 10 months and I am still on reserve! However I expect to hold a line by October perhaps. For me, it was a rough 10 months but if you value QOL over getting that seniority # maybe wait it out. Otherwise get in while you can and get your # and experience built up.
 
You're in Boulder, now? Dude, I just moved to 10th and Pine last night! Let's get together. The rest of this month sucks for me, though.
 
Sweet! Thats a great location!! Send me a PM and we can go grab a brew sometime at the Scumdowner or Connors.
 
Basically, attrition hasn't been near the levels it has been in the past (ie FOs aren't leaving in droves like they were), NWA has shaved back our flying b/c it's no longer the busy summer travel season, and finally no one knows what's going to happen with Mesaba or our current contract (which some interesting things have been happening in about the past week or so).

As far as FOs go, I think we're pretty stocked on them. CAs are another story, but they don't appear to be running a whole lot of upgrade classes right now. There are a lot of CAs in the pool at FedEx, so they are leaving at a steady rate.

The hiring freeze is b/c they don't know what the staffing needs are going to be in the near future. We just got word that NWA is ready to talk on a new ASA, but a new pilot contract is a must before they'll agree to anything.

As far as bases, if you want DTW, you'll get it. MEM is a maybe, but you might be waiting a while for MSP. I think they're really trying to staff DTW since they're light on reserves. I keep getting deadheaded up there to cover DTW lines. Right now, I'm "senior" reserve. I get weekends off, and I'm about 10 from the bottom on the "call last" list. If four more people move on, I'll have a line.
 
We just got word that NWA is ready to talk on a new ASA, but a new pilot contract is a must before they'll agree to anything.

.

I don't want to be a "Negative Nancy" but we started hearing this in the fall of 2004.....for 2 years I watched "interesting things" happen on an almost daily basis. Terry M. even went so far to say "...the contract will be signed in less than a month...." (I heard that one with my own ears while I was sitting around ops in MEM) and that was about 11 months ago! Pinnacle has never done a very good job of predicting staffing - it's the most reactionary company I've ever been involved with. I just talked to one of the guys I went thru upgrade with and he's still working 22 days a month in MSP. A new ASA doesn't mean a better ASA - it could always be a reduction in flying.

I guess the moral of the story is - when you staff an airline with reserves like 9E does every month it won't take long before they're short again. I can't imagine the "freeze" lasting more than a month.

Jason
 
Jason, good points. BTW, where are you flying out of right now?

I'm not a big fan of the "reserves are there to cover open time" policy that seems to be going around. CAs seem to be getting hit harder with this than FOs.
 
I received a call the other day from a Pinnacle representative stating that the class I am interviewing for is Sept 11 and that is the last class because of a hiring freeze. What exactly does that mean?

Seriously
wait a minute.. you've been on the site since march of 2005, have 300 something posts and don't know what a hiring freeze is? are you really studying for your interview or just hoping you pass?

I'm worried about you passing any interview if you don't know basic information about the job, career and professional aspects of holding ANY job. Hiring freezes take place is just about all jobs, not just aviation.

plus, i would consider it basic information that's talked about often enough in over a year *on* this site.
 
wait a minute.. you've been on the site since march of 2005, have 300 something posts and don't know what a hiring freeze is? are you really studying for your interview or just hoping you pass?

I'm worried about you passing any interview if you don't know basic information about the job, career and professional aspects of holding ANY job. Hiring freezes take place is just about all jobs, not just aviation.

plus, i would consider it basic information that's talked about often enough in over a year *on* this site.

Wow, this guy catches a lot of crap on this website. I know about the 4 interviews he turned down from colgan, but is there more that I am missing about this guy?

Kristie, I think when he is asking "what exactly does this mean" he is referring not to the literal definition of a Hiring freeze, but I am pretty sure he is asking about why pinnacle has a hiring freeze. he is asking what does that exactly mean for him, ............i dunno, i am just giving him the benefit of the doubt.
 
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