Ramping for an airline during college

Ayork62493

Ayork62493

GBR
Just had an interview with Southwest for a ramper position at OMA. Unfortunately I had to turn it down. I know they're all union employers so I realize I get very little say when I work.

So I'm curious, how did those of you who ramped make it work during college? They specifically stated that my work would need to come before school in this situation. What if I have class? Did you guys just not go to class? Just looking for some way to make this work?

Thanks
 
Ayork62493 said:
Just had an interview with Southwest for a ramper position at OMA. Unfortunately I had to turn it down. I know they're all union employers so I realize I get very little say when I work.

So I'm curious, how did those of you who ramped make it work during college? They specifically stated that my work would need to come before school in this situation. What if I have class? Did you guys just not go to class? Just looking for some way to make this work?

Thanks
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I worked for NWA while I was in college... my shift started at 8pm and ended at 7am... worked 2 flights in, cleaned them, and worked 2 flights out... once I became proficient in my duties I still had 3-5 hours for homework at night. I was able to do 18 credit hours a semester and still had plenty of time to sleep, party, etc. Best job I have ever had... made a decent wage.. had 3-4 days off a week... and I had a lot of fun working for NWA. Sorry to hear it didn't work out for you.... NWA made it very clear to us that work came first and that we had to work around their schedule... that being said our manager was awesome to work for and he did he absolute best to work with us.
 
I worked ramp for horizon air and a contractor that worked delta and us air. It was a great job for college and the flight benefits were great to go around and visit family.
 
I haven't checked into this in a while but I know back in the day some airlines had a no rehire policy. Working the ramp and quitting would ban you for life from later getting a job as a pilot.
 
Jet said:
I haven't checked into this in a while but I know back in the day some airlines had a no rehire policy. Working the ramp and quitting would ban you for life from later getting a job as a pilot.
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Yoww. Penair has the opposite policy. Having been a previous employed, they offered me an automatic spot in ground school, should I accept.
 
Southwest is probably about the worst if you want just a ramp job on the side with their mando stuff they like to do. I'd look at one of the regionals there. Pay isn't the best, but you're usually pretty flexible. I can't remember if Piedmont still has the US contract there or not, but I'd look into it. Pretty much everybody I know here does "buddy bidding" where you can end up working a couple days a week if you can make the trades work. At our station there's a lot of 0430-0730 shifts or 10pm to 3am (sucks, but we have a ton of down time if everything is on time). The times suck but you can actually fit other jobs and class into it if you don't get too tired. I'm not sure how likely it is they'd have schedules like ours but it's possible.
 
Jet said:
I haven't checked into this in a while but I know back in the day some airlines had a no rehire policy. Working the ramp and quitting would ban you for life from later getting a job as a pilot.
Click to expand...
I've never heard of that before. I know a guy who worked the ramp for Cape Air, went to college for 4 years, and came back as an FO with internal minimums. Piedmont will hire you into your old job as long as you left in good standing. You start over from square one on pay and seniority, but they will hire you back.
 
I was lucky, I was vacation relief for a long time - that, along with buddy bidding and the occasional shift trade, worked out for me. I still don't know how I did it, although I was late to a few classes. My instructors were all ok with it though, since they knew the situation.

I did use it to my advantage occasionally with a crappy instructor..."oh sorry, I have to work and can't get out of the shift."

Generally speaking, as long as you leave in good standing, most airlines will rehire you.
 
I got hired as a customer service agent at Skywest literally as soon as I had my HS diploma(since the job was held for me until I graduated). Outstations seem to have random hours depending on flights, but at the hubs its pretty black and white, AM or PM. The PM shift, on the ramp especially, seems to be almost entirely college kids where I work. Its as much fun as it sounds. Most college kids want to work the weekend so they can focus on school during the week. That the LAST thing I want, school all week then work all weekend? Please. That's actually why I dropped out. "Just 2 more days of school then I get to work all night on the weekends while everyone parties, YAY!". Don't set yourself up for failure, college is a lot more flexible than you think. Want your weekend nights? Work mornings, take night classes. Want class in the morning? Work nights, take morning classes. Can't fit 3 classes in before/after work? Take 2 that day, you may be in school a little longer, but it is what you make of it. But you're only young and stupid once, imagine what being young and stupid is like with flight benefits. If you want to be a ramper, take the job, organize your schedule around it. I'd recommend part time tho for extra flexibility, just pick up when you can.

This fall I am going to be a fulltime student and take it seriously, I can go to school in the morning and work at night. Now that I'm 21, I know a lot more about myself, and I'll have a much better time in college because I'll appreciate everything for what it is, not take it for granted and watch it fly by like many of my friends did. And I still have my weekends, and my flight benefits. I don't want to encourage procrastination to a career focused individual, but...if you really want to travel, and maybe you're more concerned with living life than rushing into your career...just sayin'.
 
Ayork62493 said:
Just had an interview with Southwest for a ramper position at OMA. Unfortunately I had to turn it down. I know they're all union employers so I realize I get very little say when I work.

So I'm curious, how did those of you who ramped make it work during college? They specifically stated that my work would need to come before school in this situation. What if I have class? Did you guys just not go to class? Just looking for some way to make this work?

Thanks
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I'm confused. What do you mean you get very little say when you work? The union is actually great and we have the LOWEST dues paid to any union in the airlines. Oh, and they active -- our local union reps are some of my good friends and our regional guys I know on a first name basis. They're proactive and extremely vocal.

Most places will tell you that in an interview, they want to see you have dedication to the job. Southwest has extreme flexibility -- just like any other airline. Yes, we have mandatory overtime, but that is all subjective to the station and their staffing levels. Once on with the company, you'll learn ways to get around it. I've never had to work mando I didn't want. And we were critically short staffed for a long time! The mando is wonderful in terms of pay - Double Time and potentially more. We got quite a few guys that are full time rampers (per se) and go to school full time. It's just learning how to make it work. A very common thing is to do a buddy bid, working the weekends, and have the weekdays off to go to class.

If I was you, I'd do whatever you can to call Southwest back and see if you can accept. It's been one of the smartest decisions I've made. I never once contemplated making a career out working on the ground for an airline, but with the potential for growth, the pay, the benefits, and the flexibility, it's gonna be hard to just walk away from my job. Southwest is one of the few, if not the only airline I know, you can make 6 figures as a ground employee.
 
JordanD said:
I've never heard of that before. I know a guy who worked the ramp for Cape Air, went to college for 4 years, and came back as an FO with internal minimums. Piedmont will hire you into your old job as long as you left in good standing. You start over from square one on pay and seniority, but they will hire you back.
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Not entirely true. Depending on the station size regular and mando shifts can be very easy to get rid of. The WN managers I've worked with we're also always very accommodating, minus a select few...
 
Wouldnt that be funny. You get a ramp job to get you through college but end up having a better career as a ramper than another job with a college degree.
 
I worked as a ramper part time...my schedule was 2200-0100...this schedule seemed to work well with my daytime class schedule. The college I went to also offered classes online which worked out well but requires alot of discipline. An airport job that really worked out well for me was working as a fueler. I was working at a busy airport and still had alot of down time to read my books.
 
I worked the ramp part time for Pinnacle in college at an outstation. The manager worked with us that had school and it worked out pretty well most of the times. Usually I would go to class in the morning and when I did work I had the 3PM - 11PM shift.
 
Quite a few guys at WN down in MCO go to college. They make it work through shift trades and then they pick up extra hours during the summer and winter breaks. WN is cutting back on OT system wide, so there is a lot less mandatory overtime except for late flights on the PM shift. Good luck on your job search though, it's a pretty fun job most of the time!
 
Ayork62493 said:
Just had an interview with Southwest for a ramper position at OMA. Unfortunately I had to turn it down. I know they're all union employers so I realize I get very little say when I work.

So I'm curious, how did those of you who ramped make it work during college? They specifically stated that my work would need to come before school in this situation. What if I have class? Did you guys just not go to class? Just looking for some way to make this work?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Why do you want to work the ramp during college? I mean, is it just a job to pay bills? Or are you looking at working in the airlines post-college?
 
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